Ithaca College Theatre Presentation of the Exonerated Will Also Feature a Free Talk By

Ithaca College Theatre Presentation of ‘The Exonerated’ Will Also Feature a Free Talk by Death Row Survivor Kerry Max Cook Ithaca College Theatre’s October production of “The Exonerated”—Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen’s play based on the true stories of six people wrongfully accused of capital crimes and eventually released from death row—will be presented in conjunction with a visit from one of the people whose story is told in the play. Performances of “The Exonerated” will be held in the Clark Theatre at Dillingham Center at 8 p.m. on Oct. 7 and 9–11, with 2 p.m. matinees offered Oct. 11 and 12. Intended for mature audiences, “The Exonerated” will run approximately 90 minutes without an intermission. Tickets range from $4.50 to $10 and can be purchased from the Ithaca College Theatre ticket office in Dillingham Center or by calling (607) 274-3224. Tickets are also available at the Ticket Center at (607) 273-4497 or online at www.ithacaevents.com. The Ithaca College Theatre production of the play will dovetail with a free talk on [[Oct. 10–12]] by Kerry Max Cook, whose 22-year ordeal on death row in Texas is dramatized in “The Exonerated.” Cook’s public talk will begin at 3:30pm in Textor 101 on the IC campus. Nineteen years old when he was arrested for a rape and murder he didn’t commit, Cook spent more than two decades awaiting execution before DNA evidence proved him innocent. Before his exoneration, Cook endured three trials, countless prison rapes, and two suicide attempts. He is the author of “Chasing Justice: My Story of Freeing Myself after Two Decades on Death Row for a Crime I Didn’t Commit.” Cook’s experience came to the attention of playwrights Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen in 2000, who were then traveling the United States to document the stories of 40 people wrongly convicted of capital crimes and later released. Their play focuses on six of these exonerated Americans, recounting their arrests and trials, their disturbing experiences on death row, and their coming to terms with their newfound freedom. The director of “The Exonerated” is Cynthia Henderson, associate professor of theatre arts at Ithaca College. Henderson aims not only to entertain people but also to speak to their conscience. “I see ‘The Exonerated’ as a form of theatre for social change,” Henderson said. “Upon leaving the theatre, I would like the audience to be outraged, but outraged in such a way that they are motivated to do something about the flawed [judicial] system.” The cast of “The Exonerated” includes Max Lawrence ’09, Mariah Ciangola ’09, Thaddeus McCants ’10, Jaylene Clark ’10, Alex Krasser ’09, Tyler Gardella ’10, Jeremy Reese ’09, Kacie McEgan ’09, Jeff Crosley ’09, Clint Hromsco ’09, Nicole Intravia ’09, Deanalis Resto ’11, John X. Miller ’09, and Matt Gall ’09. The design panel includes costume designer Kelly McCaffrey ’09, scenic designer Keeley Dowart ’10, lighting designer Christine Goldman ’10, sound designer Chris Shendge ’10, and technical director Joe DiFonzo ’10. The stage manager is Victoria Sheehan ’09 and the dramaturge is Crystal Clark ’09. A nationally recognized professional theater training program, the Department of Theatre Arts attracts students from across the United States. Through Ithaca College Theatre and the production season, undergraduate students present all aspects of theater in a professional model. Ithaca College Theatre has been a cultural resource for Tompkins County and the region for more than 70 years.