Sarah London as Jean and Asia Aaron as Hermia in the Department of Theatre, Film, and Media Arts’ production of “Dead Man’s Cell Phone.” Credit: Courtesy of Maranda DeBusk
A darkly comedic play exploring humanity’s relationship with technology and the importance of human connection opened on campus Wednesday, Oct. 28.
Ohio State’s theater department is beginning its 2026-2027 season with “Dead Man’s Cell Phone,” written by Sarah Ruhl and directed by Beth Kattelman, a professor and curator of the university libraries’ Theatre Research Institute. The play will run Wednesday through Saturday and Nov. 4 to 6 at the Department of Theatre, Film and Media Arts’ Blackbox Theatre, at 1932 College Rd. N.
“It’s about a young woman who’s drawn into the life of a dead man after she finds and starts answering his cellphone,” Kattelman said. “The story follows her attempts to make sense of his life and perhaps try to redeem him in the eyes of his family.”
Kattelman said the play is “not your standard kind of love story,” and is more surreal than a traditional play.
“We’re not in realism at all,” Kattelman said. “It’s very surrealistic and wacky, and we almost go into a film noir kind of feel at times, and that’s all fun, but at the heart of the piece, it’s really a twisted love story.”
Claire Booker, a third-year in theater and an ensemble member of “Dead Man’s Cell Phone,” said the film noir aesthetic heavily influenced the play’s set design.
“If you wanted to understand the world that we’re set in, I think film noir is the best way to describe it,” Booker said. “The set is designed in a way that elucidates movies like ‘Sunset Boulevard’ and ‘Double Indemnity’ — really iconic film noir sorts of mysteries.”
Complementing the story’s themes, Kattelman said the play’s production design is employing a lot of technological innovation. She said the play includes student-designed lighting effects, projections and light-up umbrellas.
Kattelman said she wants people who see the play to leave the production appreciating the unique ways that live theater can tell a story.
“I would want the folks who go to this theater production who aren’t familiar with theater, and particularly not familiar with this play, to come away with a bit of an appreciation, like, ‘Oh, wow, that’s not exactly what I expected them to be able to do on stage,’ ” Kattelman said.
Kattelman said that anyone who sees the play could relate to its exploration of humanity’s ties to technology.
“It deals with something that I think all of our students and faculty are kind of encountering every day,” Kattelman said. “First of all, we all have cell phones, and we’re kind of tied to them, right? So we’re all carrying these little machines around, and it’s important that we consider how they affect our relationships and influence how we’re going through our daily lives.”
Booker said she hopes the play encourages people to disengage from their phones and pursue more human connection.
“I think a huge part of why I think the show is really important is that human connection is important,” Booker said. “It’s how we thrive, how we stay alive. It’s encouraging people to go out there, find a way to pick your head up from your phone and, as we say now, ‘Touch grass.”
Tickets for “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” are available on Ticketmaster, in-person at the theater ticket office or by calling 614-292-2295.
