(Black Cat) Shoot

Joe Lima was kind enough to allow me to produce this provocative play at the Black Cat. The piece was based on his years of experience as a Police officer and the story concerned two New York cops. While investigating an  incident, one white officer shoots a fellow black officer. During the play we see the White officer being interrogated, to assess whether or not it was ‘a clean shoot’. Was the use of his gun justifiable, legal and necessary? Is he clean, free of guilt? Solid and realistic acting from both Melvin Hancock & Joe Badalamente gave us a gripping and illuminating night. The piece has since been performed many times over the years. In front of local communities and police officers as a way of starting a conversation. The tense and affecting scene originally took place in an interview room. I saw an opportunity to tweak the set up of the story. So, I put, as a backdrop to the scene. The Graveyard gates you can see in the photos with some spooky lighting. So, at the ending of the play, where the officer breaks down and tells his truth. The lighting went down on the actors. Came up on the hellish gates for a few seconds. Then returned to the suspect center stage. Then the whole interview started again from the top. His own Twilight Zone moment of personal hell forever on repeat.