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PITTSBURG —
A nun who has lived a protected and privileged life finds herself confronted with the worst in human nature in “Dead Man Walking,” a play based on the experiences of Sister Helen Prejean with convicted murderer Matthew Poncelet.
Pittsburg State University Theatre will present the play at 8 p.m. today through Saturday and at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the Grubbs Hall Theatre.
Sister Prejean becomes a pen pal of an inmate on death row and fights to save his life, When that effort fails, the killer asks her to serve as his spiritual advisor in his last days.
The play, by Tim Robbins, is part of the nationwide Dead Man Walking: School Theatre Project. Schools are able to produce the play without royalty fees, but must schedule other activities related to the death penalty theme. At PSU, this included the writing of poetry, published in the play program, and lectures by Sister Prejean and by Rob Warden, executive director of the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern University.
The production features strong performances by Taylor Patterson as Sister Prejean and Jacob Hacker as Poncelet. The script does not sugar-coat his character — the man is a racist and was complicit in the murder of a teenage boy and girl, and the rape of the girl. In one scene, he even makes a sexual advance to Sister Prejean.
After her first visit to Poncelet in prison, Sister Prejean has a nightmare about the time when she was 8 and joined with several other children in beating an animal to death. She begins to wonder if the potential for violence exists in everyone.
She finds a lawyer, played by real-life attorney John Mazurek, to try to get Poncelet’s sentence commuted to life in prison, and must face the parents of the murdered teens, Mr. and Mrs. Delacroix, played by Brett Baker and Michelle Rhoades, and Mr. and Mrs. Percy, played by Austin Curtright and Micah Black. They are bewildered and angry that a nun would try to save the man who murdered their children.
Through it all, Sister Prejean persists in her efforts to understand and help Poncelet, even in the final moments before he becomes one of Louisiana’s first inmates executed by lethal injection. It is a journey that gave her a life mission to struggle against the death penalty.
The excellent cast also includes Jeanine Kunshek, Lacey Daniels, Logan Qualls, Ceyeli Corbett, Elle Walker, Ethan Caldwell, Megan Stoneberger, Joel Ybarra, Deidre Galloway and Bethany McAdams, many playing multiple roles. Voice work and slide show appearances were made by Stella Hastings, Tawyna Bach, Adam Hull, Jen Rainey, Ainslee Magee and Lara Ismert.
Kristy Magee is director, with Ismert as stage manager. Doug Bennett did scenic and lighting design, with Lisa Quinteros serving as costume designer. John C. Ross of the PSU music faculty composed an original musical score for the show.
The show has many disturbing moments and is not for children. However, it raises issues that must not be ignored.
Tickets are $10 for the general public, $6 for those under 17 and over 65, and free to all PSU students, faculty and staff with a valid PSU photo ID. Tickets may be purchased through the PSU Ticket Office, 235-4796, or at the door.
A nun who has lived a protected and privileged life finds herself confronted with the worst in human nature in “Dead Man Walking,” a play based on the experiences of Sister Helen Prejean with convicted murderer Matthew Poncelet.
Pittsburg State University Theatre will present the play at 8 p.m. today through Saturday and at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the Grubbs Hall Theatre.
Sister Prejean becomes a pen pal of an inmate on death row and fights to save his life, When that effort fails, the killer asks her to serve as his spiritual advisor in his last days.
The play, by Tim Robbins, is part of the nationwide Dead Man Walking: School Theatre Project. Schools are able to produce the play without royalty fees, but must schedule other activities related to the death penalty theme. At PSU, this included the writing of poetry, published in the play program, and lectures by Sister Prejean and by Rob Warden, executive director of the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern University.
The production features strong performances by Taylor Patterson as Sister Prejean and Jacob Hacker as Poncelet. The script does not sugar-coat his character — the man is a racist and was complicit in the murder of a teenage boy and girl, and the rape of the girl. In one scene, he even makes a sexual advance to Sister Prejean.
After her first visit to Poncelet in prison, Sister Prejean has a nightmare about the time when she was 8 and joined with several other children in beating an animal to death. She begins to wonder if the potential for violence exists in everyone.
She finds a lawyer, played by real-life attorney John Mazurek, to try to get Poncelet’s sentence commuted to life in prison, and must face the parents of the murdered teens, Mr. and Mrs. Delacroix, played by Brett Baker and Michelle Rhoades, and Mr. and Mrs. Percy, played by Austin Curtright and Micah Black. They are bewildered and angry that a nun would try to save the man who murdered their children.
Through it all, Sister Prejean persists in her efforts to understand and help Poncelet, even in the final moments before he becomes one of Louisiana’s first inmates executed by lethal injection. It is a journey that gave her a life mission to struggle against the death penalty.
The excellent cast also includes Jeanine Kunshek, Lacey Daniels, Logan Qualls, Ceyeli Corbett, Elle Walker, Ethan Caldwell, Megan Stoneberger, Joel Ybarra, Deidre Galloway and Bethany McAdams, many playing multiple roles. Voice work and slide show appearances were made by Stella Hastings, Tawyna Bach, Adam Hull, Jen Rainey, Ainslee Magee and Lara Ismert.
Kristy Magee is director, with Ismert as stage manager. Doug Bennett did scenic and lighting design, with Lisa Quinteros serving as costume designer. John C. Ross of the PSU music faculty composed an original musical score for the show.
The show has many disturbing moments and is not for children. However, it raises issues that must not be ignored.
Tickets are $10 for the general public, $6 for those under 17 and over 65, and free to all PSU students, faculty and staff with a valid PSU photo ID. Tickets may be purchased through the PSU Ticket Office, 235-4796, or at the door.
