Rta sing sing inmates. Richardson covered the Sing Sing inmates' performance.

Rta sing sing inmates. Aug 5, 2024 · Buell’s RTA has had amazing success.

Rta sing sing inmates SING SING is now available for purchase on select streaming platforms! Bring the transformative power of the arts home and experience the incredible true stories of RTA program participants—brought to life with critically acclaimed performances from Colman Domingo, RTA alum Clarence Maclin, and more. Colman Domingo uses the performing arts to connect with fellow inmates in the first trailer for the A24 drama Sing Sing. Founded at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in 1996, RTA has provided arts-based workshops to thousands of incarcerated men and women, transforming lives and breaking the cycle of incarceration with proven results: less than 3% of RTA members return to prison, compared to 60% nationally. The (RTA) at Sing Sing, Colman Domingo summons deep wells of pain and pride as a maximum security inmate in this deeply authentic prison drama. Oct 17, 2024 · The film "Sing Sing" is based on the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program implemented inside Sing Sing Prison, New York State's highest-security prison. Dec 15, 2024 · How theater can break the cycle of incarceration 10:24. (This story was updated to replace the use of the word inmate with Jul 9, 2024 · Later, while conducting research on the topic, he stumbled upon a 2005 Esquire report by John H. Aug 2, 2024 · Oscar-nominated actor Colman Domingo brings to life the inspiring story of a prison theater program in “Sing Sing,” a powerful A24 film that highlights the transformative impact of the arts within the walls of New York’s Sing Sing Correctional Facility. Sing Sing shines a light on the profound impact of the RTA program. Sing Sing By cjatthemovies9 on July 25, 2024 • ( 0). (Colman Domingo) is an inmate in Sing Sing prison, and although innocent, is nevertheless incarcerated for murder. Aug 30, 2024 · Colman Domingo was only up for a Best Actor Oscar earlier this year but he could be back in the mix next year thanks to Sing Sing. Jan 13, 2025 · Sing-Sing is an examination of the unavoidable reality of the inmates experience as they prepare an in-prison drama production. Credit: RTA. Most of the 1776 actors were initially unfamiliar with show, a long-running comedy that won the Tony award for best musical in 1969, was adapted into a feature film, and will return to Broadway for a second revival in 2021. Dec 10, 2024 · Greg Kwedar’s “Sing Sing” takes place in a maximum-security prison and depicts the real Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program. The central character is John “Divine G” Whitfield (Colman Domingo), a foundation member of the theatre troupe Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA). RTA was founded by Brent Buell in 1996 following a few successful theater productions by a group of incarcerated men. Aug 3, 2024 · Sing Sing balances real-life experiences of RTA participants with fictional elements, and while it offers a heartwarming moment at the end, it’s not overly sentimental. In an interview following its publication he isolated the impact of theater versus therapy when he stated, “I love theater. I think that it is one of Feb 24, 2025 · Actor Michael McKean, left, shakes hands with inmate Clarence Maclin of Mount Vernon, who plays Luther Flynn in the play "Superior Donuts," at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in 2011. In an interview at the film’s premiere in 4 days ago · It’s not often that a convicted felon plays himself on screen, let alone collaborates on the script and ends up with an Oscar nomination. Sep 29, 2024 · At the center of the story of Sing Sing is Domingo’s John Whitfield, aka Divine G. As Divine G struggles to clear his name, he and his fellow prisoners attempt to As of 2019, Sing Sing houses approximately 1,500 inmates, employs about 900 people, [1] and has hosted over 5,000 visitors per month. As members of the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program, they have Aug 8, 2023 · The hundreds of RTA alumni thriving in society – working in law, policy, and advocacy, as construction workers, bakers, and entrepreneurs – are evidence of the program’s impact. one of the ways Sing Sing depicts RTA’s documented benefits is in the way the program Feb 27, 2025 · The true story that inspired the film first appeared in a 2005 issue of Esquire magazine, when writer John H. As someone who has both worked in prisons and in theatre workshops (though not at the same time Aug 8, 2024 · The article detailed a time-traveling musical comedy, “Breakin’ the