Prison Performing Arts

📣 PPA Welcomes Two New Board Members! 📣

We are thrilled to announce the addition of Andrea Lubershane and Karen Meyer to our Board! Their commitment to supporting transformative work and passion for the arts will bring fresh perspectives to our mission.

Andrea, Accounting Manager at The Saint Louis Woman’s Club, shared, “PPA encompasses two things about which I feel strongly: I love live theatre and the way theatre affects people and their lives… I would like to support organizations that help make life better for prisoners and to help them develop new skills that will benefit them when they are released. I think that the relationship with the arts—and theatre in specific—is one of those beneficial activities.”

Karen, Unit Supervisor at Missouri Department of Corrections - Probation & Parole, shared, “It is truly amazing the work PPA does and how it impacts a person's life. I have been blessed to work alongside PPA for the last several years and am honored to serve on the board. Through my 25 years with Probation and Parole, my passion has always been working with clients to help them discover their potential and grow. This is a great opportunity to be a part of all the facets of PPA.”

Please join us in welcoming Andrea and Karen as they help us continue our mission to change lives through the power of the arts! 🎭

🎭 Save the Date: HAG-SEED Screening 🎭

We’re excited to announce a special one-time screening of PPA’s 2022 production of Margaret Atwood’s HAG-SEED, adapted for the stage by Stacie Lents and directed by Lucy Cashion. Originally performed inside Northeast Correctional Center, including a Q&A between Atwood and the cast (filmed separately), this production reimagines THE TEMPEST within a men’s prison. With a modern Prospero and an ensemble of incarcerated actors, HAG-SEED explores themes of revenge, redemption, and the transformative power of theatre, offering a fresh and poignant perspective on Shakespeare’s classic.

Date: Thursday, December 5, 2024
Time: 6:00-8:30 PM
Location: 3333 Washington, St. Louis, Missouri, 63103

Admission is free!

Mark your calendars, and don’t miss this unforgettable screening! RSVP Details coming soon!

🎭 Spotlight on Hazel McIntire! 🎭

We're thrilled to shine a light on Hazel McIntire, the creative force behind GO BEFORE I DO, one of the two powerful plays featured in AS TOLD BY US next month! Hazel, a valued PPA Alumni Theatre Company member, shares her heartfelt journey of writing this play, the small-town memories that inspired it, and the incredible support that helped bring her vision to life.

Want a glimpse into Hazel’s process and the stories that shaped GO BEFORE I DO? Dive into the full interview on our blog! ✨

👉 Read the full interview here: https://bit.ly/4hklh39

AS TOLD BY US will run from November 14-17 at The Greenfinch Theater & Dive. Get your tickets today: https://bit.ly/4e0DfpA

🎭 Spotlight on Katie Leemon! 🎭

We’re excited to shine the spotlight on Katie Leemon, the talented writer behind DON'T BE A HERO, THANK YOU, one of the two plays featured in AS TOLD BY US next month! Katie, a proud member of our PPA Alumni Theatre Company, shares her journey of writing this heartfelt play, the personal stories that inspired it, and the support that helped bring it to life.

Curious about the process and the stories behind the scenes? Check out our full interview with Katie in the blog! ✨

👉 Read the full interview here: https://bit.ly/3Y8O8i8

AS TOLD BY US will run from November 14-17 at The Greenfinch Theater & Dive. Get your tickets today: https://bit.ly/4e0DfpA

Happy Birthday to PPA Artistic Collaborator, Carl Overly Jr.!

Happy Birthday to PPA Artistic Collaborator, Joel Moses!

🎨✨ Creativity in Action! ✨🎨

Last week at St. Louis City Juvenile Detention Center, the girls dove into an exciting creative challenge—designing costumes for their favorite movie or TV show characters! 🎬👗 From bold ideas to vibrant colors, they really brought their imagination to life. Check out their incredible artwork below! 🖼️

Huge shoutout to our program coordinator, Tyler White, for her amazing work at JDC and for leading this fun and inspiring activity!

🎭 AS TOLD BY US - Tickets on Sale Now! 🎭

Join us for As Told By Us, featuring two plays written by PPA Alumni Theatre Company members! Don’t miss this chance to experience these heartfelt stories, November 14-17, at The Greenfinch Theater & Dive.

✨DON'T BE A HERO, THANK YOU
Written by Katie Leemon
Directed by Rachel Tibbetts
A one-woman show about life, friendship, and reentry. This brand-new play takes a tongue-in-cheek look at what it means to be a contemporary woman.

