Karen Baum (from left) as Lenny, Alex Whitney Combs as Babe and Christine Kaine as Meg share a laugh during their portrayal of three sisters dealing with family crisis in the Southern way in Crimes of the Heart. Photo by Miranda Pederson

Public Theatre of Kentucky will show the warmth and wackiness of a Southern family in its production of Beth Henleys Crimes of the Heart. The play will open at 8 p.m. Friday at Public Theatre of Kentucky. Set in 1974 Hazelhurst, Miss., Crimes of the Heart tells the story of the three McGrath sisters: Lenny, the oldest sister who stayed in Hazelhurst to care for the sisters ailing grandfather Old Granddaddy middle sister Meg, who ran off to Hollywood to pursue a singing career and failed; and Babe, the youngest sister who married into Hazelhurst society and is out on bail after shooting her husband. Theyre three very different, eccentric Southern sisters, said PTK founder and guest director Marci Woodruff of the shows characters. Crimes of the Heart is a play near and dear to Woodruffs heart. My roommate from college was in the play when it opened on Broadway. I went to see it, she said. About 15 minutes into the play I thought, Im all the women in this play. I have to do this play. Ive directed it, acted in it and Im directing it again. The play will appeal to a lot of people, Woodruff said. Theres a universal understanding how crazy all families are for Southerners in particular, she said. I know these women. The play has been a challenge to put together, Woodruff said. Comedy is touchy. Its more delicate to work on than a serious show, she said. The cast has risen to the occasion. Im delighted with everyones performance. Alexis Combs, who plays Babe and is PTKs artistic director, agreed. I like the comedy in the role I play, she said. I havent done a comedy in quite a while. The McGrath family thinks Babe is unique, Combs said. They think shes nuts, she said, laughing. I play her as if she operates in a different world. She has had a hard time, but she has a great sense of humor. Combs said she has enjoyed working with Woodruff, whom she has known her entire life and who will be going back to her home in Pittsburgh before Crimes of the Heart ends its run at PTK.It has been great working with Marci, she said. The show is so funny and so good. PTK will present Crimes of the Heart at 8 p.m. each Thursday through Saturday and at 3 p.m. each Sunday through Dec. 16 at the theater. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for seniors and students. An opening night reception will be Friday after the production. Works by Hannah Pepin will be displayed in the theater lobby. For more information, call the theater at 781-6233.