Hearts Left Open written and directed by Lee-Ana Semenyna and assistant directed by Mike Leoppky is an raw and emotional play about two women who start out as strangers but as time passes become family. The play, produced by Heart and Ash Productions takes place in the hallway of a childhood cancer floor at a hospital, following two women through the highs and lows that they and their loved ones fighting cancer have to endure. It’s a show that makes it’s audience laugh, cry and root for these children and their families. With every bit of bad news given by the doctors our hearts sink and with every good bit of news the audience couldn’t help but smile knowing that even in the darkest times, the is indeed a light at the end of the tunnel. The cast put so much care and love into their roles bringing the doctors, nurses and loved ones and their stories to life. Semenyna perfectly balanced the darker moments in the play with the hope and graciousness formed by the hospital staff, patients and loved ones. The show’s set was beautifully crafted, with children's art hanging on the wall, with one coloring page in particular showing the month being swapped out regularly to signify the time passing. If you have the chance to go see this touching play, it is definitely worth checking out. Just make sure you have some tissues on hand. You can catch Hearts Left Open at the Edmonton Fringe Festival August 15th - 24th, 2025 at the Nordic Studio Theater.