DMW Play – Director's Blog

The sun was shining when I arrived in Napa, but soon it began to drizzle, then rain, then pour, so much so that when I walked back to my hotel after the play performance on February 4, my umbrella did little to protect me from the storm. But I could care less about my wet socks–I just walked out a fabulous performance of “Dead Man Walking” at Justin Siena High School. Congratulations to all the students and Matthew Miller–the superb director of the play.

I have to admit, when I arrived in Napa, I was expecting the entire city to be covered in grape vines, but to my surprise, there were houses, and stores and roads–and yes, the vineyards existed, just not outside my hotel room window, from where I would be able to extend a hand to pluck a grape from a vine or photograph fields of mustard (yes, it was mustard season, not grape growing time). An east coasters dream of Napa was quickly refreshed–but still to my delight. Napa is a beautiful area of our nation, and I very much enjoyed my brief time there.

Special thanks to Richard Wollack and Janis Gay for taking time out of their busy day to visit Justin Siena. Richard and Janis are both active members of Death Penalty Focus and shared their life and work with a group of students.

Read this review in the Napa Valley Register. I was happy to see the play covered by the local press, and I echo the sentiments of the journalist–the talent of the actors is impressive.

I encourage you all to check out the photographs posted on this site by our friends at Justin Siena.

Congratulations to all the actors at City Lights and students at Notre Dame High School who performed “Dead Man Walking”! Sister Helen and I were both in attendance on Friday, January 29, and very much enjoyed the play performance and spending time with the cast and crew. Notre Dame High welcomed Sr. Helen that morning, where she spoke to several different classes about her work to abolish the death penalty and about the power of theatre arts to inspire discourse.

Here are some ways Notre Dame incorporated the study of the death penalty:

-Approximately 310/630 students are studying and discussing the death penalty.

-Sophomores in the Religious Studies department has written essays concerning the Catholic Church’s stance toward a “cradle to grave” reverence for life.

–Sophomores in the English department have tied the Dead Man Walking School Theatre Project in with the “Facing History and Ourselves” project that discusses the responsibilities of individuals to take action against oppression.

–Juniors in the English department have discusse the issues of justice and vengeance through such classics as “The Crucible” and “The Scarlet Letter.”

–The Advanced Art class is currently putting together an art display inspired by Sr. Helen’s visit to Notre Dame.

This is only a sample of the ways Notre Dame has nourished a discourse on the death penalty. Thank you to all the students and faculty members involved in the project. Your passion and talents are an inspiration to me.

After the play performance, Sister Helen graciously agreed to take part in a talk back with the actors and audience. I still listen in awe as she speaks about her life and work. She is such an inspirational figure, and as you can imagine–what a blessing it is to work with her! I do not know where she get the energy, but each and every time she speaks, her spirit lifts every one in the audience and inspires them, in conjunction with the play and study, to truly begin a discourse on the death penalty. Through the tears I saw among those in audience at the close of the play to the delight on their faces of the cast when meeting Sister Helen, it only confirmed what I already knew–the play Tim Robbins wrote is powerful.

By the time the talk back ended and refreshments started circulating, I was ready for much needed rest. My body was still on Boston time, and I arrived in San Jose only a couple hours before the start of the play. In other words: 11pm PST=2am EST=a tired Steven=bags under the eyes.

After a sound sleep in San Jose, it was back to the City Lights theater, where the cast and crew prepared a delicious breakfast for Sister Helen and me. The coffee was much needed and appreciated, and I believe some people took delight in hearing me say, “Where is the coffee” with my New York accent. “Coffee” is one of the handful of words that will always reveal the place of my birth. Go Staten Island! I know that I have probably written this before–but I am consistently amazed at the generosity of people as I travel around the nation for the Dead Man Walking project. The people I met at City Lights & Notre Dame were no exception. Thank you to you all.

Please continue the discourse.

Please sign up on our social networking site!

Please stay in touch.

Hello Everyone. Happy New Year! As we move full speed into 2010, I wanted to let you all know about an exciting event in San Jose, CA next week. For the first time, a professional theater company, City Lights Theater Company, and a high school, Notre Dame High School, are teaming up to perform Dead Man Walking. In addition to the play performances, the school is also hosting a benefit dinner.

Here is the info:

City Lights Theater Company, The Dead Man Walking School Theater Project and Notre Dame High School will be hosting a Death Penalty Awareness Benefit Dinner and Performance with Guest Speaker, Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ. It will take place on January 29th, 201 at 4:30, located at Notre Dame High School, Julie Billiart Hall. The Benefit will include a catered dinner, music performed by Notre Dame High Music Ministry and book signing with Sister Helen. The dinner will be followed by an 8pm performance of Dead Man Walking at City Lights Theater Company and a Special Talk-Back Session with Sister Helen. Proceeds from this event will benefit all three non-profit organizations.

