THEATRE WITHOUT BARS CONDUCTS WEEKLY ACTING AND WRITING WORKSHOPS FOR INMATES. THE ACTING WORKSHOPS ARE DESIGNED TO ENABLE INMATES TO EXPRESS THEIR EMOTIONS AND TO ACT OUT SITUATIONS OF IMPORTANCE TO THEM (JOB INTERVIEWS, PAROLE BOARD HEARINGS, FAMILY PROBLEMS, ETC.). IN THE WRITING WORKSHOPS, INMATES EXPLORE THEIR IMAGINATIONS THROUGH POETRY, SHORT STORIES, AND DRAMA, AND ALSO GAIN EXPERIENCE IN THE PRACTICAL USES OF WRITING--RESUMES, BUSINESS LETTERS, APPLICATIONS. SPECIAL WORKSHOPS HAVE INCLUDED PRESENTATIONS BY CORPORATE PERSONNEL EXECUTIVES ON JOB INTERVIEWS AND RESUMES. PLAYS FROM THE WORKSHOPS ARE USED IN ALL THEATRE WITHOUT BARS' PRODUCTIONS, IN WHICH INMATES ARE RESPONSIBLE NOT ONLY FOR WRITING AND ACTING, BUT ALSO FOR LIGHTS, SOUND, SETS, AND COSTUMES. THE PRODUCTIONS ARE PERFORMED BEFORE COLLEGE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND YOUTH GROUPS THROUGHOUT NEW JERSEY. THEATRE WITHOUT BARS ALSO TAKES INMATES INTO THE COMMUNITY TO GIVE LECTURES ON SUCH TOPICS AS DRUG ABUSE AND CRIME PREVENTION, THE PURPOSE BEING TO MAKE THE COMMUNITY AWARE OF INMATES' TALENTS AND POTENTIALS. COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE ALSO ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND THE PRISON WORKSHOPS. IN ADDITION TO A SUMMARY OF THEATRE WITHOUT BARS ACTIVITIES, THE REPORT INCLUDES NOTES ON THE ORGANIZATION'S LEADERS, A LIST OF PRODUCTIONS, LETTERS FROM GROUPS PRAISING THEATRE WITHOUT WALLS PERFORMANCES, AND COPIES OF NEWSPAPER AND MAGAZINE ARTICLES. (LKM)
THEATRE WITHOUT BARS
NCJ Number
59088
Date Published
Unknown
Length
79 pages
Annotation
A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT CONDUCTS ACTING AND WRITING WORKSHOPS IN NEW JERSEY PRISONS AND ORGANIZES ALL-INMATE PRODUCTIONS THAT TOUR THE STATE DESCRIBES ITS PHILOSOPHY, ORGANIZATION, AND ACTIVITIES.
Abstract