Documents

Explore PPTG’s archived documents below, including pieces by program participants, performance scripts, and documents from the organization’s founding.

Written Pieces

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Scripts

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Historical Documents

Written Pieces

A MAJOR EVENT IN AUBURN PRISON: BEHIND THE SCENES WITH A PHOENIX PLAYER

By Adam Roberts

In this essay, Adam describes the evening of PPTG’s most recent performance and the emotions he experienced.

REALIZING PERCEPTION: A REFLECTION OF PPTG WORKS AND PERFORMANCES

By Joshua Mensa

This essay is a reflection on Joshua’s work and performances with PPTG and how he experienced them.

COLORS

By Sheldon Johnson

In this poem, Sheldon “Superb” Johnson contemplates a panoply of injustices seen through his “colorful” lens.

J.R.’S POEM FOR HIS LADY

By Jim Ryant

Jim Ryant (aka J.R.) wrote this poem for his Lady who is having a particularly difficult time at the moment.

The Change

By Adam Roberts

In this short scene, Adam explores the relationship between an inmate and his tube of toothpaste. It’s deeper subject is vagaries of the prison commissary and the loneliness of incarceration.

“To be a criminal is a disgrace - to remain a criminal is disgraceful.” -Malcom X

By Sheldon Johnson

In this powerful essay, Sheldon lays himself bare to offer the readers his “autobiography.” It is a raw piece of writing–as moving as it is chilling.

Attica on My Mind

By Michael Rhynes

Michael Rhynes came to Auburn Correctional Facility from Attica. Since he has now been returned to Attica we thought it appropriate to post this short piece Michael wrote about Attica.

Reflections on Macbeth

By Sheldon Johnson

Before coming to Auburn and joining PPTG, Sheldon Johnson played the role of Macbeth in the Shakespeare tragedy at Great Meadow Correctional Facility. The production was under the auspices of “Shakespeare Under Lock and Key” and produced by the incarcerated men.

Out… Out Brief Candle

By Sheldon Johnson

Before coming to Auburn and joining PPTG, Sheldon Johnson played the role of Macbeth in the Shakespeare tragedy at Great Meadow Correctional Facility. The production was under the auspices of “Shakespeare Under Lock and Key” and produced by the incarcerated men.

The Power of Redemption: Implications of Self-Created Rehabilitation in U.S. Prisons

By Sandra Oyeneyin

Sandra Oyeneyin began working with the Phoenix Players in the late Fall of 2013. She assisted and observed the workshops and wrote and acted in the Players’ third presentation, An Indeterminate Life presented in May of 2014. These two chapters from her undergraduate honors thesis respond to the time she spent at Auburn with PPTG.

A Night to Remember

By Michael Rhynes

Michael Rhynes wrote this piece after PPTG’s first presentation, Inside/Out in 2011. It expresses the joy and transformation he felt after the first time he performed on a stage in front of and audience.

ACTING THE CHANGE: PRACTITIONER PROFILES OF THEATER AS ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZING IN UPSTATE NEW YORK

By Christian Turner

This thesis captures the stories of people who are doing both traditional and nontraditional forms of community organizing in Upstate New York and explores common themes across their different community engagement approaches . . .

Scripts

The Phoenix Players Theater Group has produced five full-length performances. The first, Inside/Out, was based on autobiographical memories surrounding childhood and growing up and was performed in April of 2011.

The second piece, Maximum Will, combined soliloquies, sonnets and short scenes from Shakespeare with original reflective pieces written by the men in response to the Shakespeare texts being used in the piece. Maximum Will was performed in April of 2012.

PPTG’s third presentation again returned to autobiographical pieces culled from stories and improvisations that occurred in the weekly workshop. The major stories that emerged centered on the theme of incarceration and its effect on the individual and families. Titled An Indeterminate Life, it was performed in May of 2014.

PPTG’s fourth performance took place at Auburn Correctional Facility on May 12, 2016 with several new members performing for the first time. Titled This Incarcerated Life: The Foundation of a Pipe Dream, it was also performed several weeks later for the men of the Cornell Prison Education Program–the first time PPTG had presented its work for others in the Auburn population.

On May 24th, 2018, PPTG performed its fifth original piece, The Strength of Our Conviction: The Auburn Redemption.

What are represented in this section are excerpts from each of the five pieces. After Inside/Out, The Department of Corrections and Auburn Correctional Facility permitted a three-camera recoding of the latest four performances. Those videos can be accessed on the Performance Videos page under the Performances page.

