'Dead Man Walking' Author at SBU

The death penalty will take center stage at St. Bonaventure University this fall as the Theater Program will produce the play "Dead Man Walking" and the University welcomes Sr. Helen Prejean, C.S.J., author of the Pulitzer Prize-nominated book by the same name.

The SBU Theater season opener will run at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5-8 in the Rigas Family Theater of The Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts on campus.

The SBU Theater production of "Dead Man Walking" will be directed by Dr. Ed. Simone, who chairs the Department of Visual and Performing Arts, and designed by Rebecca Misenheimer, assistant professor of theater. Simone chose the play to be the theater program's contribution to St. Bonaventure's 150th Anniversary Celebration because of its strong themes of social justice and non-violence.

"Dead Man Walking" is based on the book of the same title by Prejean, who wrote of her early experiences ministering to inmates on Louisiana's death row. Prejean's book was made into a controversial film starring Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn and directed by Tim Robbins, who worked with Prejean on the screenplay. When Simone met Prejean at an international theater conference last year, Prejean told him how the stage version of "Dead Man Walking" came to be.

"After the film was released, Tim Robbins and Sr. Helen didn't want their collaboration to end," said Simone. "Robbins went back to the book and wrote a stage play. There's some material from the screenplay, of course, but the play is more presentational - the themes of social justice are dealt with in a more direct way."

The play involves actors playing multiple roles and directly addressing the audience. It focuses on Prejean's relationship with one particular inmate, Matt Poncelet, on death row for rape and murder. Poncelet maintains his innocence, and Prejean must face the horrible truth of the crime while fighting Poncelet's death sentence. In the play, Prejean faces the audience and engages them in her struggle.

The play is unique in another way, according to Simone.

"The stage version of 'Dead Man Walking' is part of the national Dead Man Walking Theater Project and is available only to schools," said Simone. "Universities, colleges and the secondary schools that produce the play must also present lectures, classes and other events to educate students and the communities about the issue of the death penalty."

The Dead Man Walking Theater Project involves productions of the play, online resources, course materials, and a national network of educators, politicians, former inmates and others who speak on the topic of the death penalty and its effects on society. Its goal is to educate and promote social action. To date, "Dead Man Walking" has been produced by universities across the U.S., including Yale, Fordham, Notre Dame, Ashland, Loyola, the University of North Carolina and many more.

"St. Bonaventure's theater program is in good company doing 'Dead Man Walking,'" added Misenheimer. "What's great about the project is that each school that produces the show adds its own special treatment to the history of the piece, and its own unique discussions and classes."

That's exactly what Simone thought when he heard Prejean and Robbins speak about the project in New Orleans last summer.

"I spoke with Sr. Helen and told her we wanted to produce the play and join the project and asked if she'd come to SBU to speak. She was very enthusiastic about the idea of St. Bonaventure joining the project and about coming to speak here," said Simone.

Simone took his ideas to Emily Sinsabaugh, SBU's vice president for University Relations, who brought University President Sr. Margaret Carney, O.S.F, into the discussions.

Prejean, a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Medaille, was a little-known Roman Catholic nun from Louisiana when, in 1993, "Dead Man Walking," her first book, challenged the way the death penalty in America is looked at. It became a No. 1 New York Times bestseller and was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize.

The University's Franciscan Center for Social Concern will sponsor Prejean's Nov. 11 public lecture on campus. The program, "Dead Man Walking: The Journey Continues," will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11, in the Reilly Center Arena. The event is free and open to the public. Additional details about Prejean's November visit and a book signing will be announced soon.

Also this fall, St. Bonaventure will offer special death penalty and social justice lecture opportunities and Dr. Barry Gan, associate professor of philosophy and director of the Center for Nonviolence at St. Bonaventure, is offering a special topics philosophy course on the death penalty. "Dead Man Walking" was chosen as the fall selection for Alle-Catt Reads, making the book a topic for discussion and debate among readers throughout Allegany and Cattaraugus counties. Audience talkbacks are scheduled after performances of the SBU Theater production.

"SBU Theater is both participating in and facilitating a national forum on a terribly important issue," said Simone. "It's a great opportunity for our developing theater program to impact audiences both on the St. Bonaventure campus and in the community."

Tickets for the November production of "Dead Man Walking" are available by calling the Quick Center for the Arts Box Office at (716) 375-2494. "Dead Man Walking" contains adult subjects and language.