Please join us if you are in the area! To purchase tickets, or for more information, please contact Amanda Folena at 408-295-4200 or visit cltc.org.

Wow! Congratulations to Maureen Messier, the actors, production crew, tech team, faculty, dance team, artists & poets at Sheldon High School. From the moment I arrived at the campus, I was blown away by the level of passion and dedication–from the sticks planted in the ground with the names of all those executed, to the play itself. Great job!

Here are couple poems brought to you by Mrs. Grossenbacher’s creative writing class:

To Make Matthew feel better
Killing the people, made Matthew gain nothing
During a pitch black night, when no one was around
Out of nowhere killing started to happen
In the scary jungle, trees everywhere
Matthew and couple other people

Vashna Sharma

“Why do I feel like Crying”

Why am I crying
I murdered them.
Tortured them.
Destroyed their failies.
Hurt my mama.
Lied.
Found love too late.
Found God too late.
I was too late.
I didn’t think.
I was selfish.
And wrong.
I’m sorry.
And I’m scared.
Please forgive me.

Alysa Agustin

I invite the other poets to post their poems.

One of the most moving experiences for me was the artwork outside the auditorium, including the sticks in the ground with the names of those executed, to the statue of a woman holding a dove, representing all the victims of the crimes. The statue was cracked, and how I find that crack to be so appropriate, as it represents the brokenness of the families who suffered the loss of a loved one. The statue will be auctioned during the performances, with the proceeds going to Murder Victims Families for Human Rights. Check out their website at www.mvfhr.org

During intermission of opening night, a dance group performed outside in what was a moving performance based on the death penalty. If any one has photos of the dance, please post them.

The play project continues to inspire me. Theatre is powerful, only more so because we have students and faculty that are committed to the arts and the challenging issues of the times. The death penalty is not a black and white issue, but grey, but it is in the grey area where we are most challenged. The project brings us into this zone and helps us to begin a discourse.

The discourse at Sheldon was helped by 3 wonderful speakers who addressed assemblies the day of the opening performance. Special thanks to Father Stephen Barber, chaplain at San Quentin State Prison; Ellen Eggers, attorney with the Office of the State Public Defender in Sacramento; and Jim Lindberg, legislative director for a Friends Committee. Your knowledge and insights helped enhance the discourse and challenged us to ask important questions.

Thanks again to Sheldon High School. I am so happy that I was able to be part of your community. Let’s stay connected–be sure to blog and post photos!

The accents were so good. For a moment, I thought that I was in Baton Rouge! Special thanks to Kim White for all her hard work directing the student of Nazareth Academy. I want to congratulate all the students involved in this production of “Dead Man Walking.” It was an honor to be in attendance and to be able to address you after the show. I hope that you all stay active in the death penalty movement. Just because you are in high school, doesn’t mean that you cannot make a difference now. Remember what Eleanor Roosevelt said, “You must do the think which you think you cannot do.”

Please sign up for the DMW Play Social Network at http://dmwplay.ning.com/ Blog about your experiences playing Sister Helen, Matt Poncelet, Lucille Poncelet, Sr. Colleen, Mother of Sr. Helen, Walter Delacroix, Hope Percy or any of the roles. Please use the site to talk with other actors around the nation so that you can stay connected and learn from one another. We are all united by the Dead Man Walking School Theatre Project.

I traveled to El Paso, TX on October 22 to attend the first performance of “Dead Man Walking” this academic season. I want to congratulate the director, Pablo Jasso, and all the talented students of Bel Air High School for kicking off the season on a high note. Great job! This was the first performance I attended since coming on board as national coordinator, and it will be one that I always remember. I would also like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Doyle for attending the performance. As a member of El Pasoans Against the Death Penalty, Mr. Doyle agreed to address the audience before the play began to share his knowledge on the death penalty.

I urge all the students of Bel Air to join and post their own blogs on our social networking site at http://dmwplay.ning.com/

I traveled down to Louisiana for the rodeo at Angola on October 4, 2009.  It was my first rodeo.  It was my second time at Angola. It was an odd experience.  Let me explain.

