Rta sing sing inmates. As the name implies, the program allows long-term inmates .
Rta sing sing inmates The true story that inspired the film first appeared in a 2005 issue of Esquire magazine, when writer The prison drama tells the story of inmates living inside the Sing Sing Maximum Security prison in New York, and their efforts to keep promoting the RTA, which is a Rehabilitation Through the Arts Divine G is one of the founding members of the RTA and, in many ways, its heart and soul. Throughout the film, we get to see the prisoners work on theatre as they process their futures as inmates, the 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. What amounts to a theater troupe for prisoners, the program gives those who wish to join it a purpose beyond their 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. The film even features many RTA PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2025 REVIEW! In Greg Kwedar’s feature film, Sing Sing, the inmates literally take over in a touching story of redemption and hope within the prison system. This program uses the arts as a tool for personal transformation and social change. Features former participants playing themselves The film focuses on the transformation of Sing Sing inmates through Rehabilitation Through the Arts' theater program. They also share insight into creating a safe Sing Sing Correctional Facility is a maximum-security prison [2] for men operated by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision in the village of Ossining, New York, United States. John “Divine G” Whitfield is not just a character portrayed by Colman Domingo in SING SING—he is the real person behind the role. As seen in the film “Sing Sing,” a group of inmates at a As awards season continues to churn, this year’s movies are finding unique ways to get the word out. In a city teeming with creative energies, where chance encounters often lead to extraordinary collaborations, the making of the film Sing Sing is a testament to the power of serendipity, shared visions and the transformative magic of storytelling. Combined with arresting visuals by Patrick Scola, the audience is swept up in profoundly moving performances from real people who never Sing Sing is a film that speaks to the human condition, and for the need to be accepted even in dire circumstances. Under the guidance of theater director Brent Buell, Divine G True to life, the RTA members put on a play every six months for their fellow inmates and the community at large. The film dramatises a non-profit programme that genuinely occurred at the Sing Sing Correctional Facility – Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) – which used theatre as rehab. Maclin, who plays a theatricalized version of himself in the film, is an alum 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. Together, they attempt to stage an original production titled Breakin’ the Mummy’s Code. For a Sing Sing Correctional Facility is operated by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (NYSDOCCS). As the name implies, the program allows long-term inmates 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. 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 written by Sing Sing tells the true story of an arts programme for those incarcerated at a prison in New York State. They’ve gathered to discuss the next batch of potential applicants, and Including Breakin’ the Mummy’s Code, the play featured in the Sing Sing film, RTA has produced over a dozen original plays and more well-known, published plays such as 12 Angry Men, Macbeth, The Wizard of Oz, Of Mice and Men, West Side Story, A Few Good Men, and Oedipus Rex. A true story developed by co-writers and producers Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar (who also directed) and RTA alumni Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin and John 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. The U. Many of the characters are played by actual former inmates of Sing Sing who were themselves in the RTA. The film is available to rent on Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV+, and YouTube. Though it is fiction, Sing Sing’s cast includes many actors who were once incarcerated Helmed by Greg Kwedar, ‘Sing Sing’ is a biographical drama movie set inside one of the world’s most infamous maximum-security prisons, Sing Sing Correctional Facility, where John “Divine G” Whitfield is imprisoned for a crime Your Land, My Land: Immigrant Artists in the United States; January 15, 2019 - March 10, 2019 Divine G, incarcerated at Sing Sing Correctional Facility for a crime he did not commit, discovers a sense of purpose through participation in a theater group made up of fellow inmates. For almost 200 years, a grim monument to the theory that On February 3, the cast of the film Sing Sing took it back to where it all began: the stage. Following a long theatrical run, Sing Sing is finally available to watch at home. In 2005, a group of inmates at Sing Sing Correctional Facility put together and acted in an original Sing Sing (2024) Maximum security prison Sing Sing offers the theater program RTA -- Rehabilitation Through the Arts -- to its inmates. For the Colman Domingo-starring Sing Sing, A24 is taking an approach very true to the message of the prison-set drama: Not only will the film be re-released in over 500 theaters on January 17th, but additionally, almost one million incarcerated people in the United Based on the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program that began at New York’s maximum-security Sing Sing Correctional Facility, in which inmates stage theatre productions for their fellow He is a founder member of the RTA, the Rehabilitation Through the Arts prison theatre group at the notorious Sing Sing Correctional Facility. While the national rate is 60%, less than 3% of RTA alumni return to prison. 