The women 鈥� who will showcase a dance piece and read personal poems inside the Rose M. Singer gym Dec. 3 鈥� attended three-hour theatre classes twice a week over the past two-and-a-half months that were led by the Studio. This new program is called "Our Circle."
Artistic director of the Stella Adler Studio, Tom Oppenheim, told the Daily News, "It just felt like a place that needed theatre鈥� We are creating an opportunity for them to show that their voices matter."
The production will incorporate poetry from Mark Strand, who died Nov. 29, and music by . The initial group in "Our Circle" consisted of 30 inmates.
The program has taken years to get approved by Rikers Island, but now hopes to expand classes and performances to other parts of the jail as well as add classes for ex-inmates.
The women will perform for an audience of about 50, including correction department members and the NYU students from Stella Adler. Mulgrew will offer a talkback with the cast following the performance.
