Baldwin Wallace has taken prominent notice of the heaviness in the world. So, our beloved theatre department has decided to step into an entirely new light this fall with “Is He Dead?” offering audiences an evening filled with zany hijinks and mistaken identities—all wrapped in the timeless wit of Mark Twain.   

“It’s specifically a farce,” explained the show’s director, Andy Nogasky, during an interview. He stated, “…farces are these situations with zany characters, improbable situations to solve a very normal problem, and the hijinks that ensue. So big, colorful characters, a zany situation, this is the kind of this is the kind of show that you get slapstick in.” 

That sense of levity was a major reason the department chose the play. After last year’s heavier productions, the faculty wanted to give students and the community something that feels joyful. “I read part of it and started laughing aloud to myself,” Nogasky said. “And we as a department thought, this year, I think we need to give laughter to people. And that’s why we chose it.” 

“Is He Dead?” has an unusual history. Written by Mark Twain in 1898, the manuscript was lost in a file cabinet for nearly a century before being rediscovered and adapted into a stage comedy by playwright David Ives in the early 2000s. It premiered on Broadway in 2007, making it both an old story and a relatively modern production at the same time. 

The plot follows French painter Jean-François Millet, a real historical figure, who finds himself strapped for cash when no one wants to buy his art. The solution? Pretend he’s dead, since paintings sell better once the artist is gone. Millet fakes his death but quickly realizes that being “dead” means he can’t enjoy his newfound fame. So, he takes on a new persona—his own “identical twin sister.” 

When asked what the biggest challenge with the show was, Nogasky stated that “it’s a completely different style. So much of the work that we do with our actors and in our training is psychological realism. It’s as real as possible; be truthful. This is not that kind of show. This is choreography. This is like music. This—it has timing to it.” Nogasky describes it as being zany and over the top, but there is still truth to it. It works unlike any play that they typically do. 

When asked if the production was approached with a traditional or experimental vision, the director was quick to answer with traditional. Nogasky said, “…we are tackling a farce, and, uh, instead of adding in something directorially, I think one of the things I’ve been talking to the students about is being a part of the farce machine.” He continues to state that staying true to the vision of Mark Twain was a large goal for him throughout the process. 

Even with years of directing experience, the production taught Nogasky something new. “Anytime that I’ve ever directed, you learn something new,” he said. “One of the things I’ve learned in the process is to let go a little bit more with them—with them, because I think the entire cast are really great chops, and they’re discovering things and finding things.” 

So, whether you came for the slapstick, the satire, or just the chance to escape for a while, “Is He Dead?” promised an evening of laughter, whimsy, and a little bit of Twain’s timeless wit.  

“Is Head Dead?” had its running from Oct. 1-5 in the Black Box Theatre in the Kleist Center for Art & Drama.