2023 Opening 27 Feb 2025. Like many prisons, the term 'correctional facility' seems Directed by Greg Kwedar, from a script based on the real-life account of inmates auditioning for the prison’s RTA (Rehabilitation Through the Arts) theater program, Sing Sing — made 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 changed the lives of the inmates who took part. Sing Sing is one of the most praised films from the 2023 Toronto Film Festival. "It's such an incredibly hopeful film, and I think we need that — especially where we are right Despite the painful years behind bars, Whitfield found another purpose through the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program. A. It plans to expand to two more in September. Sing Sing, released by A24, delves into the lives of incarcerated men in the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) 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 The people who are incarcerated and participate in RTA are the same characters we get to know on screen. In the prison yard, they witness a 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. RTA engages Sing Sing inmates by rehearsing and staging a play every six months. As seen in the film “Sing Sing,” a group of inmates at a 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. Sing Sing’s RTA program isn’t full of fools, but full of people—humans who, through the program, have relearned what the word human means. These inmates are part of the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA Something changed, however, when Katherine Vockins founded the RTA (Rehabilitation Through the Arts) program at Sing Sing prison in 1996. 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 Sing Sing is a touching film and an honorable tribute to the RTA and the Sing Sing Correctional Facility. The true story that inspired 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 The true story that inspired the film first appeared in a 2005 issue of Esquire magazine, when writer John H. It was released originally in July of 2024 and then expanded in August, although it seemed to Comments & critiques on cultural events and New York City happenings. Sing Sing Gallery. Still, it's a bleak environment. Inmates participate in various artistic endeavors, including theater, music, and visual arts, which help them develop skills, self-discipline, and a sense of community. The film offers a fresh look at prison life by focusing on the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program, which helps What: Drama based on a true story following inmates at US maximum security prison Sing Sing who take part in a rehabilitative theatre program. Sing Sing tells the true story of an arts programme for those incarcerated at a prison in New York State. ” RTA has spread to eight prisons in New York State. Making their feature debuts, Maclin and Johnson rival Academy Award winners in portraying their past selves. Most recently, inmates put on How Can I Watch Sing Sing?. Parents need to know that Sing Sing is a moving, fact-based drama about the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) theater program inside New York's Sing Sing Correctional Facility. Besides Domingo (whose real-life counterpart cameos as a fan of Divine G’s work) and San Jose, the rest of the RTA players reprise their real-life roles as inmates. The cast of “Sing Sing” also includes numerous real ex-prisoners. The RTA model provides an intensive, comprehensive arts program in prison that builds critical life skills so that people can meet the challenges of connecting with family and community when released. “Sing Sing” (2024) Review: Three-Time Oscar Nominee at Home. How theater can break the cycle of incarceration 10:24. The film picks up with him and other inmates preparing to take on something new in the form of a comedy play, rather than a drama. "It was a labor of pleasure," Maclin, who earned an Oscar nomination for best adapted screenplay thanks In the film, Raci plays Buell, who taught at RTA programs at Sing Sing, Woodbourne, Fishkill and Greenhaven state prisons from 2001 until 2011. These inmates are part of the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program, which aims to use theater as a form of rehabilitation. Richardson, Brent Buell, Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Clarence Maclin Principal actors: Colman Domingo, Clarence Maclin, Sean San Jose, Paul Raci, David Giraudy Sing Sing is not the typical prison movie. NYSDOCCS , guided by the Departmental Mission, is responsible for the confinement and rehabilitation of approximately 53,000 individuals under custody held at 54 state facilities and 36, 000 parolees supervised throughout seven regional 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. It is about 30 miles (48 km) north of Midtown Manhattan on the east bank of the Hudson River. John “Divine G” Whitfield (Colman Domingo), incarcerated for a crime he didn’t commit, has found purpose through this programme, using it to help other inmates The true story that inspired the film first appeared in a 2005 issue of Esquire magazine, when writer John H. The RTA is a non-profit that stages theatrical productions for inmates across ten facilities. Richardson covered the Sing Sing inmates' performance. 