The critically acclaimed film Sing Sing has been nominated for three Academy awards:
for Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Adapted Screenplay (Screenplay by Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar; Story by Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Clarence Maclin, and John “Divine G” Whitfield) and “Like A Bird” by Abraham Alexander & Adrian Quesada for Best Original Song — shining a light on the transformative work of Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA), which offers arts programs in New York and California prisons.
Colman Domingo’s portrayal of John ‘Divine G’ Whitfield offers a look at life behind bars as a group of incarcerated men join together to find purpose and growth by acting in a Rehabilitation Through the Arts-led theater group at Sing Sing Correctional Facility.
With the Best Adapted Screenplay nomination, Clarence Maclin and John “Divine G” Whitfield become the first RTA alums ever nominated for an Oscar.
Rivertowns Rotary Club is hosting a screening and panel discussion of Sing Sing on Feb 6 at The Look Theater in Dobbs Ferry in support of Rehabilitation Through the Arts.
For more information and tickets:
“Congratulations to Colman Domingo, Clint Bentley, Greg Kwedar, Clarence Maclin, John “Divine G” Whitfield, and the team of storytellers and musicians for these prestigious recognitions that bring to life the moving story of Rehabilitation Through the Arts alumnus Divine G at Sing Sing Correctional Facility. Colman’s performance in particular, transforms the screen, just as the incarcerated actors in RTA’s theater program transform their lives through their experiences with the arts,” said Leslie Lichter, Interim Executive Director.
Whitfield is a founding member of the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program at Sing Sing. Today, RTA runs comprehensive arts workshops and a unique arts-anchored reentry program in ten correctional facilities in New York State. Recently, RTA launched its reentry program in one facility in California. RTA channels the power of the arts to help incarcerated individuals develop critical life skills, foster personal growth and build community, achieving an impressive success rate, with less than 3% of its participants returning to prison compared to the national recidivism rate of 60%.
Sing Sing returned to theaters nationwide on January 17 and in a first, was made available to nearly one million incarcerated individuals worldwide through a partnership between RTA and Edovo. This is the first time a major theatrical release has been made widely available in correctional facilities. As part of the release, RTA has provided supplemental reflection and discussion material so that those who experience the film can begin to build their own emotional and creative outlets.
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