DOC JELLY

By Adam Roberts

In this piece, written and performed by Adam Roberts, Doc Jelly is played by a large photo of a Golden Lab Retriever complete with mustache, eye glasses and hat...

Nostalgia

By Sheldon Johnson

Performed in The strength of Our Convictions: The Auburn Redemption, Sheldon “Superb” Johnson uses this piece to elaborate on one way he breaks up the monotony of incarceration...

“Blame”/Conspiracy Theory

By Demetrius Molina

In this piece, performed in The Strength of Our Convictions: The Auburn Redemption, Demetrius “Meat” Molina explores the complex issues surrounding mass incarceration…

Growing Old

By Mark Thompson

In this piece, performed in The Strength of Our Convictions: The Auburn Redemption, Mark “AZ” Thompson, who has been incarcerated for thirty-eight years, explores growing old in prison…

Soundscape in the Joint

By Robert Lawrence

This piece by Robert “Bam” Lawrence personifies some of the elements that make up the “sound” environment near his cell…

Civil Disobedience

By Sheldon Johnson

This piece, by Sheldon (aka “Superb”) is his response to the police and cultural violence toward black men…

Father

By Jim Ryant

It is not uncommon for men at Auburn to never have known their fathers. Jayare (pronounced like J.R.) explores the consequences of growing up “fatherless”…

License to Drift Off

By Nathan Powell

Nate explore three “occupations” at Auburn: making license plates, battling roaches, and “drifting off…”

The Truth

By Raymond Vanclief

In this piece Ray excavates the truths that he has learned about himself...

Suffering Separation

By Demetrius Molina

This conversation between Demetrius (AKA: Meat) and his son, who he nicknames “Pop”, captures the concern and anguish some incarcerated men...

Dear PPTG

By David Bendezou

David knew that he could be transferred to “medium” at any moment so he wrote and performed this selection...

Ghost Bus

By David Bendezou

David wrote and performed this piece–the stanzas titled “song” were sung A Capella...

Sister Sandra

By Sandra Oyeneyin and Leory Lebron Taylor

In this second duet that they performed together in An Indeterminate Life, Leroy played Sandra’s little brother...

Na’cir’s Google Search

By Sandra Oyeneyin and Leory Lebron Taylor

Leroy performed with Sandra, who worked with PPTG during the 2013-14 academic year...

Zoo

By Michael Rhynes

Michael imitated the actions of the animals described during the performance of this piece...

Story of Words

By Blaize Kliest Mendez and Demetrius Molina

This piece combines two stories—”Home School” by Blaize and “This is a story about Life, this is a story about Love and this is a story about Loss” by Demetrius “Meat” Molina...

Window Onto Pain

By Nathan Powell

Nate wrote and performed this piece with the assistance of the ensemble during An Indeterminate Life...

Paradoxical Trek/Macbeth

By Michael Rhynes

Michael selected for one of his pieces the “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” speech...

The Judgement

By Efraim Diaz

Efraim “DE” Diaz wrote this piece in response to Hermione’s soliloquy in The Winter’s Tale...

Reflection on Hamlet

By David Bendezou

David wrote this contemporary reflection on life in prison in response to the “To Be or Not to Be” soliloquy...

Inside the Wall

By David Bendezou

Performed by David and Kenny, this piece, was inspired by Claudio’s imprisonment in Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure...

Behold the Monster is Born

By Michael Shane Hale

In this piece, Shane responds to the Caliban/Prospero scene from THE TEMPST that was performed in MAXIMUM WILL by David and Kenny...

My Last Day at Toy’s R Us

By David Bendezou

In this piece from “INSIDE/OUT” David played both characters...

The First Time I Found Out I was Black & Was Checking the White Box

By Michael Rhynes and Juliana Kliest-Mendez

This duet from INSIDE/OUT is a composite of “The first time I found out I was black” and “Checking the white box...”

When I Saw God

By Efraim Diaz

This is a monologue by Efraim “DE” Diaz from the performance of Inside/Out...

July Fourth’s Fireworks

By Efraim Diaz

This piece from INSIDE/OUT was written and performed by Efraim,”De” Diaz...

Historical Documents

The latest PPTG Brochure

By PPTG

PPTG Membership Application

By PPTG

Program From The Strength of Our Convictions

By PPTG

Program from This Incarcerated Life

By PPTG

Program from An Indeterminate Life

By PPTG

Program from Maximum Will

By PPTG

Program from Inside/Out

By PPTG

Extended PPTG Proposal

By PPTG

Initial PPTG Proposal

By PPTG

Answering for PPTG: Michael’s History and Philosophy

By PPTG

Experience a Second Chance: Invitation to New Members

By PPTG