Shows & Tickets
Shakespeare in Prison
Shakespeare in Prison empowers incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people to reconnect with their humanity and that of others; to reflect on their past, present, and future; and to gain the confidence, self-esteem, and crucial skills they need to heal and positively impact their communities.
Programs
The core of SIP’s programming is its work with incarcerated women, which has been going strong at Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility in Ypsilanti, Michigan, since 2012. At times, it has also included programs at youth detention centers and Parnall Correctional Facility, a men’s prison in Jackson, Michigan. In 2018, SIP extended its mission beyond prison walls with Shakespeare Reclaimed, offering the program’s alumni ongoing mentoring for personal and professional development and support post-release.
Outcomes
Measuring outcomes for an arts program is always a challenge, particularly in a correctional setting—especially if stakeholders want data that isn’t solely anecdotal. This was true for Shakespeare in Prison until 2016, when we found a way to gather and analyze data that allows us to evaluate outcomes for participants in a way that is not only more rigorous, but that honors our philosophy that “success” looks different for each individual. Read on for more details about how we do it!
Philosophy and Approach
We see people in their totality—not as defined by their worst mistakes. In our ensembles, people find comradeship and a safe space; their ideas are valued; they improve communication; they develop as leaders and teammates; and they accomplish something truly radical.
“It felt good to say to my people, I’m proud of myself, because I’ve never been one to commit... This here is showing me that I just completed something. Completing the play allowed me to follow through... I gave it everything I had, and I came out stronger. Better. ”
“This is about so much more than Shakespeare. We need that honesty, trust, accountability and teamwork… Not to mention the Shakespeare. I can’t tell you how much I love Shakespeare. It’s so accurate to our experience here–he uses the perfect words.”
“I never realized I could grow as a person. I never realized that I had a future. I didn’t know that I had a future before, and now I know I do. I owe so much to Shakespeare in Prison. If I was given this much in a few years, how much more could I grow?”
“After this, I have self-esteem, self-worth, accomplishment – I believe in myself on a lot of different levels… I feel like I can live a different life and be the person I want to be. It seemed like a dream before… You guys are the rock. People let you down, but Shakespeare don't."