Dead Man Walking Selected for American College Theater Festival Play examines issues surrounding capital punishment Released: Dec. 30, 2004 Marquette University's Department of Performing Arts has been invited to perform Tim Robbins' stage adaptation of “Dead Man Walking” at the Region III Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival to be held Jan. 12-15, 2005 at Illinois State University in Bloomington, Illinois.   Marquette is one of several Catholic, Jesuit high schools, colleges and universities selected to perform Dead Man Walking , the story of Sister Helen Prejean, who became the spiritual adviser to a death row inmate convicted of murdering two teenagers.  In the process, she came to know not only the inmate, but also the families of the victims and the prison staff.  Tim Robbins, the actor, producer and director who wrote the play and an earlier film adaptation, decided to delay professional production for a year in order for students to perform it first. Dead Man Walking originally ran at Marquette from Nov. 11- 21, 2004 to rave reviews and sold out crowds. Founded in 1969, the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival is a national theater program involving 18,000 students from more than 600 colleges and universities across the country.   The program seeks to improve the quality of college theater in the United States.  This is the third show produced by Marquette's Department of Performing Arts that has been invited to the Festival in the last five years. The invitation offers those who missed the original run to see this moving production.  To prepare for the festival, the Department of Performing Arts is holding two open dress rehearsals at the Helfaer Theatre on Sunday, Jan. 9, and Monday Jan. 10 at 7:30 PM.  Admission to the dress rehearsal is free; donations will be accepted for the Illinois Coalition Against the Death Penalty. Reservations are not necessary.  For information call the Helfaer Theatre box office at (414) 288-7504 after Jan. 4, 2005.  The Helfaer Theatre is located at 525 N. 13 th St.  Interested media should call Anne Broeker in the office of Public Affairs.  Office of Public Affairs Contacts Christopher Stolarski Media Relations Specialist Phone: (414) 288-1988 Send e-mail