Theater in its greatest of aptitude should revel in utter praise worthy of gallant tears, brave smiles and pure delight. Fresno City College‘s production of “The Exonerated” seems to meet this immediate criterion.
Poetically pieced together– making unmistakable use of indignation, affliction, and a certain quality of hope.
“The Exonerated” carries an agonizing plot involving the wrongful conviction of five men and one woman and their sentence to death row waiting for their day of execution.
True innocence within the hearts of the misjudged prevails as audiences witness this ambiguous plot set deeply in faith, devotion and appeasement.
Portraying characters that have spent an upward of 22 years nestled closely to an electric chair seems an impossible feat. Many of the actors do a wonderful job, bringing an emotional performance to the stage. Actors provide a wonderful illusion of an unjust incarceration.
Emotionally one of the wrongfully convicted enlightens the crowd of the sexual assault that he encountered while in prison. The actor displaying an amount of professionalism while delivering his lines—not only sparked a rage within myself, but left me in silent tears.
Later the same character looses his brother to violence–outside of the prison– and then it hit me that these stories are not fictional, this really happened.
Students at FCC should not miss this production. “The Exonerated“ comes highly recommend to everyone. The play has a storyline not meant to draw typical crowds; this piece deserves the attention of the political mind, the loving heart and those fearful of losing all.
The story climaxes into a man’s faith in a high power and his pleas in the name of someone; he may have felt was not listening any longer.
Director Janine Crystl has brought to Fresno City College a terrific example of how media can act as a conduit for change, especially where change is thought to be needed.
The Exonerated is a thought–provoking cause for alarm towards the injustices of racism, bigotry and misuse of power.
The play is different in that it charms the audience by using a narrator whom appears throughout the play giving inspirational insights.
