Dobama Theatre’s ‘The Heart Sellers’ is a show for the times

The date is November 17, 1973. Richard Milhous Nixon is on every television channel (all three of them) giving his famous “I am not a crook” speech. The country is in turmoil over the accusations of a Watergate Hotel break in and cover-up that would lead to Nixon resigning on August 8, 1974 making him the most hated President in history (a record that he would hold for 52 years).

Prior to all this drama the Hart-Cellar Act of 1965 would be signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. With this act skilled Asians with family ties in the United States were allowed to enter the country balancing the porous flood of Europeans who had previously entered the country with little restrictions.

“The Heart Sellers” is a 90 minute no intermission work by Lloyd Suh lays (the title is taken by the sponsors of the 1965 Act – Senator Phillip A. Hart and Representative Emanuel Celler).

Hong Ja Ha (Kat Shy), aka Jane, is an immigrant wife from South Korea who is married to a medical student working towards his residency. Jane spends countless lonely days missing her family, watching television, keeping their 70s efficiency apartment tidy and shopping. While at the grocery store on Thanksgiving she meets up with Luna, aka Luningning Ignacia Mangahas de la Rosario Bustos (Nova Gomez) who is from the Philippines and also married to a medical student in the same boat. Both husbands work long hours and have been “volunteered” to work the overnight shift on Thanksgiving. The two ladies end up at Luna’s apartment with a frozen turkey that they intend to cook (along with some yams).

While Luna is a mile a minute talker, Jane at first is quite shy and reserved. It is only after some wine of questionable quality she begins to open up. There are many things that they relate to including missing home and family, the loneliness of not fitting in, strange holidays and customs, their favorite TV shows (Julia Child, Soul Train, Sesame Street and The Young and the Restless) shopping at K-Mart, mastering the art of small talk in America and the difficulty of learning American slang and colloquialisms. Both women are on tight financial budgets, have no family support system and are trying out new foods such as spray can cheese and Ritz crackers.

The timing for this production could not be more appropriate as major cities are organizing en masse against the storm trooper tactics of the ICE goon squads. Here we have two women who rarely see their husbands who have left their families and culture on a gamble that the United States will be a better way of life. Both are from countries under martial rule to some extent and both have unfulfilled dreams. Luna loves to sing and has a beautiful voice while Jane is an artist who as of yet has not taken up her hobby. While full of hope for the future, their current assessment of America falls short of their dreams. Luna tells of how on their honey moon she and her husband went to Disneyland but because they did not have enough money to enter could only look in from the parking lot.

The stage design by Naoko Skala captures a 70’s efficiency apartment to the “T” with the wood paneling, swirling psychedelic colors (with a lot of orange), built in oven and center breakfast bar/kitchen work area with requisite butt forming stools (totally uncomfortable). Suwatana Rockland’s costumes outfit the pair in 70s K-Mart chic. Tegan Wilson loads the stage with delightful period props. Jakyung Seo’s lighting design is airy and bright with the use of emphasizing light at the end to center the characters. Bella Brehm’s sound design includes various radio samplings along with Nixon’s speech. The show is moved along at a fast pace by director Julia Sosa. As for the actors, Nova Gomez as the mile a minute talking Philippine brings a huge amount of energy to the show. Kat Shy as Jane slowly builds her character at small steps to reach a telling climax at the end. The two work extremely well together.

America is a country of contradictions. One year we welcome immigrants from all around the world who bring new customs, foods, traditions and ideas to our shores. Then suddenly with a new administration all bets are off and violent roundups are enacted. This is a show for the times showing us that no matter where we come from we are all the same...just people trying their best to live a comfortable and rewarding life. This show is from the heart.

Dobama Theatre’s “The Heart Sellers” will be on stage at 2340 Lee Road, Cleveland heights, Ohio through February 22, 2026. For more information go to https://www.dobama.org/ or call (216) 932-3396.