Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Spring Membership Drive


Donate now to support local news and music on WBOI

Shakespeare Still Behind Bars At Pendleton

Credit Courtesy/Shakespeare at Pendleton
Heller, on the right, with Wayne Scaife, Pendleton's former Community Programs Director, at the group's first performance.

Since Huntington University's Jack Heller began the Shakespeare at Pendleton program in 2015, there's been, well, a lot of drama.

As inmates come and go through the system, the group maintains a solid core of around twenty two members, and will be presenting its 4th show, a selection of Monologues and Scenes, at the end of this month.

Each of the productions gets two performances, one for the Pendleton inmates and one for outside guests which the public is encouraged to attend.

To learn how things are shaping up since she spoke with Heller just before "Coriolanus" debuted, WBOI's Julia Meek sat down with him to talk about the program's development, effectiveness and long term impact.

Credit Courtesy/Shakespeare at Pendleton
A weekly meeting in progress, at the Pendleton Correctional Facility in Madison County, Indiana.

Meek hopes to obtain permission to visit the facility in person one day, and discuss the program's effects with the inmates firsthand.

Meanwhile, Jack took her question, "What is the single most important thing this opportunity has given you?" directly to the men, and their written responses are included in this conversation.

Event Information:

Shakespeare at Pendleton's Scenes and Monologues Performance
@Pendleton Correctional Facility, Madison County, Indiana
Thursday, May 30th, 2019
6:30 p.m.

Registration is required for this public performance, and the deadline is Tuesday, May 28th.
Find complete information on the Shakespeare at Pendleton Facebook page.

A Fort Wayne native, Julia is a radio host, graphic artist, and community volunteer, who has contributed to NIPR both on- and off-air for forty years. Besides being WBOI's arts & culture reporter, she currently co-produces and hosts Folktales and Meet the Music.
Related Content