THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT

“There are facts, and there’s what’s true.”

It’s a Case of Facts vs Truth and There is No Clear Winner

A Theater Review by Julinda D. Lewis

Presented by CAT – Chamberlayne Actor’s Theatre

At: Hanover Tavern, 13181 Hanover Courthouse Rd., Route 301, Hanover, VA 23069

Performances: September 6, 2025

Ticket Prices: $34.00 General Admission. $30.00 Seniors 60+

Info: (804) 362-2950 or www.cattheatre.com

It’s always an adventure going to a show whose title is unfamiliar and whose plot is unknown to you. This was the case when I ventured out once again to the historic Hanover Tavern to see CAT’s 61^st season opener, The Lifespan of a Fact, written by Jeremy Kareken & David Murrell and Gordon Farrell.

The Lifespan of a Fact is based on a true story, an essay published in 2012 by author John D’Agata and fact-checker Jim Fingal. The book is about the suicide of a teenager, Levi Presley, who jumped to his death from the Stratosphere Hotel. The play is just a snippet of the seven-year process of fact-checking that went into the work from the time D’Agata’s essay was first accepted for publication until it finally made it into print. The 90-minute play is intense. It starts off fairly innocuous, with Fingal, fresh out of school – a Harvard man – chomping at the bit for his first professional fact-checking job. The problem is, Fingal is a bit too thorough for his own good.

Fingal and D’Agata butt heads, with the author initially refusing all edits and Fingal refusing to let any discrepancy slide. Emily Penrose, D’Agata’s editor and Fingal’s boss, is caught in the middle, balancing the need for truth and accuracy with the need to publish a good story. The lines soon blurred around truth versus fact, with both sides making strong arguments.

This is a most unusual play. Director Andrew Gall writes, in his Director’s notes, “This play takes a question we think we already know the answer to – what is truth? – and refuses to let us off the hook.” It’s timely. It’s relevant. There are moments of pure hilarity balanced by moments of moral anguish. At some point, it becomes personal.

I thoroughly enjoyed this debate. James gradually settled into his character, who was initially arrogant and unbending, but eventually softened enough to lay out a debate worthy argument that explained why it was important to bend the facts to reveal the truth of the story. Mincks brought most of the humor, often delivering a very physical performance that, at one point, had him laid out on the floor in what might be described as an adult version of a temper tantrum. Mincks brought a delightful balance of passion and humor to his role as the overly enthusiastic young fact-checker. Jennipher Murphy was the most conservative as the over-worked editor, Emily Penrose. One could almost hear her mind shifting as the reality of the situation set in.

The right story at the right time can make people rethink the events of their own lives, but the wrong facts can get in the way of the story. Yikes! So, does it really matter how long young Levi sat on the ledge of the observation tower? Does it matter whether the other young person who took their own life the same day jumped off a building or hung themselves? Does it matter whether the oldest known Tabasco sauce bottle was found under the Boston Saloon or the more interestingly named Bucket of Blood Saloon? On what day did the lady play tic-tac-toe with a chicken, and exactly how many strip clubs were in Las Vegas on the day of the suicide? Fingal’s notes took up more pages than D’Agata’s essay. Oh, and make sure you call it an “essay” rather than an “article.”

Would this story be published on time? Would it be published at all? If published, what version of the truth would win out? At the end, the audience is left without any definitive answer – but a lot to ponder.

What an interesting choice to open CAT’s 61^st season. I can say with assurance that the acting and direction were well-paced and highly engaging – enough so that I temporarily forgot about the struggle bus set of stark white walls and a bare minimum of seemingly random, cast-off furnishings. That was initially distracting – and again when the hard white bench Fingal stretched out on to sleep was identified as D’Agata’s couch. Ouch. But…the words and their delivery were enough.

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Julinda D. Lewis is a dancer, teacher, and writer who was born in Brooklyn, NY and now lives in Eastern Henrico County. When not writing about theater, she teaches dance history at VCU and low impact dance fitness classes to seasoned movers like herself and occasionally performs. Julinda was recently awarded the Dean’s Distinguished Adjunct Faculty Award 2023-24 Academic Year by VCU School of the Arts and the 2025 Pioneer Award in Dance Ministry by Transformation International Worship Ministries, Newport News, VA.

THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT

Written by Jeremy Kareken & David Murrell and Gordon Farrell

Directed by Andrew Gall

Cast

John D’Agata           …..      Paul S. James

Emily Penrose          …..      Jennipher Murphy

Jim Fingal                 …..      John Mincks

                        Understudies

John D’Agata           …..      Skye Whitcomb

Emily Penrose          …..      Constance Moreau

Jim Fingal                 …..      Joshua Shay

Producers, Creative Design Team & Crew

Producers –  Zachary Owen & Kerrigan Sullivan

Hanover Tavern Executive Director – David Deal

Lighting Design – Alleigh Scantling

Scenic Design & Properties Design – Hailey Bean

Costume Design – Sheila Russ

Sound Design – Nic Creery

Backstage Crew – Piper Stewart

Production Assistant – Russell Paulette

Lights, Sound, and Projections Operator – Kellan Garka

Publicity – Jason Lucas

Photography – Tom Topinka

Set Construction – Michael Sullivan, Rob Moose, Hunter Keck, Piper Stewart, Kellan Garka, Jenipher Murphy, Russell Paulette, Charles Wax

Settings

1.The home of John D’Agata, Las Vegas, Nevada.

2. Editorial offices of an upscale magazine, New York City, New York.

3. The home of Emily Penrose, New York City, New York

Run Time

90 minutes with no intermission

Performance Schedule

Fri. Aug 29th 2025, 7:30 pm

Sat. Aug 30th 2025, 2:30 pm

Sun. Aug 31st 2025, 2:30 pm

Fri. Sep 5th 2025, 7:30 pm

Sat. Sep 6th 2025, 7:30 pm

Sun. Sep 7th 2025, 2:30 pm

Fri. Sep 12th 2025, 7:30 pm

Sat. Sep 13th 2025, 2:30 pm

Sun. Sep 14th 2025, 2:30 pm

Tickets:

$34 General; $30 ages 60+

Information:

(804) 362-2950 or www.cattheatre.com