I take pride in trying to “blend” into my surroundings, so I wore a LSU tee shirt, and I could have passed for a Louisiana boy, well, at least until I opened my mouth and announced to the world, “Hey!  Over here!  I’m from New York!”  After arriving at the rodeo grounds, my coworker, Carolyn, her husband, Joe, and I headed to the jambalaya stand, where for $4, we each received in return a hearty bowl of southern goodness with a decent kick.  Not satisfied with the my calorie consumption after the jambalaya, I ordered a basket of cheese fries–or as I like to call them–Christmas in October.  After eating our lunch, we walked around the arts and crafts tables where some inmates sold their goods.  

Attending the rodeo this weekend made me think about our need for prison reform in this nation.  Not in terms of the food served, but in terms of providing the proper resources whereby these men and women can come to terms with their crimes, the suffering of their victim’s family, and the damage done to humanity.  There needs to be a way for these men to understand just how much pain they have caused people and to find a way to ask for forgiveness.  One odd thing about this weekend was seeing first hand just how many talented men are locked away at Angola.  We were not allowed to take cameras or cell phones into the area, so I am unable to share any photographs with you, but I wish I was able to show you that cabinet, or that swing, or that painting–works of arts that could be sold at many furniture stores around the nation. Undiscovered talents discovered in prison–what does that say about our society?

After walking around the arts and crafts tables, we took our seats in the stadium (a stadium built by the inmates).  And soon the games began–bull riding, wild horse riding…and a couple bizarre events.  The oddest by far for me was the “Poker Game,” when 4 inmates sat around a plastic table and waited for a bull to be released.  The contest was to see who would remain seated the longest after the bull lowered its horns and charged the table.  I guess when you’re stuck in the routine of prison life, the rodeo must be a welcome relief, bulls and all.

I am back in Boston now.  I do not know if I will attend another prison rodeo, but I am happy that I was able to attend this one. It was an event to remember.

What do you think about the prison rodeo?  Is it fair to the inmates?

How do you think prisons need to be reformed in the United States?

Sister Helen & Manuel Ortiz

Read Part I of my visit to Angola at http://www.dmwplay.org/blog_director/archives/46

After Sister Helen and I said our goodbyes to Eddie Sonnier, we drove to Death Row to visit Manuel.  It was about a 5 minute drive past inmates working in the fields, different inmates camps, and finally to the new Death Row–a facility recently constructed at a cost of millions.  Sisten Helen pointed out the death chamber (a separate building located near Death Row), where she watched Pat Sonnier die decades ago.  It has been used over and over again since Pat’s execution.  The years pass, new buildings are raised on the 18,000 acres of Angola, the electric chair was replaced with lethal injection, Sister Helen continues to walk in and out of the camps–counseling men, watching them die, and I ask myself–How does she do it? I was already exhausted from our visit with Eddie–and now I was visiting Death Row for the first time.  Hoe does she do it?

As you can imagine, Death Row looks and feels much different than the other camps.  The promise of death infects his walls, soda machines, telephones, the eyes of the guards, and of course, the inmates.  Except on very special occasions, visitors are not allowed to have any physical contact with the inmates, so we waited behind a glass wall for Manuel to be brought in for our visit.  A shackled Manuel entered the room, but the guards removed his chains through the door so that he could use his hands to operate the phone and eat his lunch.

Yes, we ate again.  I ordered ice cream and a bottle of water.  I know what you’re thinking–Wasn’t it a bit strange to be licking ice cream while in Death Row? Yes, it was a bit strange, but I hoped it made Manuel feel more at ease–more comfortable in such an uncomfortable place.  Manuel put away a couple tacos with a side of guacamole, and Sister Helen ordered him a large cheese pizza to share with some of the other men later on in the evening.  We ate.  We talked.  We prayed.

As my friends lovingly tell me–”With your accent and tendency to mumble, people only understand 24 percent of what you say,” so I was a bit nervous that my accent would only be more difficult to understand through the phone.  It was….but Manuel did most of the talking.

After spending 15 years in a death cell for the hiring of a man to kill his wife, hearings have begun in a Louisiana courtroom that will hopefully lead to his exoneration.  Thanks to the work and efforts of Manuel, defense lawyer Nick Trenticosta, and investigator, Susanna Herrera, evidence is coming to light, the truth is emerging, and many people pray that Manuel will one day step outside the confines of Angola as a free man.

It was after 4pm, and our visiting time was coming to an end.  Before Sister Helen and I were to walk outside and drive away, Manuel asked to pray.  He prayed for Sister Helen.  He prayed for me.  What a humbling experience.  What a powerful moment. What an example of faith.  For the past 15 years, Manuel has been confined in a death cell for 23 hours a day–seeing, hearing, feeling things that this New Yorker could never imagine, and yet he still possesses faith in God and in justice.  Shouldn’t I be the one praying for him?  Would I still believe in God if I was on death row?  How does he do it day after day–no New York Times crosswords, no friends to share a laugh with, no bar to grab a beer at after work, no airports to be dropped off at.  How does he survive?

