Join us for an evening of story, poetry, and theater written and performed by former inmates of Garner Correctional Institution, a maximum-security prison in Newtown, CT.
The presentation is based on Closer to Freedom: Prose & Poetry from Maximum Security, a collection of works featuring written work by the men incarcerated at Garner and edited by Chris Belden. Belden, with the help of former Garner librarian Mark Aldrich, will guide the audience through an exploration of shattered pasts, uncertain futures, and the ever-changing meaning of “doing time,” offering a unique and deeply moving look into the world of life behind bars.
The evening will include a performance of the short play The Confrontation, written by Pat Walsh and Isschar Howard (from an idea by Dwayne Griffin) and performed by Floyd Lawrence and Jamar Boyd. Pat Walsh is currently incarcerated at Macdougall-Walker Correctional Institution. Isschar Howard is incarcerated at Cheshire Correctional Institution. Dwayne Griffin is incarcerated at Corrigan-Radgowski Correctional Institution. All three are founding members of the Garner Players, and Pat and Isschar are contributors to Closer to Freedom.
Chris Belden is the author of Shriver (the basis for the film A Little White Lie), Carry-on, The Floating Lady of Lake Tawaba, and Who Am I to Judge? Chris is currently an instructor at the Westport Writers Workshop and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Fairfield University. From 2009 – 2020, Chris Belden ran a writing workshop at Garner Correctional Institution.
Also appearing with Chris:
Mark Aldrich
Mark Aldrich was the librarian at The Garner Correctional Institution, a maximum-security prison in Newtown, Connecticut, from 1996-2016. While there, he created a prisoner theater group, The Garner Players, and produced plays written and performed by prisoners for visiting audiences.
In April, 2023, Mark co-produced and co-directed with WULFLYNX Studios a theatrical production of his illustrated book series Shards of Time at The Edmond Town Hall in Newtown. The cast included singers, actors, dancers, and fencers in a multimedia presentation. Smaller performances were also given at the Ridgefield and Danbury Public Libraries.
Floyd Lawrence
Floyd has been involved in theater, film, and entertainment in general for over 30 years. The Garner Players helped him to continue to pursue acting. Some of Floyd’s recent credits: The Color Purple, These Four Walls, My Time Now, and Dysfunctional Ways.
Jamar Boyd
Jamar was a member of the Garner Players for four years. He is a hip-hop artist, an outreach specialist for a program called Hang Time, and also works at Yale New Haven Hospital as an environmental services specialist.