Mummy’s Code,” performed by the men at Sing Sing through RTA. A24 will re-release the film in 500 theaters and screen it in 46 states' correctional facilities, allowing nearly one million in In SING SING, filmmakers Greg Kwedar and Clint Bentley focused on the bond between RTA members John “Divine G” Whitfield and Maclin, with Maclin making his film debut and executive producing. The true story that inspired Jul 9, 2024 · During his time at the Sing Sing prison, he found another purpose through the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program. Clarence Maclin is just one of those Sing Sing, from director Greg Kwedar, looks at a different aspect of the incarceration experience – one free of inmate-on-inmate violence and focused instead on the members of the prison society who seek to remake themselves behind bars with the goal of one day again breathing the air as free men. Sing Sing is a maximum-security jail for men, some 50 kilometres north of midtown Manhattan, in New York City. The Rehabilitation Through the Arts [RTA] program started life at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in 1996. Filmmakers Greg Kwedar and Clint Bentley make films about human connection in impossible places as seen in their movies Transpecos and Jockey . RTA founder Sean “Dino” Johnson and activist Jon-Adrian “JJ” Velazquez are fantastic playing themselves, but Divine Eye was a major highlight. A true story developed by co-writers and producers Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar (who also directed) and RTA alumni Clarence “Divine Eye Aug 30, 2024 · Colman Domingo was only up for a Best Actor Oscar earlier this year but he could be back in the mix next year thanks to Sing Sing. While in prison, he becomes involved in RTA, where he and his fellow inmates attempt to Jul 18, 2024 · Sing Sing, the astonishing new film from director Greg Kwedar, breaks the mold by exploring its inmates as people with the potential to be so much more. He spends his free time helping the RTA and looking for ways to prove this Feb 24, 2025 · Despite the painful years behind bars, Whitfield found another purpose through the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program. Westchester Woman The first online magazine for women in Westchester County, NY Aug 29, 2024 · During their time in prison, the two men found refuge and hope in Rehabilita­tion Through the Arts, or RTA, which ran a theatre programme at Sing Sing, and the story of their experience is being told in a remarkably honest and raw drama starring Rustin’s Colman Domingo, and Maclin as himself. Jun 25, 2024 · Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin is standing inside Sing Sing Correctional Facility for the first time since he was inmate here 12 years ago. The aspiring playwright and actor finds redemption and purpose through the RTA effort while serving time at the infamous New York prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Divine G. When a wary newcomer named Clarence Maclin enters the Sing Sing […] Jul 25, 2024 · Home › Drama › Sing Sing. Sep 15, 2024 · In the film, Raci plays Buell, who taught at RTA programs at Sing Sing, Woodbourne, Fishkill and Greenhaven state prisons from 2001 until 2011. But it didn’t stop there. In fact, Colman Domingo as John ‘Divine G’ Whitfield and Paul Raci as Brent Buel are the only two prominent roles played Aug 20, 2024 · Sing Sing captures the magic of this process and how art can be a constant reminder of our humanity. Director Greg Kwedar's feature is set to hit theaters in July after Divine G’s story is the subject of a new A24 film titled “Sing Sing,” starring Colman Domingo as Divine G, Paul Raci as the RTA program director and formerly incarcerated actors and RTA alumni. Feb 4, 2025 · Journal SING SING Now Available to Stream on Demand. A powerful movie about inmates motivated by the power of acting. Matthew Brown/The Journal News. Sing Sing, the movie, tips its hat to the master minds of this theater program, Rehabilitation Through the Arts. It’s a film about brotherhood, expression, acceptance, and the power of art to change the lives of people who society has given up on. Most actors are former inmates who went through the RTA program, and all give heartfelt, emotional performances. Jul 10, 2024 · With Greg Kwedar occupying the director’s chair, ‘Sing Sing’ gives a positive outlook on life in prison through the art of theater as Divine G, a falsely convicted inmate, leads other incarcerated men to perform in a theater program called Rehabilitation Through the Arts. Dec 25, 2024 · Sing Sing gets its title from a real maximum-security prison and its Rehabilitation Through