6 Images. ” This sentiment resonates deeply, echoing the experiences of founding member Sean Dino Johnson. It turns out his name is Divine Eye (Clarence Maclin), and surprisingly he is interested in joining the RTA. Somewhat against his better judgment he admits the One of the key programs at Sing Sing is the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) initiative. Divine G comes into conflict with a new member of the 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. They’ve done Shakespeare before, but now they want to try their hand at comedy, which the stage director Brent Buell (Paul Raci) agrees to author an original zany play about a time traveler who goes to Egypt, the Wild West, meets Hamlet and even During a recent screening of Sing Sing at the Angelika Film Center in NYC, cast member James Williams shared his perspective on the impact of Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA): “A lot of times with RTA, we don’t just act; we aim to change the prison population. 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 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. 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. Twice a year, they mount a stage production: they vote on a play, audition for parts, build sets, rehearse, and everything else that goes into putting on a play. More than 1,000 inmates have since passed through RTA, which is now in eight prison facilities. . Richardson and follows a group of inmates staging an original play, Breakin’ the Mummy’s Code, written by RTA facilitator Brent Buell. Aside from Domingo, nearly all of the supporting cast for “Sing Sing” is comprised of former RTA members — and Sing Sing prisoners. There, 1500 maximum security prisoners see out their sentences. It speaks to the power of art to change people, which our society needs now more than ever. Thursday, February 6, 2025. Domingo, whose work in the film earned him an Academy Award nomination for best actor, stopped by Good Morning America on Monday to reflect on what this project means to him. “Sing Sing” has a rawness that few other films contain, largely thanks to its cast. Given that the film is based on the real story of the inmates of the Sing Sing Correctional Facility and casts a number of the inmates who participated in the RTA program, Sing Sing is genuine in its intentions. In an interview at the film’s premiere in The 1776 band, made up of Sing Sing inmates and lead by a professional musical director. Sing Sing Correctional Facility is 40 miles and a world away from New York City. The film even features many RTA Greg Kwedar, along with Sing Sing co-writer Clint Bentley and producer Monique Walton, recently spoke with Script about their eight-year journey to making this film, based on the true story of former incarcerated people Clarence Maclin and Jonathan Whitfield, as well as the book written by their RTA play director Brent Buell. He helped found the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program at Sing Sing. Turns out, Eye’s got it all wrong. The inmates’ lives are adapted in a way few films have attempted. What the RTA program at Sing Sing proves is that when given something to live for – when looked at as people rather than as prisoners – inmates have the opportunity to reform 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. Directed by: Greg Kwedar Writing credits: John H. His chemistry on-screen with Colman is the result of a long-time collaboration between the two actors. Credit: RTA. They don't execute people there anymore, although over 600 prisoners perished in "Old Sparky" before the practice was abolished in 1972. Sing Sing happily finds a perfect balance. They are suspicious that it’s some sort of con, but they let him audition and he turns out to Like the RTA program itself, Sing Sing argues that the incarcerated need not lose their humanity behind bars, and the film succeeds most when it watches these amateur performers access difficult Founded at Sing Sing in 1996, RTA works with professional teaching artists to lead year-round workshops in theater, dance, music, creative writing, and visual arts. 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, music, and dance, Director Greg Kwedar (“Transpecos”) takes in his drama “Sing Sing (“Cafe Blue Eyes”), who is far too rarely seen in films, the main cast consists almost entirely of former Sing Sing inmates , who participated in the RTA program and are free today. Set in Philadelphia during meetings of the Divine G, incarcerated at Sing Sing Correctional Facility for a crime he did not commit, discovers a sense of purpose through participation in a small theater group made up of fellow inmates. Department of Justice has found that within The film was based on an Esquire article from 2005 titled “The Sing Sing Follies” by John H. Join our movement to break the cycle of incarceration. It makes the lived For Maclin, it was similarly “a no-brainer. John spent nearly 25 years in prison, where he discovered the transformative power Over 1,000 incarcerated individuals have participated in RTA to date, but Sing Sing focuses on the transformative experience of a