I do pray for Manuel.  I will pray for Manuel.  And one day, I hope to be able to extend my hand to him in thanks, in hope, and in faith.

If you want to write Manuel, please send all letter to:

Manuel Ortiz

349580 Death Row

Louisiana State Prison

Angola, LA 70712

Read Part I of my visit to Angola at http://www.dmwplay.org/blog_director/archives/46

Me, Sister Helen & Eddie Sonnier

July 31, 2009.  Woke up around 6:30am to get ready for the drive to Angola with Sister Helen.  We were soon cruising along I-10 to Baton Rouge–and as a product of New York–we tend to be born with thick accents and heavy foots.  I wouldn’t admit to speeding, but I was certainly hoping that like in the movie, Dead Man Walking, if we were pulled over by the police, I would remain absolutely silent and let Sister Helen get us out of the jam.  Fortunately, we made it all the way to the prison without having to pull over (except for a stop at a McDonald’s).

We arrived at Angola a little bit after 10am.  Helen has been visiting Angola for over 20 years now, since she started visiting Pat Sonnier.  Pat was executed there on April 5, 1984 for the murders of David LeBlanc and Loretta Ann Bourque.  I was not born when David and Loretta were taken from this life…and I was only 2 years old when Pat was executed…when all I knew was the deliciousness of apple juice and a strange fascination for the music of Peter, Paul & Mary.  Now I am 28-years-old, and I found myself sitting across from Pat’s brother, Eddie (who is serving a life without parol sentence for the same crime), with a couple baskets of chicken wings on the table.  I was not hungry.  I was overwhelmed.  I was a bit confused.  I was starting to feel the energy drain from me.  The last thing I felt like doing was letting the grease from a piece of chicken, fried by the hands of another prisoner, enter my digestive track.  But after Eddie offered me a wing, I did not want to be rude, so I ate one, and then another.  This was my first meal in a prison.  This was my first meal with someone who committed a horrendous crime.  All I kept saying to myself was–”Thank God Sister Helen is here with me.”

Eddie is a great storyteller.  He told us how he helps out some of the younger inmates.  He told us about his work with the incinerator.  He told us about his dog who recently died.  He told us about the prison rodeo and the art and crafts tents set up around the stadium where inmates sell their work.  I asked some questions about his life at Angola–the prison provides soap, but it is no Lever 2000 or Dove with moisturizer.

As you can probably guess from the chicken wings, we met Eddie in the visitor cafeteria.  Different groups of inmates (Muslim, etc) operate different stands (popcorn, salads, arts and crafts, photographs), and we are required to place orders and then pay for our purchases with a prison official inside a booth.  No cash can be exchanged with the inmates.  Sister Helen and Eddie told me that the room wasn’t as crowded as it usually is during visiting days, but still, many tables were occupied with inmates young and old, and with their loved ones, from toddlers to grandpas.  It was difficult not to look at the various tables and try to imagine all the stories.  Why is that man locked up?  Is that child his child?  What must his grandmother think of him?  How does love survive when a boyfriend or husband is serving time at Angola?

I asked a lot of questions about Eddie in my mind too.  How can I think that he was a nice man?  Does he feel remorse for taking the lives of two young and promising people?  Does he want to call their surviving relatives and express his sympathy, his regret and then ask for forgiveness?  My questions–the debate inside me–this is discourse. This is what the play, Dead Man Walking is about…to start asking the questions…and to see where the answers come from…and then where they lead you.

After Eddie finished his salad and wings, Helen bought him a cup of strawberry ice cream.  And after the ice cream, we took a photograph with him ($3) and said our goodbyes.  Eddie will live the remainder of his days at Angola.  Helen will continue to visit him.  When I returned to Boston, I wrote him one of–what I imagine will be–many letters.  When I return to Louisiana, I will probably visit him again.  And when reflecting on my visit–I thanked the Lord for blessing me with a loving and generous family, for an education, food and shelter–and for a job that allows me to visit with men like Eddie, so I am able to see the inherent dignity in all of God’s creatures–and to understand that there is an alternative to the death penalty.

After leaving Eddie, Sister Helen and I drove to Death Row, passing inmates working in the fields and the winding and wild Mississippi River.

Who else has been to a prison?  What was your experience like?

Read Part II of my visit to Angola at http://www.dmwplay.org/blog_director/archives/70