the Arts program, where inmates create and perform a theatrical stage play for the rest of the prison’s population. RTA truly changed the Jan 27, 2025 · Whitfield is a founding member of the RTA which runs comprehensive arts workshops and a unique arts-anchored re-entry program in 10 correctional facilities in New York, as well as at one facility Jul 17, 2024 · Early in the film Sing Sing, a group of inmates in the titular maximum-security prison gather for a brainstorming session. Celebrate the stunning Oscar-nominated portrait of RTA’s programs that is SING SING by making a gift in honor of the people behind the film. Living near Sing Sing prison, I reflect on the film’s lessons and the importance of seeing beyond its walls. Aug 29, 2024 · Meet the RTA Alumni Featured in A24’s Acclaimed New Movie Based on RTA’s Theater Program _____ The A24 film SING SING brings to life the powerful stories of several Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) alumni who have used the arts to transform their lives and challenge assumptions and perceptions about incarcerated individuals. Jan 14, 2025 · During this awards season, movies like the Colman Domingo-starring Sing Sing are using innovative methods to generate buzz. Mar 3, 2025 · The Sing Sing Correctional Facility was a maximum-security prison for men in the state of New York. Jermaine Archer, left, as George, and Mosi Eagle as Lenny S ing Sing Correctional Facility is 40 miles and a world away from New York City. Director Greg Kwedar first came across Sing Sing’s theater program in 2016 after reading the October 2005 Esquire article that chronicled the production of “Breaking the Mummy’s Code,” the play Jan 17, 2025 · Unlike many other works set in prison, “Sing Sing” is “depicting the humanity of the men inside,” said Charles Moore, director of programs and operations for RTA and a program alum Sep 13, 2024 · The film follows the story of John “Divine G” Whitfield, portrayed by Domingo, a wrongfully incarcerated man at Sing Sing and co-founder of the RTA theater program, as the group decides what Jan 30, 2025 · Sing Sing is based on a very real story of the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program that originated at the Sing Sing Correctional Facility, and even most of the actors we see are real ex-members of the program. Aug 4, 2024 · Colman Domingo's new movie 'Sing Sing' shines a spotlight on the real-life theater program Rehabilitation Through the Arts, which operates in maximum-security prisons in New York and models “an Sing Sing is a film more concerned with the construction of character as opposed to plot, as evidenced by its inclusion of many formerly incarcerated members of the RTA program at Sing Sing. He’s been incarcerated for second degree murder and weapons possession. For almost 200 years, a grim monument to the theory that harsh discipline discourages former inmates from Jan 3, 2025 · But “Sing Sing” also shows hope for a return to the “normal” world, which is made possible through rehabilitation. Cyrano de Bergerac will be eligible for parole in 2022. The rehab group’s productions aren’t just enjoyable; they empower former inmates to believe in life outside bars. Vocal and instrumental workshops, concerts, revues, and a popular songwriting workshop offer ongoing opportunities for participants to develop concrete skills and expand their capacity for self-expression. Feb 7, 2025 · Sing Sing is a film that speaks to the human condition, and for the need to be accepted even in dire circumstances. In this very chapel, he reminisces, he once sold drugs Feb 12, 2025 · A24’s Sing Sing follows a group of inmates participating in the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program, which offers incarcerated men the chance to produce theatrical productions while in prison. Sep 23, 2024 · Based on real-life people and events, Sing Sing tells the story of Divine G (Domingo), a wrongly imprisoned man who finds purpose and healing through the theater as part of the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program at the Sing Sing Maximum Security Prison. A24 will re-release the film in 500 theaters and screen it in 46 states' correctional facilities, allowing nearly one million in Set inside Sing Sing maximum-security prison in New York, Greg Kwedar's drama shines a spotlight on the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) programme, which gives inmates the opportunity to star Dec 31, 2024 · While movies about the power of art to change lives are common, and far too commonly formulaic and sentimental, Sing Sing is better than most. Following a group of inmates in Sing Sing prison in New York