A newly formed theatre group has their focus on justice and an upcoming show about prison should be on your agenda. The Justice Theatre Company, founded this year, aims to tackle serious issues such as “poverty, human trafficking, racism, or genocide,” through the stage. They are a group of theatre aficionados between the ages of 14 and 24 who aim to expose social injustice as a way to raise awareness their website says they always will “advocate for the dignity of all, as well as raise proceeds for an organization that helps to end these injustices.”

Their first production will be an adaptation of Shakespeare Behind Bars: The Power of Drama in a Women’s Prison—wait for it—my book (SBB)! On Friday, August 15, they debut, and performances continue on Saturday, August 16 (see above). Their Facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/justicetheatre has lots of photos of the company and shows are being held at Fontbonne Academy 930 Brook Road, Milton, MA 02186.

It is the first time SBB has been put on stage and I am very excited that these energetic young adults are so enthusiastic. I attended a rehearsal and they couldn’t be more professional and committed to their work. So it will be wonderful to see the finished product. They are donating all proceeds (admission is $7 or a “gently-used book”) to the Quincy Prison Book Project. Couldn’t be better in my opinion. We will be on hand for audience discussion after the show on Friday night (me) and on Saturday afternoon (a panel including the Quincy folks, a yet unnamed judge and myself). My books will be on sale at a reduced price for audience members and signed of course.

Adapted from my book, they call their play, “the thrilling tale that follows a teacher, her eight students, and their journey through life, literature, and lock-up…Jean, an idealistic teacher with a desire to change her world, comes to teach in Framingham Women’s Prison in the Fall of 1988. There, she meets Dolly, a determined prisoner serving a life sentence for her boyfriend’s murder; Bertie, a Jamaican woman who is outcast because of her horrendous crime; Rhonda, the daughter of a Marine who falls into crime in the wake of her father’s death; Kit, a former drug user who can hardly keep clean, even behind bars; Rose, an HIV+ drug addict and former prostitute who is rejected by almost every inmate because of her status during the AIDS epidemic; Cody, a troubled heroin addict and dealer, who is more concerned with love than literature; and Mamie, an arsonist who fights to finish a college class before she succumbs to the brain tumor that plagues her.

The unlikeliest of plays in the loneliest of places: how will these eight women ever come together to produce Shakespeare?”

So, meanwhile what could be more fun for me than this? I hope to see you at a show! And hats off to the newly formed Justice Theatre Company. You probably won’t have any trouble knowing which one of the above is me.