SummerNITE, the Northern Illinois Theatre Ensemble, presented the world premiere of Tennessee Williams’ THE DAY ON WHICH A MAN DIES (1959), a visionary text kept in reserve by Tennessee Williams, not offered for public viewing or publication during his lifetime. As per Tennessee Williams' directions: paintings were created and destroyed in the course of a performance, the bodies of the performers were painted, and the setting was made of paper.

THE DAY ON WHICH A MAN DIES (1959), premiered February 1st, 2008,  at Links Hall in Chicago, 956 Newport Street (the intersection of Sheffield Avenue, Clark and Newport Streets), two blocks South of Chicago landmark Wrigley Field.

Subtitled “An Occidental Noh play” THE DAY ON WHICH A MAN DIES was dedicated by Williams to the Japanese novelist and playwright Yukio Mishima.  A wry Mishima stand-in reflects on sex as power as a famous American painter - and the woman who is his mistress -- argue violently in a Tokyo hotel room, make up, make love, and betray each other

The production starred Steve Key in the role of the boundary-shattering painter, Jennie Moreau as his challenging mistress. Gerson Dacanay played the role Williams titled “the Oriental.” Sean Patrick Walsh, as a student in the final year of his professional actor training program at Northern Illinois University, played the role of the Japanese stagehand. The production was directed and designed by David Kaplan, the curator of the acclaimed Tennessee Williams Festival in Provincetown, Massachusetts.  Paintings were created for the performances by Meghan Tracy. Costumes were by Karen Kawa.

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