MUNCIE, Ind. - This Saturday evening, the College of Fine Arts, will perform Goodnight, Tyler.
The play follows a young black man, Tyler, who is killed by police and begins to haunt his former roommate. As his friends and family grapple with their grief, they each face their memories of Tyler in a different way. Struggling to decide who was Tyler’s favorite causes tensions to rise and truths to emerge.
While the content is serious, the play is also a comedy, allowing the audience to laugh even while the characters face heavy grief.
“I think it’s a really good piece of theatre, and like I said, there’s a lot of laughs in it, more than one would think given the subject matter,” said director Lisa Gaye Dixon.
Dixon is a guest director at Ball State. She agreed to direct the play after reading the script and being asked by a friend in the Arts department.
“I think people should come see this show because it’s really funny, and it’s really entertaining. But also, it’s really important to what’s going on right now. It really gives you a new perspective that you might not have gotten before you came in,” said sophomore Landon Richey, who is the understudy for the role of Davis, Tyler’s roommate.
The comedy of the show is highly important when trying to convey the heavy message appropriately. The show also highlights the Black Lives Matter movement and calls attention to victims of police brutality.
Audiences have plenty of opportunities to see the play in the next two weeks. Tickets can be bought online, by phone, or at the box office in Sursa Hall.
Contact Addison Hampshire with comments at addison.hampshire@bsu.edu