✨ GO BEFORE I DO
Written by Hazel McIntire
Directed by Eric Satterfield
A bar in the nightlife district becomes a portal into others life as drinks are poured and memories made. A daughter lives through the loss of both of her parents in the span of a few short years, which is viewed by her faithful bartender. A view of the world seen by the often unseen, Go Before I Do is a story of growth, exploration, and understanding. This play was originally produced for SATE’s Aphra Behn Festival in 2022.

Showtimes:
Thursday, Nov 14 - Saturday, Nov 16 @ 7:30 PM
Sunday, Nov 17 @ 2:00 PM

🎟 Get your tickets today: As Told By Us

Stay Connected with Us!

At PPA, we believe in the transformative power of the arts to change lives. Help us continue this important work by staying connected!

🌟 LIKE to show your support for our mission.
🌟 SHARE to inspire others and spread the word about the impact of the arts.
🌟COMMENT to share how the arts have impacted your life.
🌟 SUPPORT by making a donation and helping us bring creativity, healing, and hope to those who need it most. https://bit.ly/3UOy02x

Together, we can make a difference. Join the PPA community today!

🎉 Congratulations to PPA Alumni Theatre Company member, LaWanda Jackson, on her role in St. Louis University’s production of A RAISIN IN THE SUN by Lorraine Hansberry! Directed by Kathryn Bentley, this powerful and timeless play will run from October 3 to 5, 2024, at The Grandel, 3610 Grandel Square, St. Louis, MO 63103. 🎭

Showtimes:
🌞 Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:00 PM
🌞 Friday and Saturday matinees at 1:00 PM

🎟️ Free tickets are available for SLU students at the door, subject to availability. General admission tickets are $10. Non-SLU students, faculty and staff, and groups of 10 receive a discount of $5 per ticket. Tickets are available through Metrotix. https://bit.ly/4e9Nrw2

Break a leg, LaWanda! We’re so proud of you! ✨

🍂 Fall is here, and so are PPA Hoodies! 🍂

Stay cozy and rep PPA this season with our stylish logo hoodies, available in 7 amazing colors! Whether you're lounging at home or heading to your next adventure, these hoodies will keep you warm and show off your support for the arts. 💜

🛒 Grab yours now in the PPA Merch Shop! https://bit.ly/47CPwxT

📅 Mark Your Calendars! 🌟

Get ready for AS TOLD BY US, featuring two incredible plays written by members of our very own PPA Alumni Theatre Company:

💥Don’t Be a Hero, Thank You by Katie Leemon
💥Go Before I Do by Hazel McIntire

Dates: November 14-17, 2024
Location: The Greenfinch Theater & Dive

These powerful stories are ready to shine, and tickets are live! Grab yours now and be part of this incredible experience. 🎭

Don't wait—secure your seats today!

🎟️ Get your tickets here: https://bit.ly/4e0DfpA

My Favorite PPA Memory
"Being on stage and playing Stephano in The Tempest (2011) at WERDCC and spraying people with water."

-Katie Leemon

A big thank you to Alumni Theatre Company member Katie Leemon and our Program Coordinator Tyler White for representing PPA at Women at the Well at St. Gabriel Church this past Tuesday, September 17! They shared insights on the incredible impact of PPA and the transformative power of the arts. We’re also grateful to Maggie Burke from Keyway Center for Diversion and Re-Entry, who spoke alongside them. Your dedication and passion are truly inspiring! 🎭💜

Celebrating the Graduates of the Arts & Healing Program at TCSTL!

👏 A huge round of applause to the latest graduates of the Arts & Healing program at the Transition Center of St. Louis from both the June and September cohorts! A huge thank you to our dedicated teaching artists—John Blair, Joel Moses, and Maria Ojascastro—as well as the TCSTL staff and our Artistic Director, Rachel Tibbetts.

