The acting students at the University of Michigan’s Department of Musical Theatre will be shifting gears to perform in The Exonerated, a docudrama that reveals serious problems in the United States criminal system.

The Exonerated by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen tells the true stories of six wrongfully accused convicted survivors of death row in their own words. The script was prepared from interviews, letters, transcripts, case files, and the public record.

The play presents first-person monologues and scenes in courtrooms and prisons as the six wrongfully convicted inmates tell their own stories.

Twelve U-M students under the direction of Geoff Packard will present a play that has sparked controversy and drew support from the acting community. The original 2002 Broadway production included Richard Dreyfuss, Jill Clayburgh and Sara Gilbert in the cast. A 2005 film adaptation featured Susan Sarandon, Danny Glover, and Brian Dennehy.

Hugh Gallagher has written theater and film reviews over a 40-year newspaper career and was most recently managing editor of the Observer & Eccentric Newspapers in suburban Detroit.

The Exonerated will be presented at 7:30 pm on Feb. 21, 8 pm on Feb. 22-23, and 2 pm on Feb. 24 at the Arthur Miller Theatre on the north campus of the University of Michigan. For tickets, call 734-764-2538, or visit tickets.smtd.umich.edu or visit the box office at the Michigan League at Fletcher St. and N. University Ave. on the main campus of the university, 9 am to 5 pm Monday-Friday and 10 am to 1 pm Saturday.