Shakespeare Behind Bars

[Lina629]

I loved it!

I had to watch it for my English class in college - Intro to Shakespeare - and initially I wasn't too happy about seeing a "lame movie inspired by Shakespeare", but I was pleasantly surprised.

This movie was amazing and I can recommend it to everyone who wants to know how life behind bars is, especially when the inmates have found a true passion for something.

I have decided to write my final paper English paper on the movie, and that just shows how much I really enjoyed it. (:

[zeogle]

I LOVE that they are playing theatre games! That's so unexpected

[itsakr3wthing]

until you have served time, you will NEVER know what it is like behind bars. so if you haven't, don't judge anyone. I have met people who are truly repentant . some are smart men who made STUPID decisions. everyone's circumstances are different. try to live behind bars, it destroys a part of you.

[careintheworld]

@angelina14cl that man tossed a hair dryer into her tub and covered it up as a suicide. She had just found out and told him that she was pregnant with a 2nd child. And he was not good with that since he was conflicted with his own homosexuality.

Such a horrible situation. Poor man couldn't handle being who he was....and killed others because of it.

[piercingsteve81]

gaywhitekid is a judgemental bastard and i think that if anyone sees a posting from this person they should flag it. my dad was arested for a murder charge and was in this film. he killed a guy while protecting his wife. he didnt know he did it until he was told. it was an accidental murder and he is not proud of what he did. dont judge this man. he is on parole after 13 years in prison and he is taking care of his family as a union sheetmetal worker. programs like this are great.

[Zaikomgisdabest]

@piercingsteve81 i flagged him. I think gaywhitekid speaks bullshit and doesn't know the first thing about life in the real world. In alot of cases, prisoners can't help commiting their crimes and instead of punishing them we should be helping them. I personally don't believe self-defense crimes should result in any jail time EVEN death. Its about consequences of actions. Neither do I believe that "vengance" crimes deserve jail time. I hope you and your family are well and prosper in the future

[angelina14cl]

about the guy with glasses: what did he do to his pregnant wife lisa? i couldnt understand??????

[theblackdane]

One of my favorite documentaries of all time! We love you guys! I hope I get to share the stage with some of you one day!

[TLFFC]

Incredible film - in so many ways. The company that created it is Philomath Films - they've produced and directed many films over the years and now they're helping other documentary filmmakers w/ a resource website. I'm not a filmmaker but they blog from the site and it is interesting to read an insiders take on films. They also have teleseminars. I just joined in on an awesome one with the producer of Food, Inc. They're shooting a new film with a Shakespeare theme this summer. Can't wait.

[DingoEdirt]

Absolutely brilliant video.

I so wish the prison system here in South Africa were even remotely like this. Ours are merely training grounds for repeat criminals. They are harsh, 500% overcrowded and essentially nothing more then storage facilities.

[brettactordirector]

Just watched the whole thing. Loved it.

[phutzik]

wow. did you get permission to put this up here? i know the people who made this....

[OneGrlRevolution]

sick fkn child molester!! He should just be executed!!!!

[piercingsteve81]

@OneGrlRevolution my dad didnt like him either. my dad was in this production.

[greatercc]

Even today none of the inmates who are part of SBB have returned to prison after being paroled. These men must keep a perfect record while incarcerated in order to stay in the group--no write-ups, continuing their education, maintaining honor status. Anyone who is involved in anyway with SBB should feel proud.

I attend on of the performances every year, and I have never been disappointed.

[alesandracornell]

I certainly stand by my comment.

[alesandracornell]

Yea, They say that they let the immates pick their own roles, yet they emasculate the brother by "casting" him the female role. Nothing ever changes... does it?

[dcs002]

Didn't you watch the whole program? He EMBRACED that role, and he felt it really changed his life for the better.

And he CERTAINLY didn't feel emasculated. He commented on that specifically. He said that some guys were uncomfortable in female roles, but he knew who he was, and he was comfortable with that. His manhood was not threatened.

None of the inmates picked their roles . They auditioned for one, but were cast, like in regular theater. Some Black men had great roles in that play!

[dcs002]

It's sad to me how afraid some people are to see inmates as human. Leave the judgement to the courts. These men have names, they have families, they have hearts that beat, and they each did something horrible. It's probably best that most of them are locked away, but only because that means that we are safer, not because they are less than human.

If you are Christian, then hate the sin, not the sinner. If not, then remember "the rarer action is in virtue than in vengeance."

[tambriadabest]

i love this ahahaha geett off dee nuts

[BrownNigguh]

i've got a question:

despite being written hundreds of years ago, how does The Tempest remain relevant to the inmates?

in 500 words plz

[dcs002]

The theme is forgiveness. As many (maybe most) Americans are unwilling to forgive them, and many of them know why that is, they speak of the only forgiveness they can control -- to forgive themselves. They spoke a fair bit about the importance of that.

Didja see how moved some of them were by the line "the rarer action is in virtue than in vengeance?" The people who left Prospero and his 3 year-old daughter for dead at sea had no right to forgiveness, but it's not their right that matters.

