The story of Sing Sing beautifully weaves together the true-life story of friendship between Rehabilitation Through the Arts’ alumni, Clarence Maclin and John Whitfield. The movie gives a glimpse into the life behind bars and the transformational power of the arts and community.

The film highlights RTA’s theater workshop in Sing Sing Correctional Facility which provides the opportunity for participants to gain critical life skills and agency, so they may change their lives while incarcerated and find success personally and professionally when released.

“We’ve worked on this movie for over seven years, and every time I meet a new RTA participant or alumnus, I grow more confident that this is one of the most unique and transformative programs that I’ve ever encountered.”

The Brooklyn Academy of Music, NYC hosted the Premiere of emotionally stirring film ‘Sing Sing’. The film Sing Sing, starring Emmy Award winner, Colman Domingo (portraying RTA alumnus John “Divine G” Whitfield); RTA alumnus, Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin; and Academy Award nominee, Paul Raci, is based on Rehabilitation Through the Arts’ theater program, a core component of RTA’s comprehensive arts-in-correction programming. Wednesday night’s premier closed receiving a 10-Minute Standing Ovation. The film was written and directed by Greg Kwedar and produced independently of RTA. Sing Sing had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

The Sing Sing film resonates with the core values of RTA and demonstrates the transformational power of the arts. The process by which RTA works recognizes human dignity, fosters collaborative communities, and empowers through commitment to each other. “Trust the Process”, an RTA mantra, proves true over and over again.

The majority of the cast members in the film are RTA alumni who participated in RTA’s program in real life. Their inclusion adds depth to the engaging performances and the viewer’s connection with the characters.

Directed by Greg Kwedar, SING SING is the stirring true story of resilience, humanity, and the power of art, starring an unforgettable ensemble cast of formerly incarcerated actors. The film premiered at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival and won the Audience Awards at this year’s SXSW Film Festival.

"How do you distill down to a person's wants, needs, dreams, aspirations, and things that connect us all? It is not about the worst act that they may have done in their life. It's not about that. There's such a gentleness and a grace to the film that I think may be almost disarming in a way because I think you have people walking in with an expectation of what they're going to see or what they're going to feel... We painstakingly made sure that it was clear that we knew the container that they were in, but we knew what they were working through on the inside, in this program," Domingo says.

SING SING will be released in select theaters on July 12, 2024 with a nationwide rollout to follow.

Rehabilitation Through The Arts

RTA provides arts programs to incarcerated individuals in New York State prisons, operating at the intersection of arts and social justice. RTA’s pool of over 40 professional teaching artists leads workshops including theater, dance, music, creative writing, and visual arts to men and women in maximum and medium-security facilities.

While the US prison system is based on punishment, RTA continually demonstrates that an approach based on human dignity has a great and much-needed impact. Steering Committees of incarcerated individuals at each correctional facility provide leadership experience as those senior members of the program help RTA manage the day-to-day operations inside and maintain the culture of the program as new participants join.

To learn more, please visit: https://rta-arts.org

Photo Credit: Kristina Bumphrey