‘Good Death’ a powerful, tearful show

Katie White
Western Herald

“Good Death” not only brings on tears, but a profound message about living life to the fullest.

“Good Death” opened to a packed house Thursday night at the University Theatre. The Tectonic Theater Project and Western Michigan University collaboration has been continuously evolving since its first rehearsal, even in its final rehearsal week.

The play is a 100 percent original work created by the students of the WMU Theatre Department. Due to the short amount of time the company had to research, write, and block the play, opening night was only the group’s third full run through, and people in the audience wouldn’t have guessed.

The play opens with their story’s inspiration: the how, the why, and the trial of Dr. Jack Kevorkian. One can see where the inspiration comes from; their Kevorkian is a human helping his fellow man. The group wrote the script with actual Kevorkian trial transcripts and firsthand accounts, and actor Ethan Hedeen’s version of “Dr. Death” was a person earnestly doing what he felt was right.

The media has painted Kevorkian to be a monster, a man leading senior citizens to their death. “Good Death” asks the audience to open their minds to another side his character. He was no longer this frightening, death-crazed, scary old man but a human acting on compassion and emotion. What he did was ease people’s suffering.

The play segways into four “parts” about the people the cast of 14 interviewed throughout the past few months. Part two was about the youngest patient of Kevorkian’s, with a characterization of that patient’s mother. In part two there is also a staunch anti-Kevorkian supporter. Their stories intertwined to show both ends of the ethical spectrum. Tori Blade’s portrayal of Lynn Mills, the anti-Kevorkian activist, was powerful. She was funny, she was passionate, and yet you could feel the sadness rooted in why she believed the way she did.

Part three was where the Kleenex came out. All you could hear were sniffles as Kenzie Ross played Ann Maxwell and narrated the scene about the deaths of her parents. Many people can relate to not having been able to say good-bye. Louis Sallan was heart wrenching as Derek Humphrey, a British man whose wife, Jean, portrayed by Jenna D’angelo, had terminal cancer and how he administered the lethal coffee that killed her. It was what she wanted, and that has become Derek Humphrey’s life work, to educate about euthanasia.

The final two parts were based around four characters, each talking to the audience as if we were the ones asking the questions they answering. One that added bit of comic relief was the funeral home tour with Norm Langeland, played by Max Wardlaw, whom, from the sound of audience chuckles, nailed Langeland’s mannerisms.

The actors had all become their characters. The cast knew the most personal stories on such a heavy topic of people from the community. Each portrayal was like meeting that person in real life, in real time. The closing was brilliant, leaving the room not in sadness, but with a strong sense of hope, drawing few dry eyes for the standing ovation.

The set and costumes were simple, but it was perfect for this particular show since everything relied on the actors’ ability to tell their stories. It was a revolving set of chairs, stools, a rolling gurney and one simple, white curtain hanging from a fly bar. The intelligent use of light and shadows amplified scenes tremendously.

This cast and crew should be proud of what they’ve produced. Their main objective was to open people’s minds. Many hoped audience members would leave feeling differently, and be inspired to live life fully. They succeeded.

“Good Death” continues at the University Theatre in the D. Terry Williams Theatre now until Oct. 17.

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Posted by heraldstaff on Oct 9 2009. Filed under A & E. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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