Loyola University New Orleans Theatre Arts & Dance students, faculty, and alumni award-winning documentary play about the true story of one man's fight against the Louisiana death penalty. The play, "Song of a Man Coming Through," was staged by Southern Repertory Theatre and recently won two 2016 Big Easy Awards for Best Original Script (by Joe Morris Doss and Andrew Doss) and Best Actor (Robert DoQui).
Prof. Laura Hope was the script development Dramaturg. Theatre arts alumni Shelb Kirby '16 was the assistant director, Aimée Hayes '91 was the director, Ian Hoch '06 performed in the production as Governor Edwin Edwards, and Logan Faust '15 was the assistant stage manager.
"Song of a Man Coming Through" is the true-story of Earnest Knighton, Jr., who was executed in 1984 by the state of Louisiana in the electric chair. The play was written by Bishop Joe Doss of the Episcopal church and his son Andrew. Bishop Doss, a long-time activist against the death penalty on both biblical and legal grounds, was not only a parish priest in 1984, but a lawyer who served on Mr. Knighton's team of appeals lawyers.