This story is not all that current, but gives some insight about Lincoln, if you click on the link below there are also a few pics.Professor of Theatre Moller directs Illinois inmates in Spring production of 'Through the Fire'
Published: Monday, August 30, 2004 by External Affairs
Author: Kendra Christiansen
Fort Lewis College Professor of Theatre and Women’s Studies Kathryn Moller recently directed her play of healing and survival, Through the Fire, at the Lincoln Correctional Center in Lincoln, Ill.
From May 10-29, Moller and filmmaker Stacey Sotosky directed and filmed the play with 12 of Lincoln Correctional Center’s female inmates. These women, who are members of Lincoln’s Acting Out Theatre Company, performed Through the Fire from May 26-28 for fellow inmates, staff and government officials.
Kathryn Moller & Theresa Mullins
Professor of Theatre and Women's Studies Kathryn Moller works with Lincoln Correctional Center inmate Theresa Mullins last may in rehearsals for the Acting Out Theatre Company's performance of Moller's Through the Fire.
“I believe the production afforded the cast and audience an opportunity to confront their personal issues relating to domestic violence,” said Lincoln Correctional Center Warden Glenn Jackson. “In addition, the cast learned various practical skills that can be used in their everyday lives. The experience that we all encountered cannot be measured in terms of words, and I can never thank (Moller and Sotosky) enough for committing to our facility and using theatre as a forum to educate and inspire our population.”
“Through the Fire is an adaptation of nine true stories of domestic violence and the healing that came after surviving such experiences,” said Moller. “The stories came from Durango area residents first transcribed and adapted to a series of mixed media portraits by acclaimed artist Maureen May, and then further adapted by myself to the stage. It was originally performed in Oct. 2000 in support of Domestic Violence Awareness Month for Colorado.”
The final script was compiled and edited by Moller and May.
“The nine stories represented on this stage are a microcosm of stories from a multitude of people around the world,” said Moller. “The stage world is extremely important in bringing to light the prevalence of domestic violence, across gender, culture and generation, in our world today. When one individual suffers, we all suffer personal loss and overwhelming injustice.”
Neatter Taylor
Neatter Taylor was one of 12 women at the Lincoln Correctional Center involved with the Acting Out Theatre Company's presentation of Kathryn Moller's Through the Fire last May.
In July 2003, the Lincoln Correctional Center and the Illinois Department of Corrections’ Women and Family Services Division initiated the Acting Out Theatre Company. Last February, Warden Jackson invited Moller to come to Lincoln to direct Through the Fire because response to domestic violence is often a contributing factor to the incarceration of women inmates.
Lincoln Correctional Center is one of the first Illinois correctional facilities to use theatre to address the healing process.
“The women in prison had significant life experiences to add to this piece,” Moller said. “It was the most phenomenal theatre experience I’ve ever had because of that.”
Following the performances, cast members, audience participants and fellow inmates addressed their own emotional connections to the script in an open discussion. Tears flowed and several comments including, “I thought I was the only one,” created a poignant feedback session.
Sotosky, a Fort Lewis College alumna, accompanied Moller to the correctional facility to produce a digital film documentary of the rehearsals and live performances of Through the Fire. The documentary will be completed by late fall and will be submitted to more than 50 film festivals.
“This documentary will serve as an effective learning tool for inmates and individuals in other institutions for years to come,” said Moller.
Sotosky, a cast member from the original Through the Fire production, captured interviews from the inmates and staff following Acting Out’s production. “I was able to interview prisoners that had such a wide range of emotion,” she said. “The women really opened to me and told their survival stories of abuse.”
The documentary will focus on abuse as told through the performers and their performance. Capturing this dialogue is an important tool, Sotosky said. “This is their voice to the world — when you’ve been abused, you need to tell people.”
Sotosky struggled to find words to describe the significant experience she encountered producing her documentary at the Lincoln Correction Center. “Good-bye was very powerful,” she said. “We were equals on a human level — it seemed unfair that we could re-enter the world, and they were forced to stay.”
Jackson and other prison educators are thankful to Moller and Sotosky for their commitment to the facility and the action of using theatre as a forum to educate and inspire the prison population.
“I would like to thank Dr. Moller, Ms. Sotosky and Fort Lewis College for the tremendous work performed here at the Lincoln Correctional Center,” said Jackson. “The professionalism was second to none and the performances were a reflection of their dedication and hard work. I am still hearing accolades from both inmates and staff of how Through the Fire touched them both emotionally and personally.”
Illinois State Representative Mary Flower committed to supporting this endeavor by asking for recognition from the Illinois Senate and House on the Chamber Floor in May. Funding for Moller’s visit came from the Illinois Arts Council.
http://www.fortlewis.edu/news/news.asp?newsid=712
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