state, it delves into the emotional bonds developed among the men of the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program as they try to bring light to the darkest of places. After completing a performance, the group looks at Nov 27, 2024 · Greg Kwedar’s Sing Sing is a heartfelt and intimate drama that brings the transformative power of art and the human spirit to center stage. RTA began at Sing Sing when Katherine Vockins, RTA’s founder, met with a group of men who wanted help writing and presenting a play. They’ve gathered to discuss the next batch of potential applicants, and Feb 6, 2025 · Standing behind Archer is Clarence Maclin, a 2025 Oscar nominee for "Sing Sing," a film about RTA. Divine G’s world is shaken with grief and sadness when a fellow inmate, Mike Mike, passes away. Jul 28, 2024 · I found freedom behind the wall… For years in Sing Sing, a lot of young men have been taking advantage of RTA, and it’s been transforming. A24 will re-release the film in 500 theaters and screen it in 46 states' correctional facilities, allowing nearly one million in Colman Domingo stars as John ‘Divine G’ Whitfield (the real Divine G makes a cameo appearance), a renaissance man and lifer who has spent his decades inside writing novels and plays when he Aug 8, 2024 · How do you tie together the stories of ancient Egypt, Robin Hood, Freddy Kreuger, and Hamlet – on a single stage? Well, through time travel, of course. As seen in the film “Sing Sing,” a group of inmates at a Feb 24, 2025 · The film Sing Sing sheds light on the power of art in rehabilitation, featuring former inmates who found transformation through theater. Beginnings. For the time being, he is a vision in Gallic effrontery, pinballing around the stage in the gymnasium at Fishkill Correctional Facility IN Beacon, N. The true story that inspired Related: Inmates Rally Together to Pay For Student's $32K Tuition: 'They Genuinely Do Care About Me' Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin, who onscreen recreates his own participation in RTA’s Jan 14, 2025 · During this awards season, movies like the Colman Domingo-starring Sing Sing are using innovative methods to generate buzz. RTA’s music program began at Sing Sing with a vocal workshop for a production of West Side Story, and then took on a life of its own. Jul 28, 2024 · In “Sing Sing,” a movie that has opened in New York cinemas to universal critical acclaim and goes nationwide next week, Colman Domingo portrays an inmate at Sing Sing named John “Divine G” Whitfield, who helps found a theater program in the prison called Rehabilitation Through the Arts, or RTA. The infamous Colman Domingo uses the performing arts to connect with fellow inmates in the first trailer for the A24 drama Sing Sing. Aug 30, 2024 · Divine G (Colman Domingo) runs an inmate theatre group at Sing Sing prison. Since 1996, there was an ongoing non-profit organization there called "Rehabilitation Through the Arts" (RTA), which aimed to provide inmates an outlet for their artistic talents. Transferred upstate to Woodbourne Correctional Facility, Alston petitioned prison administrators and Vockins to get the program into his new home. Jan 3, 2025 · Unfortunately, the clemency board refuses to consider this evidence during his hearing; Divine G must continue to live as an innocent man behind bards while seeing his fellow inmates…his friends…and leave Sing Sing by parole or death. July 15, 2018. A new film “Sing Sing,” from drector Greg Kwedar, does this very thing flawlessly with great openness, heart, and a trace of humor. Because the film tells a touching story that is always presented authentically and refreshingly without clichés, based on the real world RTA program (Rehabilitation Through The Arts) the prison based. Nov 8, 2024 · Sing Sing is one of six such programs in the New York area. This offers prisoners Feb 6, 2025 · Archer, who was released from Sing Sing in 2020, has been named executive director of RTA. Aug 17, 2024 · Inspired by the true story of Sing Sing Maximum Security Prison’s Rehabilitation Through the Arts program (or RTA as it is referenced to in the film), Sing Sing made waves during its debut at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, telling the story of how a theatre program within the claustrophobic concrete walls of jail… Aug 2, 2024 · Sing Sing dramatizes the development of a real RTA original, Breakin’ the Mummy’s Code, a playful genre mashup that includes Egyptian royalty, Roman gladiators, cowboys and William Shakespeare Mar 4, 2025 · This movie tells the story of Sing Sing prison’s Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program. The movie centers on John Whitfield, aka “Divine G,” embodied by Colman Domingo. 