The Black Hills Community Theater's controversial new show, "Coyote on a Fence," successfully ushers the audience through a range of emotions by effectively employing a full range of theatrical talents and techniques.

The foundation of this excellently produced piece of theater is the provocative and fervent script. Penned by Bruce Graham, the words of his well-drawn characters are poignant, frustrating, heartfelt and effective. Furthermore, Graham manages to present the controversial subject matter with heart and a multi-faceted perspective that keeps the show from being preachy.

While the script was the artistic foundation for the show, the physical foundation of "Coyote" - the set - was equally impressive. Designed by Jim Burrow and Patrick O'Leary, the stage offered suggestions of the setting rather than concrete constructs - despite the show being set primarily in a prison.

The partially constructed cinder-block walls and the barred cell doors that weren't fully formed provided a wide variety of eye lines for the audience and created intense visual interest.

The set wasn't the only background that added intense and emotional layers to the production. Mikal Kraklio's sound design consisted primarily of a low hive-like hum that persisted throughout the show and was punctuated by upsetting moments of silence and jarring alarms. The effect offered an almost otherworldly element to the setting that allowed viewers to both distance themselves from what was happening in the show and at the same time put themselves into a state of mind of being inside the prison with the characters.

Graham's script uses a fractured timeline that flashes forward and back and offers dreamlike moments when timelines overlap. If it hadn't been for Amy McClure's well-concepted lighting design, these time elements would have been harder for the audience to understand.

McClure's lighting cues allowed the audience to understand the suspension of real time in a way that made the intense subject matter more bearable and added a nicely layered feel to the show.

A production as seamless and well-realized as Community Theatre's "Coyote on a Fence" is a clear indication that director Arika Beals had not only a strong sense of what she wanted to accomplish with the script, but also an understanding of what her artistic and technical crews could accomplish. Although it was her first time directing a full-length stage play, Beals certainly delivered to the audience all of the drama that "Coyote" offered.

Beals said she was lucky to have such a talented cast - but the cast was also lucky to have the kind of patient, persistent and understanding director who could coax such complex characters from each actor.

Jennifer Greenwaldt opened the show as death-row officer Shawna DuChamps, discussing the death of one of her inmates. Her character was quickly established as gruff and sassy but still hinted at a softness underneath her tough "guard woman" facade. Greenwaldt shines as Shawna, and she maintained an expressive energy even when she was basically the background in the scene. As a result, her presence set the tone nicely throughout the show.

Death-row inmate John Brennen, played by Mikal Kraklio, came off initially as well spoken, affected and gentle. But, much like the rest of the characters in the show, he took several turns. Such turns are often difficult and can seem less than genuine, but Kraklio kept John's chacteristics attached to one another and was able to offer a broad spectrum of ideas and emotions with this complex character.

As Aryan and murderer Bobby Reyburn, Jace Brock may have had the most difficult acting assignment of the show. The messages within the show cannot be truly effective unless the actor in this role is able to evoke sympathy from the audience for an unrepentant convict

Brock delivered sympathy and more. From the moment Brock limped on stage as Bobby, Brock was angelic and horrifying - often at the same time. Although the character has committed a devilish crime, Brock's portrayal of the simple, damaged man caused members of the audience to feel more than compassion for the character. Some may have even offered him forgiveness.

In his Community Theatre debut, Tim Trithart offered an earnest and heartfelt depiction of Jewish reporter Sam Fried. Trithart painted Sam as bold yet refined with the strong use of his deep voice and his expressive body language that read as sharp but relaxed.

Although Sam was not a flashy part, Trithart delivered a performance strong enough to be the backbone that held the play up - and as such, his performance was all of the things a good supporting performance should be.

The dynamic performances of all of the actors created a tenuous atmosphere that showed the many sides of these deep characters. Overall, the show was skillfully played, and as a result, the brilliance of the script was able to shine through and illuminate the issues within it.

"Coyote on a Fence" was like a mystery in the sense that each scene offered a piece of a puzzle to the members of the audience. But, unlike other mysteries, the ultimate question wasn't "Who did it?" but rather, "What should we, as a society, do about the death penalty?"

By the end of the show, the audience is left to assemble the pieces that have been given to them one scene at a time by the complex characters in the show.

If you go:

What: Black Hills Community Theatre's "Coyote on a Fence," by Bruce Graham

Where: Hotel Alex Johnson

When: Today through Sunday, Feb. 24; performances at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors/military and $11 for students. Call 394-1786 for information and reservations or go to www.bhct.org.

Please Note: This intense crime drama is rated PG-13 to R. "I don't recommend bringing children under 17 due to the subject matter of the play and the strong language," director Arika Beals said.