The morning of June 17, 2019 I met with my creative interns, Dani Carney, Ragan Price, and Peter Grant, and Wayne Chapman collaborator from 2018 at Hope Rises.  We discussed our “why,” i.e., what has caused us to join the project, and our “how,” i.e., the basic logistics of the schedule and a general idea of the process.

In the afternoon the students and I planned the second part of our project–Research. We needed to identify national Theatre Arts programs in prisons.  The students took on the task of researching programs for the next day and we adjourned.

The following morning, June 18, was like a party. The students found terrific organizations with programs in theatre.  We crafted an email to send to each program director requesting an interview via Skype.  It seems the generous folks responded immediately agreeing to  interviews.  We began managing the schedule of interviews and developing questions for the interviews.

We drove to Little Rock from Conway that evening.  Kim R met us along with Natasha, a former student who works at Hope Rises (so proud), and Abby who is the social worker. Everyone was so excited and of course a little nervous. The Ladies were finishing supper and getting home from work, and they were so welcoming and generous with their time. We introduced ourselves and told them a little about our “why.”

The Ladies were open and eager to share. I am always overwhelmed by their willingness to tell their stories. They are excellent communicators–clear and confident and frank. Kim encouraged them to discuss anything. She, as always, opened the door with extraordinary empathy and honesty.

There were lots of questions about the performance, where, when, what would it be, etc. Some of these questions are simple. Where: The Vault at Arkansas Rep (6th and Main). When: August 11, 2019 at 6:00 and 8:00. What: now it gets hard. The what depends on the Ladies. They will guide us. They will help us make the performance piece about them. It sounds so scary, so abstract. I know they felt vulnerable.  And then their courage turned on and they began to talk. It was wonderful

The following four weeks have been pretty incredible. Meeting Sunday afternoons, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, we have been able to interview them about their experiences in prison. We have talked about the First Day, Intake, Commissary, Family and Friends, and they have taught us about the Hoe Squad. I continue to be touched by their resilience and downright grit. Forward! Just like Superman. Amazing.

 

 

The Hope Rises Theatre Project is a partnership between Hendrix Odyssey at Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas, and Hope Rises, a reentry program in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Three students, a professor from Hendrix College, and a theatre director from Little Rock will join the residents of Hope Rises to develop a performance piece over the summer. The group meets three times a week, during which time material from interviews and group discussion are collected for the purposes of the piece. The group develops movement during this time as well.

The motto of the project is: In order to change the story, we must change the storytellers.

The mission of the project is to give the women of Hope Rises the opportunity to share their experience through performance in order to gain a sense of purpose, to develop self-esteem and courage, and to raise the consciousness of the audience in the hope that the community will understand the experience of incarceration with empathy and with the understanding that incarcerated people deserve a chance to re-enter the world as whole people.

We will provide blogs that share the process and the moments of discovery experienced through working.

The project is funded through the Cynthia Cook Sandefur Odyssey Professorship held by Ann Muse. The students will receive Odyssey credit in the area of Service to the World.  Wayne Chapman is an artistic collaborator and has worked with Muse on a similar project with Hope Rises. Students are Danielle Carney, Peter Grant, and Ragan Price, all juniors at Hendrix College.