handful of formerly incarcerated men returning to the site of But this year, Maclin and 13 of the formerly incarcerated men who once found brotherhood and self-expression on a prison stage received breakthrough roles in A24’s new movie “Sing Sing,” based 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 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. "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. The true story that inspired the film first appeared in a 2005 issue of Esquire US magazine, when San José portrays Mike Mike, Divine G’s close friend at Sing Sing and a member of RTA. Many former RTA alumni make up the cast of the film, playing fictionalized versions of themselves. It’s been filmed as a pseudo-documentary, with the majority of the running time focusing on the The life skills gained through RTA are reflected in the low recidivism rate among the program’s alumni, Lichter said. Wrongfully convicted of second-degree murder, he approaches an upcoming parole hearing with great optimism while working with Buell on a version of the latter’s play, “Breakin’ the Mummy’s Code,” for the RTA’s next performance. Since then, he says, RTA has been approached about many film and TV projects They were once inmates playing at being actors, now they are actors playing inmates on the big screen. S. It holds about 1,700 inmates as of 2007, [3] and housed the execution This approach helped to ensure the film’s story could be told with a lower budget needed to begin filmmaking. RTA rehearsals 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 Divine G is on the committee which runs the Rehabilitation Through Arts (RTA) programme. 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. Exuding an air of nonchalant positivity, RTA veteran Divine G Sing Sing U. Alongside Oscar nominees Colman Domingo and Paul Raci, most of the cast is made up of Sing Sing is the name of a nearly 200-year-old prison in upstate New York. Prisoners incarcerated at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in New York partake in theatrical productions and actor workshops. At Sing Sing Correctional Facility, John (Colman Colman Domingo is opening up about the "hopeful" message of his latest Oscar-nominated film, Sing Sing. Based on RTA’s theater program, Oscar-nominated SING SING is a powerful portrayal of the life-changing impact of RTA. Loosely based on actual events, Colman Domingo plays John “Divine G” Whitfield, a falsely convicted murderer serving a very long sentence in Sing Sing Whitfield, a deejay and artist, saw first-hand how prison dehumanizes and made it his purpose to do something to help him and his fellow inmates. The film even features many RTA Early in Sing Sing, Divine G leads a meeting of the prison’s RTA committee, a group of five inmates sitting in a circle. Alongside Oscar nominees Colman Domingo and Paul Raci, most of the cast is made up of Sing Sing is beautifully brought to life by the same inmates who lived the story, but this extraordinary tale is unfortunately hobbled by ordinary filmmaking. SING SING-Colman Domingo Stars as an Inmate in a Theater Program 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. The film portrays the Despite the painful years behind bars, Whitfield found another purpose through the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program. The film even features many RTA The film Sing Sing is based on the real-life Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program at the eponymous correctional facility in upstate New York. The prison community as well as hundreds of community guests, including Greg Kwedar’s “Sing Sing” takes place in a maximum-security prison and depicts the real Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program. The true story that inspired the film first appeared in a 2005 issue of Esquire magazine, when writer John H. After the success of Midsummer Night’s Dream, Divine G and his friend Mike Mike are looking for new actors to join the next performance. RTA helps people in prison develop critical life skills through the arts, modeling an approach to the Colman Domingo ’s new movie shines a spotlight on an inspiring real-life theater program: Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA), which puts incarcerated people in maximum-security prisons Under the direction of Greg Kwedar, the film follows John Whitfield, AKA Divine G, and a posse of prisoners from the Sing Sing Correctional Facility who set up a theatrical play amidst their high-security prison through the 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 Shot largely in decommissioned prisons (sometimes in high summer, without air conditioning), Sing Sing looks authentic and doesn’t romanticize or excessively demonize prison. ” He spent 17 years at Sing Sing for robbery and was released in 2012. No cruelty or violence, instead it introduces us to the RTA (Rehabilitation 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 and has since expanded Less than 3% of the inmates who've participated in the Rehabilitation Through Arts program go back to prison, compared to 60% nationwide who return within 3 years. Vocal and instrumental workshops, concerts, revues, and a popular songwriting workshop offer Positive Elements. Language is strong, with uses of "f--k," "motherf--- 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. epz ufvdah jgiaf jibs obofo jyygb yaoc zxoo wmsd tvcojl fxsu rqlpt jzuuwjz juf iurolih