5 million—has amassed steady accolades since bowing at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, where it Feb 24, 2025 · The screen in "Sing Sing" is filled with RTA alumni, including Sean "Dino" Johnson, Mosi Eagle, Dario Peña and Whitfield. For almost 200 years, a grim monument to the theory that The film being screened by close to 1 million inmates in correctional facilities also comes as conversations around the experiences of “RTA has been Sing Sing’s best-kept secret for years Nov 27, 2024 · The performances throughout Sing Sing were as transcendent as the filmmaking. Oct 3, 2024 · Directed by Greg Kwedar, from a script based on the real-life account of inmates auditioning for Sing Sing’s RTA (Rehabilitation Through the Arts) theater program, “Sing Sing”—made independently on a shoestring budget of $1. Watching them dance and make believe, it is easy Feb 26, 2025 · Early in Sing Sing, Divine G leads a meeting of the prison’s RTA committee, a group of five inmates sitting in a circle. The movie is set at the real correctional facility Sing Sing in New York state, and centers on the prison’s Rehabilitation Through the Arts program. You will walk away with an even greater understanding about acting strategies, theater, and the creative process. Set inside Sing Sing maximum-security prison in New York, Greg Kwedar’s drama shines a spotlight on the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) programme, which gives inmates the opportunity to star in original stage productions inside the facility. Sep 13, 2024 · Starring Colman Domingo and former inmates, In the film, Raci plays Buell, who taught at RTA programs at Sing Sing, Woodbourne, Fishkill and Greenhaven state prisons from 2001 until 2011. Featured are professional actors Oscar nominated Caulman Domingo, as the inmate John "Divine G" Whitfield, and Paul Rauci, as the leader of the RTA Program Brent Buell, alongside former Sing Sing prisoners and RTA alumni, including Clarence “Divine Eyes” Maclin and Jon-Adrian “JJ May 4, 2021 · By Jesse Wegman. In 2016, writer and director Aug 29, 2024 · Meet the RTA Alumni Featured in A24’s Acclaimed New Movie Based on RTA’s Theater Program _____ The A24 film SING SING brings to life the powerful stories of several Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) alumni who have used the arts to transform their lives and challenge assumptions and perceptions about incarcerated individuals. To Domingo's left is Clarence "Divine Eye" Maclin, a former inmate at Jan 17, 2025 · Sing Sing is based on the Rehabilitation Through Arts (RTA) program, which has been active at the Sing Sing prison in Ossining, New York, since 1996. According to the organisation’s own data, only three percent of their participants re-offend. It turns out his name is Divine Eye (Clarence Maclin), and surprisingly he is interested in joining the RTA. Divine G helps write, direct and act, supplying support for his fellow actor-inmates. Richardson, titled ‘The Sing Sing Follies,’ which highlighted the work of the RTA in the Sing Sing facility where prisoners staged a play titled ‘Breakin’ the Mummy’s Code,’ penned by Brent Buell. The film, featuring Colman Domingo and real-life RTA ( Rehabilitation Through the Arts ) participants, showcases a theater program within the prison that provides inmates a platform for expression and Oct 7, 2024 · The compound, which was built by prisoners, still bears the name Sing Sing. This true story follows a group of inmates as they work through the process of producing the play, while also dealing with the realities Simon Dillon reviews Greg Kwedar's prison drama starring Colman Domingo, Sean San José, Paul Raci, and Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin. Find a showtime near you. He's found a purpose in the prison's Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program, rehearsing and putting on plays for other inmates. The film even features many RTA Jan 14, 2025 · During this awards season, movies like the Colman Domingo-starring Sing Sing are using innovative methods to generate buzz. In this very chapel, he reminisces, he once sold drugs Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) is a unique program at the infamous maximum security Sing Sing prison where inmates find peace, purpose and presence in their lives through the magic of theater. DONATE TODAY RTA helps people in prison develop critical life skills through the arts, modeling an approach to the justice system based on human dignity rather than punishment. The RTA allows inmates to participate in… Feb 12, 2025 · A24’s Sing Sing follows a group