“It’s been an absolutely fantastic experience and one that I will hold very dearly,” he said. “It’s a wonderful way to begin my professional career as an actor.”

“The Dead Guy” will run at the Williamston Theatre, 122 S. Putnam St., in Williamston, Mich., on Thursday through Sunday until Oct. 30.

The production revolves around Eldon Phelps, an unemployed man at the end of his rope, who is awarded $1 million to spend however he wants throughout the course of a week.

The catch is that he must allow a camera crew to follow him around and broadcast his adventures on a new reality TV show, “The Dead Guy.”

At the end of the week, the show’s viewers are able to vote on how Phelps will die, depending on what he chooses to do with his money, with options including passing peacefully in his sleep or in a chain saw accident.

“The ending is always interesting … (and) the audience always gets a reaction out of it,” Page said.

Shocked by the outrageous storylines of some reality TV shows, the playwright Eric Coble said he wanted to use this production to address the phenomenon of such shows and the effect they have on society.

“There have been certain points (when watching reality TV) where I’m like, ‘Wow, how far would this go?’” he said.

Every year, the Williamston Theatre and MSU’s Department of Theatre choose one production to work on together, and this year they chose “The Dead Guy.”

“It’s a nice way to share resources and to stay in touch with other people that do what we do,” director Tony Caselli said.

The collaboration provides MSU students, such as Page, the chance to work in a professional setting with working actors.

“It was different and really interesting because everything is more focused,” Page said. “Everything is just a little bit more streamline.”

Page, who plays the main character’s brother, said the rehearsal process was rigorous and he spent several hours multiple times a week rehearsing.

“Working in a professional house, you have to work 30 hours a week (because) it’s a real job,” he said.

Not only were Page and the other two MSU student actors paid for their work, but they also earned credit toward The Actors’ Equity Association, a labor union representing American actors in theatre.

As the production’s end approaches, Caselli said he already is looking forward to the next time he will be able to work with the Department of Theatre.

“I’ll be sad to have all of the students and MSU collaborators go away, but we’ll find another project to do with a lot of them,” he said. “It’s been a really great experience working with them.”