The Drama Book Shop presents, in association with Jay Michaels Global Communications, “ACTING OUT: How a Prison Theatre Workshop Broke Free” with Richard Hoehler About the Book When Richard Hoehler first walked through the doors of a medium security prison in upstate New York, he assumed it would be a one-time thing. As a busy freelance writer, actor and teacher he had nonetheless agreed to drive upstate to teach an acting class for inmates pro bono. At the very least he hoped the experience might give him new ideas for his teaching on the outside. What he could not have anticipated was the beginning of an odyssey that led Hoehler to an incredibly popular series of acting and writing workshops and mounting seven full productions with prison inmates—men whom society has written off and locked away as irredeemable. In this account of his journey working with the men, we witness a rare kind of theatrical magic. Within the incredibly dehumanizing and often arbitrary prison system, participants work to express themselves and connect with dramatic works where anger, compassion, forgiveness and tears pour forth in the safety of the workshop. It is clear that Hoehler is not a “do-gooder” but simply there to do good work. This is the remarkable story of theatre’s ability to change lives even in the most unlikely of settings. About the Author Richard Hoehler’s original theatre works (New Jersey/New York, Working Class, Human Resources, I of the Storm) have run Off Broadway, regionally, and abroad and he is the winner of the OOBR for Best Solo Performance. His full-length play, Fathers and Sons, was produced at the Lion Theatre on 42 nd Street and his collection of 10-minute plays, Showdown, was recently presented at the Gerald W. Lynch Theatre. For thirty years, Hoehler has created theatre with at-risk teenagers, inmates, and the formerly incarcerated. Richard conducted creative writing workshops on Riker’s Island for over a decade and for the past fourteen years has led weekly theatre workshops at Otisville State Prison mounting eight productions on the inside during his tenure. In January of 2020, Hoehler founded Acting Out, a professional acting company for the formerly incarcerated in residence at HB Studio. This year Richard received the Justice through the Arts Award from the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Hoehler’s book, Acting Out: How a Prison Theatre Workshop Broke Free, will be published by Applause Books in the Fall of 2024. Other theatre work is published by Smith and Kraus and included in the Billy Rose Collection at Lincoln Center. Hoehler’s material has been optioned by Columbia Tri-Star Television and featured at the Midtown International Theatre Festival in Manhattan and Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland. His newest solo work, E, was performed this year at Delaware Valley Arts Alliance. Hoehler is an acting instructor at HB Studio and Stella Adler Studio, and an adjunct professor of Theatre and English at John Jay College and City College of New York. The evening will also include a live performance by members of the Acting Out company. About the Cast Christian (Fro) Gonzalez: My name is Christian, I am 31 years old, and I am from the Bronx. My whole life I have been a skater and always been daring to try new things! Skateboarding taught me one main important thing in my life, which is to never give up until you have successfully completed your goal. Having this mindset let me conquer a lot of things in my life by instilling the belief that nothing is impossible to achieve, and for as long as you have that, you are invincible.  Shi Greene: I found Acting Out during the pandemic. It was a breath of fresh air during COVID lockdowns. In the last few years I’ve been blessed to be a part of four productions. Growing up I wanted to be a radio personality, and working with Acting Out helps me feel like I have fulfilled my dream.  Gilfredo (Fox) Valentin: I was born in Yonkers, New York, to Puerto Rican parents. I have two sisters and am a proud father of a high school student. My theatre credits include ESTOP FABLES, BUFFALO SOLDIER, TWELVE ANGRY MEN, EXONERATED, TALK TO ME, INSIDE OUT, KID STUFF and THE COUCH. I grew up loving animals and have become a certified dog trainer. I have raised and trained dozens of service dogs for veterans who have come home from war suffering from PTSD and physical disabilities. Ron Horton: I am one of the original members of Acting Out, and have been seen in KID STUFF, INSIDE OUT, and TALK TO ME. During my 30-year incarceration, I discovered acting and directing, which delivered me through some very dark years. I became a triple threat after joining Hoehler’s Theatre Workshop at Otisville— adding playwriting to the mix, where I wrote THE BOX, a piece which made its debut in Acting Out’s presentation of INSIDE OUT, as it was not permitted to be performed on the inside. I also took a turn Off-Broadway in the ensemble of I NEVER SANG FOR MY FATHER in 2019 at The Chain Theatre. We kindly ask that you review the following information before reserving your spot: This Eventbrite ticket is your reservation for the event. Please note that the purchase of “ACTING OUT: How a Prison Theatre Workshop Broke Free” ($27.95) is required for entry. Upon arrival, our team will direct you to the register to obtain your copy and complete your admission. The store will begin welcoming guests at 7:15 pm. Should you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at rsvp@dramabookshop.com. In the event of the event being sold out, please email Events@Dramabookshop to be added to the Waiting List

Information Source: Drama Book Shop | eventbrite

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