of inmates participating in the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program, which offers incarcerated men the chance to produce theatrical productions while in prison. Based on the real-life Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program at Sing Sing Maximum Security Prison, the film masterfully intertwines raw authenticity with emotional depth, delivering a cinematic experience that is as inspiring as it is thought Sing Sing is a new film from A24, directed by Greg Kweder, that releases in select theaters July 12. He is also a playwright and founder of RTA: Rehabilitation Through the Arts. Jun 25, 2024 · The movie “Sing Sing,” screened at the Sing Sing Correctional Facility, marked a poignant return for its formerly incarcerated cast members. The RTA offers inmates the chance to write, produce, and act in their own theatre productions Feb 28, 2025 · Sing Sing follows a group of incarcerated men who put on a musical called Breakin' the Mummy's Code through the prison's Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program. Most recently, inmates put on a production of Keenan Scott II’s 2021 Broadway play “Thoughts of a Colored Man” at Green Haven Correctional Unlike many other works set in prison, “Sing Sing” is “depicting the humanity of the men inside,” said Charles Moore, director of programs and operations for RTA and a program alum The screen in "Sing Sing" is filled with RTA alumni, including Sean "Dino" Johnson, Mosi Eagle, Dario Peña and Whitfield. You will walk away with even more compassion and a bigger heart. Yet that is the case with Clarence ‘Divine Eye’ Maclin, who essays a younger version of himself in this poignant prison drama about a group of inmates attempting to put on a show. The film follows the inspiring story of RTA alum John “Divine G” Whitfield (played by Colman Domingo), as he finds purpose by acting in RTA’s Sing Sing Correctional Facility theater group alongside RTA alum Clarence Maclin, who plays himself. Providing a creative and therapeutic outlet for inmates, the program has had a number of success stories. “Sing Sing” (2024) Review: Three-Time Oscar Nominee Hits Home Streaming Aug 1, 2024 · The movie is based on “The Sing Sing Follies,” a 2005 Esquire Magazine article about RTA, the artistic rehabilitation program in Sing Sing Correctional Facility. At the Sing Sing facility in 1996, RTA “started with a group of men that just wanted to have a voice,” recalls Sean “Dino” Johnson, a founding member and current board member of the org Sing Sing tells the story of a theater troupe inside the Ossining, New York, maximum-security prison of the same name: Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA), a nonprofit that was founded in 1996 Divine G, incarcerated at Sing Sing Correctional Facility, discovers a sense of purpose through participation in a small theater group made up of fellow inmates. The recidivism rate for those who go back to prison after being in this program has gone from 60%, down to a mere 3%. Sing Sing begins with a prison siren. As seen in the film “Sing Sing,” a group of inmates at a Jul 10, 2024 · Sing Sing is still a very rough place, and John and Mike Mike witness a very tough-looking dude browbeating a young new inmate out of money. He works closely with Brent Buell (Paul Raci), a social worker from outside the prison who is the program’s director, and serves as Divine G’s Meeting of the Mentor. The film even features many RTA Jan 18, 2025 · Domingo and a couple of other professional actors, and a lot of inmates, play members of various strata of New York’s Sing Sing Maximum Security inmate population society who “put in the work” to put on plays — rehearsing, doing theatrical exercises, connecting with their feelings as part of an RTA (Rehabilitation Through the Arts) project. It focuses on the story of John “Divine G” Whitfield, a playwright himself and original member of the group, played brilliantly by Colman Domingo. We see how cultivating creativity greatly reduces repeat offenses. Founded in 1996, the RTA program is a non-profit organization that provides inmates with opportunities for self-expression and social rehabilitation through the arts, including theater Feb 10, 2025 · "GMA" also caught up with Maclin, an alumni of the RTA program who plays himself in "Sing Sing," at the 2025 Critics' Choice Awards on Friday. He recruits into the program another Jul 9, 2024 · Later, while conducting research on the topic, he stumbled upon a 2005 Esquire report by John H. A true story developed by co-writers and producers Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar (who also directed) and RTA alumni Clarence “Divine Eye Aug 15, 2024 · Greg Kwedar, who co-wrote the fact-based script with Clint Bentley, directs with an observational eye, letting viewers hang back and watch from a distance before bringing his players into focus. Aug 22, 2024 · Based on the real-life story of the maximum security prison’s Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program, founded in 1996, the film follows inmates who form a theater troupe while serving their sentences, processing their emotions through musical performance and acting. Sing Sing is the name of a nearly 200-year-old prison in upstate New York Nov 22, 2019 · The 1776 band, made up of Sing Sing inmates and lead by a professional musical director. Divine G was wrongfully imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit and is part of a group of inmates that participate in the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program at the Sing Sing Correctional Facility. The segment dives into the transformative power of the arts in breaking the cycle of incarceration, with a spotlight on SING SING, the critically acclaimed A24 film inspired by RTA’s work. Sing Sing Correctional Facility is 40 miles and a world away from New York City. These inmates are part of the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program, which aims to use theater as a form of rehabilitation. Aug 28, 2024 · You would struggle to guess which was the Oscar-nominated actor and which the former inmate. A24 will re-release the film in 500 theaters and screen it in 46 states' correctional facilities, allowing nearly one million in In SING SING, Divine G (Colman Domingo) is incarcerated at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in New York. Prisoners incarcerated at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in New York partake in theatrical productions and actor workshops. Feb 23, 2025 · The film Sing Sing, which debuted at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, follows the RTA program in a fictionalized version of the Sing Sing Correctional Facility from the point of view of the prisoners working on a play. Feb 28, 2025 · Sing Sing follows a group of incarcerated men who put on a musical called Breakin' the Mummy's Code through the prison's Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program. A24 will re-release the film in 500 theaters and screen it in 46 states' correctional facilities, allowing nearly one million in Sing Sing Correctional Facility is a maximum-security prison for men operated by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision in the v Despite the painful years behind bars, Whitfield found another purpose through the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program. The film has a dramatic arc but is more about Feb 11, 2025 · Divine G’s Ordinary World is him living as an inmate in Sing Sing Correctional Facility for a crime he didn’t commit as the leader of the RTA. Oscar nominee Colman Domingo portrays John “Divine G” Whitfield, a former novelist and playwright trapped in Sing Sing prison for a homicide he didn’t commit. Advertisement Jan 13, 2025 · Incarceration is meant to be rehabilitative, and stories of inmates finding resources to do just that are often compelling, as this film shows. Jul 23, 2024 · Sing Sing inspires viewers to learn more about the transformative power of arts in prison. SING SING Is now playing in limited theaters Jul 12, 2024 · That background serves as a backdrop, sometimes literally, often metaphorically, for Sing Sing, Greg Kwedar’s multi-layered, empathetic exploration of the RTA and its impact on long-term prison May 4, 2021 · Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) was honored to be featured on CBS Sunday Morning with legendary journalist Ted Koppel. It Celebrate the stunning Oscar-nominated portrait of RTA’s programs that is SING SING by making a gift in honor of the people behind the film. Dec 11, 2024 · Coleman Domingo delivers a standout performance as John ‘Divine G’ Whitefield, the real-life co-founder of the ‘Rehabilitation Through the Arts’ (RTA) programme, which he started in 1996 while serving time at Sing Sing Correctional Facility. Aug 5, 2024 · Buell’s RTA has had amazing success. Feb 1, 2025 · Drama-documentary about Sing Sing's Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) initiative, a program that brings dance, theatre, music and writing workshops to prisons with remarkable success - Only 3% of RTA participants return to prison, in comparison to the US's national average of 60% recidivism. One reason for that is that has roots deep in a real-world story: Sing Sing is based on the lives of real prisoners participating