RTA in Woodbourne Correctional Facility

Steve Rowland, a veteran producer with two Peabody Awards, interviewed a Rehabilitation Through The Arts group in Woodbourne Correctional Facility for a 6-hour public radio documentary “Shakespeare Is”. The documentary is about the living legacy of Shakespeare’s works, meant to engage audiences who feel that Shakespeare is not understandable or in some ways, ‘not for me’.   Go to www.shakespeareis.com for more information about this exciting project.

Filming included a class discussion on Macbeth, facilitated by RTA volunteers Arin Arbus and Carie Donnelson, and extensive one-to-one interviews with prisoners that focused on the experience of studying Shakespeare behind bars.

Steve later noted, “The evening conversation was remarkable. The level of intelligence, intellectual and human depth, passion, and fun was, in my mind, extraordinary… There were moments of great intellectual banter, balanced by real laughter and enthusiasm.”

“Shakespeare Is” will air in late 2011.

A team from the Hong Kong Department of Correctional Services met recently with Rehabilitation Through The Arts in Sing Sing to explore adapting RTA’s program to Stanley Prison, a maximum security facility in Hong Kong, The group was first introduced to RTA by Joanna Chan, a Hong Kong native and long-time RTA volunteer.

In addition to Sing Sing administration, the delegation met with Katherine Vockins, RTA Executive Director, Hans Hallundbaek, one of RTA’s founding board members and five prisoners who have participated in the program over many years.

Lee Sheung, Assistant Commissioner of Hong Kong DOCS writes,” Thank you for receiving our delegates and providing us with an excellent opportunity to study the Rehabilitation Through The Arts program.  Your ideas and valuable experience in running RTA for prisoners of maximum security institutions gives us fresh ideas on future rehabilitation programs for offenders in Hong Kong”.

RTA celebrated the release of five of its members over the past 11 months at a joyful gathering in New York City on April 17th.  

Former prisoners and their families, along with RTA volunteers, staff and board members attended this “pizza in the penthouse” event. Many told their stories of long years of incarceration, and finding hope and community in RTA.

Jabbar Collins, a member of Rehabilitation Through The Arts in Green Haven Correctional Facility, was freed earlier this week after 15 years behind bars.

Jabbar Collins Arrives Home

Jabbar Collins’ case was the lead story on ABC Eyewitness News and hundreds of other media outlets after evidence that the Brooklyn DA’s office never turned over crucial information to the defense.   According to The New York Times, the Brooklyn District Attorney’s agreement not to retry Jabbar was  ”a rare and embarrassing admission by the Brooklyn district attorney’s office — which had initially insisted that Mr. Collins be retried — that the case had been mishandled.”

Jabbar Collins in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"

In Green Haven, Jabbar was an active participant in Rehabilitation Through The Arts (RTA), which operates in five New York State correctional facilities.  He led an excellent cast as Randle McMurphy in RTA’s recent production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, capturing the  larger-than-life swagger, charm and flaws of the character.  The performance  was received with wild enthusiasm by both prisoners and the community guests.

Jabbar’s RTA family is thrilled to see this fine man free, reunited with his children and family.

Public Radio International’s show Studio 360 will be airing a segment about Rehabilitation Through The Arts on WNYC 93.9 FM Saturday, June 5th at 4:00 PM and Sunday, June 6th  at 11:00 AM. The show can also be heard on the 820 AM station on Sunday at 2:00 PM.

Studio 360 visited Sing Sing on three separate occasions for the piece, which focuses on the RTA production of Starting Over, a prisoner-written play about family relationships.  The play was performed last March for an enthusiastic audience of  prisoners and over 250 community guests.

 According to producer Jordan Sayle, “The story attempts to find the emotional heart of what is accomplished on stage at Sing Sing. I know that I was deeply moved by what I witnessed.”

Go to Studio 360  to hear the show and see additional photos of Starting Over.