When strangers Luna and Jane share wine and food after a chance encounter on Thanksgiving Day, the conversation touches on their isolation as Asian immigrants, presidential corruption and global unrest.
The Virginia Stage Co. production of “The Heart Sellers,” at the Wells Theatre from Wednesday to Oct. 25, is set in 1973.
The 90-minute chatter of the young wives of first-year medical residents is set in a nameless city; it explores themes as relevant today as they were 53 years ago under the Nixon administration.
“The Heart Sellers” is among the most produced plays in the country since its 2023 premiere.
Lloyd Suh’s play is clever and witty; its extended silences carry as much significance as the words themselves. The title stems from the 1965 Hart-Celler Act, which transformed the demographics of the United States by abolishing a quota system that favored immigrants from Europe. The law paved the way for families from countries, including South Korea, China and the Philippines, to seek permanent residency in the U.S.
The importance of finding community is among the timely themes that resonate with Tom Quaintance, the producing artistic director of the stage company. The company is continuing its 48th season only a few weeks after consecutive floods in Norfolk brought water into the Wells.
Staffers, the City of Norfolk and residents contributed to restoration efforts.
“Coming out of a flood, you saw how vital a community we are,” Quaintance said. “It’s a testament to how people feel a sense of community here, which is what we want. This is community property.”
Luna, a Filipina immigrant, and Jane, a Korean immigrant, seek that sense of belonging. They move from awkward talk about how to cook a frozen turkey to the bond that stems from navigating a future with so many integral parts of their past left behind.
Luna is a fast talker. Jane is more reserved. It’s magical to watch their connection build, starting with a shared glee for yams.
Actors Angeleia Ordoñez (Luna) and Bridget Kim (Jane) were born in the United States but identify easily with the women they play. They first starred in these roles in Cincinnati, also under the direction of Desdemona Chiang.
Ordoñez, who also played Luna in upstate New York, said breaking off a seven-year personal relationship in the last year created a sense of displacement.
“We bring something new. That’s the power of live theater.”
Kim has had her own heartbreak.
“We’ve both been gauging why we made our decisions, and it’s been nice to fall into my character and explore it through her body.”
Ordoñez said, “life has always informed the art that you do. “One of the greatest things you can do as an actor is live.”
The throwback costumes and accessories in Luna’s apartment, along with references to “The Price is Right,” the Yellow Pages, “Soul Train” and other ’70s throwbacks will strike a chord with older audiences. At the same time, so will making a home in a place that doesn’t feel universally relatable and the joy that comes from making a new friend.
The chemistry from the New York City actors spills into real life, too; Ordoñez lives in Washington Heights and Kim, in Harlem. They've become such good friends that it can be a challenge in the early scenes to pretend Luna and Jane are awkward at small talk. By the end of the performance, the kinship the women share on an American holiday turns some complex issues into a story of hope.
“The Heart Sellers” fits neatly into Virginia Stage Co.’s theme for the season, “Stories about finding where we belong.”
“Sometimes we’re here to share a laugh; sometimes we’re here to hear some music; sometimes we’re here to investigate the questions we grapple with as a community,” Quaintance said. “This is a play where you can both share a laugh and be moved, and you can also grapple with some questions that the country is grappling with right now.”
The Wells Theatre, 108 E. Tazewell St., Norfolk. Visit vastage.org for tickets and more information.