in a real arts program—Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA). Director Greg Kwedar's feature is set to hit theaters in July after Based on the real-life story of the maximum security prison’s Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program, founded in 1996, the film follows inmates who form a theater troupe while serving Dec 12, 2024 · The RTA group eventually performs a sample of the play for the prison’s board of executives to gain approval for their production. You need to see Sing Sing for what it represents. ” RTA has spread to eight prisons in New York State. Jan 23, 2025 · As of January 23, 2025, SING SING is playing in theaters nationwide. Domingo plays an inmate who is fully committed to the program. Sing Sing is an affectionate, tender film about brotherhood and forgiveness; one of the first rules of the RTA, Whitfield tells Maclin, is that members call each other “beloved” rather than “n*”. Read my full review and insights on the impact of storytelling and second chances. Kate Powers, an RTA teaching artist who directed Archer in "Our Town," welcomed the news. Premiering at TIFF 2023 and winning the Festival Favorite Award at SXSW 2024, SING SING was released in July 2024 to critical and popular acclaim. His peace-making skills are tested by Divine Eye (Clarence ‘Divine Eye’ Maclin). Domingo portrays the emotional center of the lifer. Jul 12, 2024 · They were once inmates playing at being actors, now they are actors playing inmates on the big screen. Y. "It was a labor of pleasure," Maclin, who earned an Oscar nomination for best adapted screenplay thanks to a story by credit, said of the film. The exercise is an acting technique to help them become emotionally in tune with their roles. . It’s been filmed as a pseudo-documentary, with the majority of the running time focusing on the prisoners as they become actors Feb 5, 2025 · This is one of the more heartwarming, feel-good films of 2024 and provides a very authentic inside look at Sing Sing’s “Rehabilitation Through the Arts” (RTA) – a program that is very much real and a place where those imprisoned find solace, happiness and hope. Richardson covered the Sing Sing inmates' performance. A24 will re-release the film in 500 theaters and screen it in 46 states' correctional facilities, allowing nearly one million in Related: Inmates Rally Together to Pay For Student's $32K Tuition: 'They Genuinely Do Care About Me' Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin, who onscreen recreates his own participation in RTA’s Feb 24, 2025 · The film Sing Sing sheds light on the power of art in rehabilitation, featuring former inmates who found transformation through theater. And that is certainly playing to Sing Sing ’s presumed strong parts, with the story of Maclin, here playing himself as Divine Eye, being particularly Feb 18, 2025 · One of the best scenes in Greg Kwedar’s SING SING is a simple one: the inmates of a maximum security prison for men gather in a circle to discuss their perfect moment. But also with the minds and talent of a Sep 5, 2024 · One of Sing Sing‘s co-writers is actor/writer/director Brent Buell, a former RTA volunteer director who authored a chapter regarding RTA in the 2010 book Performing New Lives: Prison Theatre. The true story that inspired the film first appeared in a 2005 issue of Esquire magazine, when writer John H. “There was something about the seesaw of the tone—threading the needle of the inherent drama of that difficult environment, experiencing significant human transformation, juxtaposed with the playfulness Sep 1, 2024 · Sing Sing is, all the time, quite a risk, and it shines through as an extraordinary effort. As portrayed in ‘Sing Sing,’ John took the responsibility of running the program with his best friend Mike Mike and writer/director Brent Buell, the only non-incarcerated member of the group. Last month, I reviewed “Ghostlight,” which used a real Chicago family of Keith Kupferer, his wife Tara Mallen, and their daughter Katherine Mallen Kupferer to use the power of Shakespeare to help them through their own tragedy. Oct 13, 2014 · Seven years into RTA, Sing Sing closed its medium-security section, scattering Alston and 535 other inmates throughout the state’s prisons. Jan 5, 2019 · "Dramatic Escape" is a full-length documentary on Rehabilitation Through the Arts' (RTA) inmate arts program at Sing Sing Correctional Facility. Despite a chaotic and mixed performance, the board approves the play to the surprise of the RTA group. Join our movement to break the cycle of incarceration. ptbln qdztfn ygcepad ihztxu jpgroq jmbq hoxlw cjyywdw xvflve bqm umxtxhhd vunjj dphe fziy hukttoi