Word for Word, Tan's 'Immortal Heart' a perfect fit

There is nothing like a story to mesmerize us, make us laugh, intrigue us with language, astonish us with the twists and turns of fate and plot, fascinate us with character, provide the moral dilemmas against which we imagine our lives, and give solace to the heart in times of sorrow.

All of us at Word for Word Performing Arts Company are dedicated to the idea of the short story, and devoted to the writers who create them. As a group of professional actors (and voracious readers), we founded our company in 1993 to bring short stories to the stage in ways they'd never before been seen. We aren't simply adapting Amy Tan's "Immortal Heart" for the stage, but instead, we are performing fully every word of her luminous story.

When we first read "Immortal Heart" in the January 2000 issue of The New Yorker, we knew that here was a story we had to bring to the stage. Several years and the publication of "The Bonesetter's Daughter" (of which "Immortal Heart" is the mysterious heart) later, we were able at last to bring this warm and haunting tale to theatrical fruition. And now, Amy Tan is working on an opera of the story, which is a tale of family bonds, betrayal, and enduring love, set in rural China of the 1920s. It has a universal quality that seems to call out for ever-deepening tellings.

We are honored to bring "Immortal Heart" to the Sierra Foothills, and pleased to be working in the company of this cast and crew. Everyone has given so much to this story that it has become one of those treasured labors of love that is found in the best of times in the theater. We are very proud to share that with our audiences here in Nevada City.

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Susan Harloe is the artistic director of Word for Word Performing Arts Company