Marshall Prater is Doc Porter in Lab’s ‘Crimes of the Heart’
On stage at Lab Theater through January 21 is Beth Henley’s Southern Gothic tragi-comedy, Crimes of the Heart.
The story follows three sisters who have reunited for the first time in a decade at their Granddaddy’s house in Hazlehurst, Mississippi. Lenny Magrath is the eldest. She actually never left Hazlehurst, remaining in the home to care for Granddaddy, whose health has been steadily declining and who is presently in the hospital with the vessels in his brain all a popping.
Babe is the youngest. Granddaddy married her off to a successful lawyer by the name of Zach. Just one problem – Zach is abusive and Babe detests the sound and sight of him. She just posted bail for Zach’s attempted murder. But she didn’t shoot him in self-defense. Rather, Babe was defending the 15-year-old African American boy with whom she was having an extramarital affair – and Zach has the photos to prove it.
The middle girl is Meg. Beautiful, charming and talented as well, she left Hazelhurst for L.A. to pursue a singing and acting career. But L.A. is a hard place in which to find fame and fortune, and following the collapse of her career and a brief stint in a psychiatric hospital following a nervous breakdown, Meg’s back home and getting ready to rekindle her relationship with the man she left behind. Never mind that he’s married with two children now, to a Yankee of all things!
Meg’s prey is Doc Porter. He got his name because he’d set his 
sights and heart on a career in medicine since he was a small boy. But then, he fell for Meg and got his leg crushed when she convinced him to stay with her in Biloxi rather than evacuating with everyone else as Hurricane Camille raced across the Gulf of Mexico for the Mississippi coast. He lost his ambition to become a doctor, but kept the nickname. And after Meg ran off to L.A. to pursue a singing career, he met and married a Yankee, who gave him the boy and girl he’d always 
wanted. But the heart wants what the heart wants, and that would be Meg. Apparently, neither Doc nor Meg is known for making good decisions, with the outcome becoming more or less guaranteed with each glass of bourbon the twosome drains.
Marshall Prater plays the unassuming Doc Porter, and he makes the most of the limited lines and appearances that playwright Beth Henley gives his character in Crimes of 
the Heart.
Born and raised in Fort Myers, Marshall has been acting off-and-on since he was 16 years old. This is his debut at the Laboratory Theater of Florida, but he’s no newcomer to the stage. Marshall has been in shows at Theatre Conspiracy, FGCU Theater Lab, Cultural Park, and the Florida Repertory Theater. Marshall enjoys watching films, sports, reading plays and working out.
January 5, 2018.
RELATED POSTS.
‘Crimes of the Heart’ extends The Lab’s love affair with tragi-comedy- ARTSWFL’s review of Lab’s ‘Crimes of the Heart’
- Lucy Sundby is Lenny in Lab’s production of ‘Crimes of the Heart’
- Danielle Channell is Meg Magrath in Lab’s ‘Crimes of the Heart’
- Holly Wilson debuts at Lab as Babe Botrelle in ‘Crimes of the Heart’
- Justin Larsche at his best as lovestruck lawyer Burnette Lloyd in Lab’s ‘Crimes of the Heart’
- Kayleigh O’Connell is Chick Boyle in Lab’s production of ‘Crimes of the Heart’
- ‘Crimes of the Heart’ play dates, times and ticket info
About the Author
Tom Hall is both an amateur artist and aspiring novelist who writes art quest thrillers. He is in the final stages of completing his debut novel titled "Art Detective," a story that fictionalizes the discovery of the fabled billion-dollar Impressionist collection of Parisian art dealer Josse Bernheim-Jeune, thought by many to have perished during World War II when the collection's hiding place, Castle de Rastignac in southern France, was destroyed by the Wehrmacht in reprisal for attacks made by members of the Resistance operating in the area. A former tax attorney, Tom holds a bachelor's degree as well as both a juris doctorate and masters of laws in taxation from the University of Florida. Tom lives in Estero, Florida with his fiancee, Connie, and their four cats.