[gaywhitekids]

these pieces of shit are pathetic these crimes they have committed are absolutely disgusting they dont deserve out only right and the black guy given 5 years wtih the glasses.

[dcs002]

Why is it important to you what they deserve? I think the focus should be on keeping us safe.

[gaywhitekids]

are you fucked in the head? These pieces of shit are the ones out there killing mothers, fathers, raping and killing children and you think its smart to say "why is it important to you what they deserve?" these pieces of shit are the pollution in society, get real the world aint that nice.

[dcs002]

Maybe I am fucked in the head. I dunno. But you're wrong to say that these men "are the ones out there killing mothers, fathers, raping and killing children." Yes, they did those horrible things, and it's important that we are kept safe from them by locking them up. Where does it come into the equation what they deserve? WE deserve to be safe, and that's all that matters. To me, prison is about keeping us safe by locking dangerous people up. Once that's done, I see no need for the hate.

[junkFish11111]

I am incredibly glad that you are in a way defending the humanity of these people. I applaud you for it! My only concern is your definition of prison. The modern incarnation of the prison system should be rehabilitation of inmates. Programs such as Shakespeare Behind Bars are amazing, empowering inmates, giving them a sense of worth, etc. There are countless numbers of reasons people commit crimes. As a a result, people should focus on treating and preventing the causes.

[dcs002]

Thanks junkFish. A-freakin' men! I couldn't agree more. Unfortunately, most state prison systems are not all that concerned with rehabilitation, even though they call themselves corrections institutions. There is absolutely no need for the hatred that's out there, but I do see it as a public safety issue that dangerous people be kept from doing further harm. But build these men up, don't tear them down further! Tearing them down just makes them more angry, resentful, cynical, and DANGEROUS.

[PrincessNardia]

Has any of ur family member been killed. Well someone for me has. My cousin got 13 shots in cold blood point blank and I pray every day that the persons who did the crime change their ways and become better in society. Prison as I see here is rehabilitation and these men have shown maturity and willingness to return to society with the hope of being better. Never give up on people no matter what crime they have committed & for the record homosexuality is a sin just the same. I won't judge:-)

[tofter1]

i am deeply sorry for your loss . . . thank you for your compassion and empathy . . . you inspire the humanity that lives deep within us all . . .

[aliciannaustin]

I'm sorry about your cousin... but how is homosexuality a sin??

[silbitnuoc]

@aliciannaustin It's obviously not a sin God only destroyed Sodom and Ghommorah over it, San Fransisco is still standing.

[LeeLooMinaeSebat]

@PrincessNardia Ok.. I'm terribly sorry about your cousin. I agree that no matter what crime they commit a person can be forgiven depending of their level of understanding their mistakes and actually opening their eyes. But you on the other hand are a homophobe.. which personally disgusts me.

[piercingsteve81]

@gaywhitekids my dad was in this and i think you are totally wrong. he says that a couple of the guys e just plain didnt like but the others he got along with. you hear the crime that was commited but you will never know why it happened. fortunatly for my dad his was an accident. dont judge cause your not the one that gets paid for it and you have no right to judge anyone but yourself. i dont judge you for being gay.

[gaywhitekids]

@piercingsteve81 lol im not gay but why the fuck was ur dad in this which one is he and what did he do, fkn moron.

[piercingsteve81]

@gaywhitekids he beat a guy to deathprotecting his wife. he didnt know he beat him to death till someone told him he was dead.

[gaywhitekids]

@piercingsteve81 and which character is he? Im going to research this and that story sounds pretty stupid cuz the cast in this had nothing to do wih that kind of crime, if it was defence he wouldnt be in this fucking doumentary u fucking moron. WOW you really must like to stand up for bullshit

[thehiddentalent]

I bet these are the inmates that get beaten up by the other ones

[gaywhitekids]

LMFAO

[piercingsteve81]

@thehiddentalent i would like to see you try to beat one of these guys. my dad is one of them and i can guarantee he can whoop some ass.

[elisabithakatati]

this video is retarted. They swear like prison is just what shakespear wrote about in his plays. this is a total waste of time. watch the real movies if you wanted to watch some shakespear. Those losers are retarted.

[dcs002]

It's spelled "retarded," and there's an "e" at the end of Shakespeare.

I hope your education was worth what the taxpayers paid for it.

Shakespeare was all about showing the humanity in his characters, even his villains. His actors were considered to be lowly scum, just like you view these inmates. And peasants in Elizabethan England pretty much were prisoners to their lords. BTW, I liked the analogy of the prison being like an island. It's all spot-on.

[piercingsteve81]

@elisabithakatati why dont you look a this as something that is heling the inmates. its people like you wit your negativity that make inmates think less of themselves and just keep going with what they were doing. show some support for the inmates that want to change.

[brittneyhanshew]

Awesome movie. Nice to see the inmates enjoy performing. Has a great story line too. This is a must see film! Watch it!