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Event
In My Shoes - ALMOST SOLD OUT Please call 860-527-9800 for the last remaining tickets!!!
Judy Dworin Performance Project opens its 25th anniversary year performance season highlighting its important work with those affected by incarceration. In My Shoes brings the voices of women in and outside of prison to the stage in spoken word, dance and song and asks audiences to engage in just what would it be like to be 'in my shoes'? In a one-night-only performance at the Hartford Stage Company, opening with remarks by best-selling novelist Wally Lamb, the piece presents an evocative mix of the stark and the delightful as it challenges us to explore issues of criminal justice from the stance of our common humanity. Half of the cast for In My Shoes are women who have reentered the community from York Correctional Institution, joined by The Ensemble of the Judy Dworin Performance Project, to present an authentic, provocative and soul-searching journey through the twist and turns of the walk to prison and back and what it means to be truly free. This groundbreaking performance will be followed by a talkback with the audience to dialogue on issues of incarceration, strengths-based intervention, social justice and the arts as a change agent in our culture.
Responding to an in-progress showing of In My Shoes at Tunxis Community College, Patrice Hamilton, Professor of English/Communications said, I don't think anyone could hear those stories told by women who lived them and not be changed in some way."
For the past 9 years, the Judy Dworin Performance Project (www.judydworin.org) has been offering performance residencies in Connecticut's only state prison for women, York Correctional Institution. The Bridging Boundaries Arts Intervention program has grown to include in-school and after-school programs for youth with parents in prison, York Moms and their children and now, women reentering the community from prison. Performance can be an important vehicle for unheard stories to be heard.
"The work excites, moves, and educates audiences, and enhances the public's understanding of the complicated equation of crime and punishment in America" Wally Lamb, best-selling novelist
Also, In My Shoes will employ between 4 to 7 women previously incarcerated at York CI in a professional arts engagement and enrichment of their skills as performers. All of these women have worked with JDPP either inside at York or since they have returned to the community. There are limited numbers of people from the outside who have the opportunity to see the powerful performance work that JDPP develops with the York women inside the prison compound. Those that have seen it, are deeply impacted by its power. As Governor Malloy said on his visit last year "in your writings, in your speech, in your dance, in your overall performanceyou reflect the humanity that is within each of you and within a broader societycongratulations on your success in this performance"
In My Shoes will be presented in very much the same style as the York performances - a pared down set of wooden stools and everyday costume elements. The piece straightforwardly will offer a refined and integrated flow of stories, songs and dance pieces with a text comprised of narratives by the York women and also by those performing who have previously been at York. The delivery of this material is made that much stronger by the fact that the women who are presenting it have directly experienced incarceration. Audiences will have a chance to truly empathize with these womento try on their shoes for an hour and thereafter consider or reconsider some of the critical questions we face as a culture concerning incarceration.
Inspired by and following up on the interest demonstrated by the sold out lecture by Piper Kerman (author of Orange is the New Black which is now a popular Netflix series) last spring at the Hartford Stage, In My Shoes will make its Hartford debut in a hopefully sold out one night only performance followed by tours throughout the region (Manchester and Tunxis Community Colleges) as well as a special Hartford schools performance in the spring at Kinsella Magnet School of Performing Arts and others.
For more information on In My Shoes contact:
Info@judydworin.org
or Tracey Mozdzierz --860 527-9800
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LocationHartford Stage (View)
50 Church Street
Hartford, CT 06103
United States
Categories
| Minimum Age: 16 |
| Kid Friendly: No |
| Dog Friendly: No |
| Non-Smoking: Yes! |
| Wheelchair Accessible: Yes! |
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