Justice Takes the Stage: The Exonerated at Darkhorse Theatre

May 12, 2025 

Last Saturday, something truly powerful happened on stage at the Darkhorse Theatre in Nashville.  

Presented by Destiny Theatre Experience and hosted at Darkhorse Theatre, The Exonerated is a new documentary-style play that tells the true stories of six wrongfully convicted people across the United States. Proceeds from this production, which took place last weekend, directly benefitted the Tennessee Innocence Project and their legal services for the wrongfully convicted.  

Directed by activist and artist Shawn Whitsell, this packed event brought together community members, attorneys, organizers and real-life exonerees. Stripped-down and honest, The Exonerated delivered powerful performances that honored the stories of real people who had spent decades behind bars for crimes they didn’t commit.  

For the Tennessee Innocence Project, this wasn’t just a night at the theater; it was a way to share the heart of their mission with a live audience.  

As Becca Morris, our Chief Operating Officer, puts it: 

"The Exonerated delivered a profound reminder of why our work at the Tennessee Innocence Project matters so deeply. Watching these six true stories unfold on stage—stories of lives interrupted and justice delayed—was both heartbreaking and galvanizing." 

After the show, attendees were invited to attend a panel discussion with the cast, who fielded powerful questions about wrongful convictions in our state.  

Events like this one are a reminder that storytelling through the arts can inform, connect, and inspire action. We’re grateful to everyone who showed up, leaned in, and joined the conversation.  

If you missed last weekend’s production, stay tuned: this is only the beginning of more collaborations that bring the arts and innocence advocacy together!