EASLEY — Foothills Playhouse begins breaking new ground in local theatre with the presentation of The Exonerated opening Sept. 11 and running for one weekend, kicking off the theatre’s B-Side to its schedule with a hard-hitting, socially relevant production.

The Exonerated is a bare bones presentation of the stories of six Americans wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death, telling from their point of view the effect the time they spent in prison, along with the more than questionable convictions, have had on their lives.

Throughout the play, scenes of their arrest, interrogations, and court appearances are played out as memories for the audience to observe. The tales presented are at times humorous, but at other times horrendous as the scenes play out on the stage.

This is not a presentation for everyone as there is adult language and adult themes. Theatre goers are warned this is not a show for children.

“It’s important that everyone know this is definitely not a show for just anyone and if they are offended by strong language or some of the themes in the play, it’s OK. This is just not one of the regular productions Foothills presents,” director Scott Gibson said. “The B-Side is about getting portions of the community involved and presenting some socially relevant entertainment for those who usually don’t attend shows.”

Based on some of the racially tense moments and at times graphic descriptions of prison on death row, finding actors to fill out the cast was not easy, but Gibson is more than pleased with the cast.

“We wanted to bring in new talent to Foothills with the B-Side productions and this is a phenomenal cast with an understanding of what we’re trying to bring to the community,” Gibson said. “This crew is extremely talented and really sell the roles they play, which are real people, not made up characters by a playwright. Everything the audience will see and hear is real.”

The pages filling the script of The Exonerated were generated from statements and interviews of the former death row inhabitants, court documents, and statements of law enforcement and legal counsel on both sides of each case.

One thing Gibson points out is the play is just about the human side of the discussion.

“This is not an anti-death penalty play. It’s about humanizing people who were wrongfully convicted and exposes where the system failed,” Gibson explained. “By presenting a more human side to these people, re-humanizing them, it brings a different perspective to what went wrong and why. This group was literally on the scrap heap of humanity and didn’t belong there.”

The Exonerated will run one weekend at Foothills Playhouse with show times at 8 p.m. Sept. 11 and Sept. 12 and one matinee Sept. 13 at 3 p.m. Tickets for all B-Side productions are $5 and not included in the regular season ticket packages.

Visit www.fhplayhouse.com for more details.

The Exonerated is an adult-oriented presentation that will break new ground in local theatre beginning Sept. 11 at Easley’s Foothills Playhouse.
https://www.theeasleyprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_11988208_10207408888237821_1386851722730778826_n.jpgThe Exonerated is an adult-oriented presentation that will break new ground in local theatre beginning Sept. 11 at Easley’s Foothills Playhouse. Courtesy photo

By D. C. Moody

dmoody@civitasmedia.com

Reach D. C. Moody at 864-855-0355