Coming Soon: "Dead Man Walking"

There's a story in today's Herald-Dispatch about the next show being presented by Marshall's Theater Alliance - and here it is:

The cast of the Marshall University theater show Dead Man Walking take the stage at 8 p.m. each night on Feb. 23-26 in the Joan C. Edward Playhouse.

The play, written by actor Tim Robbins in 2002, is based on the experiences of Sister Helen Prejean, the spiritual advisor of a death row inmate. Robbins also directed the movie version in 1995.

It has since become a college theater project known as Dead Man Walking School Theatre Project. The project's goal is to integrate theater arts and academic study into the national discourse on the death penalty to replace ignorance, apathy, and cynicism among young people with information, introspection and inspiration.

The theater department also will host a roundtable discussion from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 25, in the Frances-Booth Experimental Theatre. It is free and open to the public. The discussion will be led by Steve Crimaldi, National Coordinator of Dead Man Walking School Theatre Project.

To date, more than 190 schools across the country have performed the play.