Projects
Edna Mahan Correctional Facility For Women Theatre Program
MTC's cast is on the Inside and Outside of the prison walls. Our cast consists of incarcerated and formerly incarcerated women, as well as men and women theatre activitsts. MTC uses theatre to educate about mass incarceration, and the oppressions caused by larger systems around intersections of white privilege, race, class gender and sexual orientation. MTC performs the work of the women of Edna Mahan in the community to raise awareness about re-entry, and create action to change how women come back to their communities after they serve their time. The women of the Edna Mahan Theatre Program also perform in the prison to share their knowledge, and create change with other incarcerated women.
Past Projects
MTC organized a Criminal Justice Reform Community Dialogue. The Event was co-sponsored by The Central Jersey Community Coalition. The event had 5 speakers who discussed action plans to stop mass incarceration. Here are the links to their websites, so you can continue the work!
George Helmy
State Director for Cory Booker
www.booker.senate.gov
James Williams
New Jersey Institute for Social Justice
www.njisj.org
John Koufos
NJ Re-entry Corporation
njreentry.org
Jason Bost
Author
jasonbost.com
Jennifer Narr-Rodrigues
DOE Fund
www.doe.org
MTC performed The Vagina Monologues in Clinton, NJ October 1, 2016 to raise awareness about Mass Incarceration. MTC's cast includes women incarcerated on the inside of The Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women, formerly incarcerated women, and women who have not been incarcerated. At the end of The V-Monologues, women with the experience of incarceation also performed original pieces to educate the public about their personal stories with mass incarceation. MTC is also rehearsing this show with our cast on the inside, with the goal of the inside cast performing The Vagina Monologues for other women inmates at The Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women.
Performing the World New York City September 23-25, 2016. MTC created an interactive theatre workshop where participants watched scenes from, "Hello My Name Is . . ." and used the scenes as a basis for discussion, raising critical consciousness, and creating action plans to make change in their communities. "Hello My Name Is . . " was co-written with the women of the MTC's theatre program at The Edna Mahan Women's Correctional Faciilty in Clinton, NJ. The play educates the public about breaking stereo types about people who are incarcerated and helps audiences talk about ways to end mass incarceration.
3rd Annual Women and Reentry Conference - Reflect, Renew, and Reconnect. MTC co-presented an interactive workshop with Ashley McSwain for social workers, administrators and returning citizens at Georgetown University, August 25,2016. MTC performed an original piece about race and gender to facilitate a discussion on gender bias within the profession in assessing and providing services to women coming back to their communities from incarceration.
MTC presented at WPC 17 in Philadelphia April 14-17, 2016. MTC co-presented with Dr. Karen Gaffney from Raritan Valley Community College on how to use theatre to stop mass incarceration with examples of work from The Edna Mahan Women's Correctional Facility Theatre Program. We discussed how Michelle Alexander's book, The New Jim Crow: Colorblindness in the Age of Mass Incarceration, helped the women of Edna Mahan co-write the play, "Hello My Name Is", and how MTC and The Anti-Racism Coalition of Hunterdon County connected the work to a church, and RVCC students to create action plans to stop mass incarceration.
MTC performed at this film screening for The Rutgers University School of Social Work. The Mothers of Beford is a documentary about a progressive prison program at The Bedford Hills Women's Correctional Facility in New York. It is a program that allows incarcerated mothers to keep their children up until two years, and parent in prison. MTC performed original work from the women of the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women. Currently, New Jersey does not have a similar program. How can we change this?
Mass Incarceration & Racial Inequality
What caused it, what is its local impact, and what can we do about it?
Join us for a six-week book club with a curriculum co-created by the women inmates of the Edna Mahan Theatre Program, and create an action plan for change.
* Meetings begin on at 12:30 pm on Sunday, September 20 at the First Unitarian Universalist Church in Baptistown (GPS/MapQuest directions from County Road 519 & Oak Summit Rd, Frenchtown, NJ 08825). Add’l dates are: 9/27, 10/4, 10/11, 10/18, and 10/25 same time/place.
*BYOB&S -- Bring your own book and snack. Books can be purchased online or at your local bookstore.
*Free event -- Everyone welcome (Recommended age of participation 16 and up. Some childcare options available.
*Please join us even if you cannot keep up with the reading or attend every meeting!
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