A POWERFUL new stage production opening in Melville this coming week is aiming straight for the heart—both on stage and off.

Heart Lines, a moving drama penned and directed by local playwright Kerry Bowden, will run at the Melville Theatre from July 11–26—and every ticket sold will help support WA’s Heart and Lung Transplant Foundation.

“One dollar from every ticket goes to the foundation,” Ms Bowden said. “The more people who come, the more we can give.”

• Noah (Nick Stevenson) picked up a new passion alongside his heart transplant: a love for poetry. It’s not quite what his best mate Pete (Jack Varley) is used to as a tradie, but having watched Noah go through his heart transplant journey, he figures it’s not the worst outcome.

Life-saving

Set four years after 23-year-old Noah receives a life-saving heart transplant, Heart Lines follows the young man as he records a deeply personal video reflecting on his journey. 

As the footage rolls, his story begins to connect with that of another family in ways he couldn’t have imagined.

“With Heart Lines, I wanted to explore in its rawest form the undefined and unique bond between a heart donor and a heart recipient,” Ms Bowden said.

This will be the fourth time the play has been staged—previous seasons include Subiaco Arts Centre, Fringe World and the Fremantle Festival—but the first time in a community theatre setting. 

Ms Bowden, who now calls Melville home, says that was a deliberate choice.

• Heart Lines stars Poppy Lindsel, Travis Koch, Oscar Sheil and Brandon de Sousa.

“I’m passionate about telling stories that bring to life the deep and often vulnerable connection to the stage, and a story like this gives our audiences a glimpse into something that simultaneously explores loss, joy, despair and hope.”

Nick Stevenson, who previously played a different role in the production, now steps into the shoes of Noah.

“There’s so much tension in society, and so many misunderstandings,” he said. 

“This play reminds us that no one is one-dimensional. 

“Everyone carries their own complexities, and this story lets us sit with that.”

The cast also includes Travis Koch, Poppy Lindsell, Oscar Sheil, Brandon de Sousa and Jack Varley. “Theatre has such power to connect people,” Ms Bowden said. 

“This production not only brings a powerful story to local audiences, but actively supports the health of our community through donations and awareness.”

Tickets available through www.trybooking.com/1391857