Art as the great escape why the prison drama Sing Sing is a must-see

There have been many films set in prison. Some with great performances.But there's never been a film like Sing Sing.

The story revolves around the two Divines.

John (Divine G)Whitfield is a prisoner at the maximum-security prison Sing Sing.Convicted of a crime he didn't commit, he pours himself into writing and activism. He's a jailhouse lawyer, an author and a founding member of the prisoner-led theatre company RTA, Rehabilitation Through the Arts.

Then there's Divine Eye, otherwise known as Clarence Maclin. He's a wolf who prowls the prison yard fleecing the weak, and yet, some RTAmembers see potential hiding under the hustler's bravado.

The kindly jailhouse veteran and the intimidating thug may seem like shopworn characters, but what elevates Sing Sing is the veracity of the actors. Combined with the actuality of the setting (a decommissioned jailhouse, down the river from the actualSing Sing), the result is nothing less than a testament to the transformational power of art.

Sing Sing comes from the filmmaking team of Greg Kwedar and Clint Bentley.

I first discovered their work with 2022's Jockey, a film with dirt under its fingernails set in the world of horse riders and trainers.While Jockey was anchored by the heartfelt performance of character actor Clifton Collins Jr., many of the other actors on the screen were real-life jockeys.

With Sing Sing, Kewdar and his filmmaking partner and co-writer Bentley doubled down on the idea of inviting a community into the filmmaking process by casting ex-prisoners, actual alumni of thevery real RTA program.

When you see the prisoners sitting in a circle warming up,Sean(Dino)Johnson, Cornell (Nate)Alston, Camillo (Carmine) LoVacco andDavid(Dap)Giraudy are essentially playing versions of themselves.

In fact, RTA is one of a number of prisoner-led theatre companies.

In Canada Shakespeare in the Ruins runs workshops at Stony Mountain prison outside of Winnipeg.There's also Victoria'sWilliam Head on Stage,Canada's longest-running prison theatre company.

B.C. actor Patrick Keating has performed at William Head, where he has also workedas a facilitator.

Speaking to CBC News, he explained how he caught the acting bug when he was serving a sentence for robbery inMatsquiPenitentiary in Abbotsford, B.C.

"When you're inside[prison], there's a lot of masks that you wear, there's definite armour that you put on.This allows you to drop that and to be something else."

WATCH | Patrick Keating talks about how he fell for acting in prison:

Actor Patrick Keating explains how he fell for theatre in prison

1 month ago

Duration 1:49

B.C. actor Patrick Keating explains to CBC's Eli Glasner how he fell in love with acting while serving out a sentence for bank robbery at Matsqui Penitentiary.

In the film Sing Sing,for puregrit and presence, no one comes close to what Maclin channels on the screen.There are not many actors who could hold their own with the Oscar-nominated Colman Domingo.

As Whitfield, Domingo exudes a guarded sense of optimism, someone who has been battered by the justice system and husbands his sense of hope. But that faith is tested when Maclinjoinsthe actor's circle.

When Whitfield tries to offer some advice, Maclin spits back, "You don't get to tell me what I need in prison."

What Maclinshows with vivid clarity is a man warped by alifetime of conflict and abuse. The act of acting requires vulnerability, but in prison that's a weakness.

The story begins with the RTAgroup preparing for a new production. The group's facilitator, Brent, is played by Paul Raci.You may remember him as the long-haired addiction therapist from The Sound of Metal.

Aveteran actor and teacher, Raci isperfectly cast as a man whohelps the men explore their characters.Part of the pleasureof Sing Sing comes from watching Brent pull the prisoners out of their shells with simple warm-up exercises, such as when he asks the group to imagine their most perfect spot.The unscripted stories they share are touching and tinged with tragedy.

As production coalesces around theoriginalplayBreakin' the Mommy's Code, a rich gumbo of genresand characters, members of the group respond differently.Whitfield's pride is tested. Maclin lands an enviable role, but will the newest recruit truly engage with the material as Prince Hamlet?

At its heart, Sing Sing is a testament tothe power of art and its ability to help people step outside themselves. Art can be prayer. It can be an escape and therapy. In too many institutions, the arts are seen asunnecessary. Extracurricular activities with unquantifiablebenefits.

But then how else could you explainwhat Clarence Maclin does?Going from aprisoner who couldn't see a future to someone who by all rights should be an Oscar contender.

WATCH | Colman Domingo and director Greg Kwedar discuss working withRTA alumni:

Sing Sing's star and director on collaborating with former prisoners and the discovery of Clarence Maclin

1 month ago

Duration 5:13

CBC's Eli Glasner spoke with Sing Sing star Colman Domingo and director Greg Kwedar about sharing scenes with ex-prisoners playing themselves and the powerful performance of ex-prisoner and RTA alumni Clarence Maclin.

While prisons are often seen as a place of punishment, Sing Sing is about the living, breathing work of rehabilitation.You can see it in the faces of the actors on opening night andin the careful choice of language.

When Maclin first enters the group, his speech is littered with the N-word.At one point, Whitfield corrects him, saying they don't use that word. Instead, the members call each other"beloved."

That's achoice thatDomingo explained to CBC Newswas intentional.

"You say my beloved You have to deconstruct anyhyper-masculine thoughts.You have to use the word love. That's what it is in their brotherhood. Because that's your brother."