Check out the incredible performances from these talented individuals: https://bit.ly/3MNRh1Q

My Favorite PPA Memory
“Watching Lawanda, Patty, Amy, Laura, Autumn, and the rest of the brilliant cast in Run-On Sentence. That was my first PPA show ever, and the organization and the artists have owned my heart ever since!” -Shannon Durio

🎭 It's opening night for TEMPEST IN A TEAPOT by Shaulee Cook, presented by SATE! Performances are September 18-28, Wednesdays-Saturdays at 8:00PM, at The Chapel, 6238 Alexander Drive, 63105. Tickets are $20.00 for artists, seniors, and students; $25.00 for general admission; and are available through Eventbrite. SATE presents https://bit.ly/3zocFrc

We’re thrilled to congratulate members of our PPA family involved in this production! 🎉 Rachel Tibbetts, PPA's Artistic Director, directs the show; John Wolbers, our Executive Director, takes the stage as Lewis Carroll; Katie Leemon, a member of our Alumni Theatre Company, is designing props; and Courtney Bailey, our teaching artist, serves as the text coach.

Break a leg to everyone involved! 🎟️✨

My Favorite PPA Memory
“Playing the mom in First Impressions. That was so much fun!” - Janiece Moore

🎟️ Tickets for As Told By Us are on sale NOW! 🎟️

Don’t miss two powerful new plays by PPA alumni: ✨ Don’t Be a Hero, Thank You by Katie Leemon ✨ Go Before I Do by Hazel McIntire

📅 November 14-17
📍 The Greenfinch Theater & Dive

Secure your seats today and be part of this unforgettable experience!

🎟️ Get your tickets here: https://bit.ly/4e0DfpA

My Favorite PPA Memory
“Seeing my Mom Patty Prewitt in the costumes or anything other than her uniform.” - Jane Prewitt Watkins

📸 The photo gallery for GATSBY OF A THOUSAND FACES is now live on our website!

This powerful production, written by Courtney Bailey and directed by Bess Moynihan, was performed by PPA artists at Missouri Eastern Correctional Center last month.

👉 View the full gallery here: https://bit.ly/3MIuPak

🌟Celebrating 25 Years of Prison Performing Arts: A Night to Remember 🌟

We are filled with gratitude as we look back on our 25th Anniversary Celebration! Whether you attended in person or supported us from afar, your generosity and enthusiasm helped make it a night to remember. Thanks to you, we raised over $60,000 to continue our mission of transforming lives through the arts.

📷 We’re excited to share a few of our favorite photos from the event. We hope they capture the joy and spirit of the evening as well as the heartfelt moments shared by all.

https://bit.ly/3Xm7Syt

My Favorite PPA Memory
"One of my most memorable experiences with Prison Performing Arts has been playing Claudius not once, not twice, but three times! I first stepped into the role in Hamlet back in 2014. I’ll never forget that performance in front of the inmate population—when Hamlet finally killed Claudius, someone yelled, "That's right, get his @**!" It was an unforgettable moment of raw emotion and engagement.

Then, in 2015, I had the chance to play Claudius again in Hip Hop Hamlet. This time, the performance was just a few days after my daughter’s 18th birthday, and she was able to come watch the show. That was such a special moment for me, sharing my love of theater with her.

Little did I know that these experiences would lead me to co-write Elsinore, which became the Alumni Theatre Company’s first full-length production in 2021. And, of course, I played Claudius once again!

Playing this role across different adaptations and seeing how the story and character can transform has been such an incredible journey. I’m so grateful to PPA for giving me the opportunity to explore this character and grow as an artist over the years."

-Eric Satterfield

📚 New Book Release Alert! 📚

We're excited to share the release of SEE ME: PRISON THEATER WORKSHOPS AND LOVE, a powerful new book by Jan Cohen-Cruz, published by New Village Press. This collection of essays explores the deep connections and transformative experiences born from in-prison and post-release theater workshops.

🗓️ Publication Date: September 10, 2024
📖 Available in Paperback and eBook: https://amzn.to/4d7z6is

This book is a must-read for anyone interested in performance arts, prison theater, and the incredible impact of creative collaboration in challenging environments. Don't miss it!

And while you're at it, check out our anthology entitled ODYSSEYS & ANTHEMS: A COLLECTION OF ORIGINAL WRITING FROM PRISON PERFORMING ARTS on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/4d7z6is

🗓️ Mark Your Calendars! 🗓️

We are thrilled to announce our upcoming Alumni Theatre Company production, AS TOLD BY US, featuring two plays written by Alumni Theatre Company members! 🎭

📅 Dates: November 14-17, 2024
📍 Location: The Greenfinch Theater & Dive

Join us for DON'T BE A HERO, THANK YOU by Katie Leemon and GO BEFORE I DO by Hazel McIntire. This is a celebration of storytelling, creativity, and the powerful voices of PPA’s alumni.

Tickets will go on sale soon—don’t miss it! 🎉