BWW Reviews: Mixed Magic and 2nd Story Present Eloquent, Gripping THE EXONERATED

The courtroom of Bristol's historic statehouse is the ideal setting for The Exonerated, a compelling drama based on the true-life experiences of six average Americans sentenced to Death Row for murders they did not commit. Their stories - narratives built from interviews, personal correspondence, court transcripts, and legal files - are the chilling accounts of the circumstances that led to their arrests and the laborious legal battles to prove their innocence.

The source material is captivating all on its own, and in the hands of the talented storytellers from Warren's 2nd Story and Pawtucket's Mixed Magic Theatres, The Exonerated becomes a hard-hitting, living history of the endurance and determination of these six individuals.

This production uses no props, and there are no set pieces other than the wholly-fitting ambiance of the courtroom itself. The actors present their stories in a series of vignettes, so the audience follows threads of all six narratives throughout the whole of the 80-minute performance.

The collaboration between 2nd Story and Mixed Magic resulted in a brilliant ensemble cast: Tom Chase, Amos Hamrick, Jr., Joe Henderson, Edward V. Crews, Joanne Fayan and Ricardo Pitts-Wiley. Each member of this impressive company ably portrays the weariness, incredulity, sorrow, loneliness, and utter terror experienced by their characters as they "relive" the details of their convictions and exonerations.

Chase brings great emotion to the role of Gary, a man accused of murdering his parents, giving a moving performance while recounting Gary's grief and horror during his interrogation. He also poignantly relates Gary's few comforts in prison, including learning to embroider with thread unraveled from his own clothing.

Henderson lends a quiet intensity to Kerry, vehemently clinging to innocence, choking back tears when remembering the details his brother's murder, and visibly trembling when relating the brutal sexual assault Kerry endured in prison.

Hamrick gives Robert a restless quality in every scene by pacing, shifting his weight, or never quite settling in one spot during his narration. He works well with MJ Daly (as Robert's wife), the only times where Robert becomes physically less tense and more grounded in the moment.

Crews plays David as a spiritual man whose time on Death Row both strengthened and shook his core beliefs, impressively portraying David's crisis of faith and leaving his character in a much more ambiguous place than some of the production's other, more hopeful endings.

Fayan gives a passionate performance as Sunny, imprisoned for the murder of two police officers after the real shooter accused her and her common-law husband, Jesse, to clear his own name from the crime. Fayan fully captures Sunny's sorrow when she relates that Jesse died in prison, making national headlines when the electric chair horrifically malfunctioned during his execution.

Pitts-Wiley infuses Delbert's story with a healthy dose of philosophy and even occasional touches of humor. Pitts-Wiley's lovely, deep voice well serves the poetry that frames Delbert's tale and ties the other five accounts together as well.

An additional supporting ensemble of four talented actors - including Daly, Emily Lewis, Brendan Macera and Alex Duckworth - brings any number of secondary characters (from spouses to detectives to eyewitnesses) to life, their contributions serving as glimpses of memories or the echoes of voices in the main characters' heads.

Mixed Magic and 2nd Story Theatres present The Exonerated in the courtroom of the historic Bristol Statehouse through June 30, 2013. Tickets cost $30 and are available by calling (401) 247-4200, by emailing boxoffice@2ndstorytheatre.com, or by visiting 2nd Story's box office at 28 Market Street, Warren, RI. See www.mmtri.com and www.2ndstorytheatre.com for further information.

Pictured: Ricardo Pitts-Wiley, Amos Hamrick, Jr., and Tom Chace. Photo by Richard W. Dionne, Jr.

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