Arts & Entertainment
“I Wrote That!” Author Talk Series at The Palace Chris Belden
An evening of story, poetry, and theater, written and performed by former inmates of Garner Correctional Institution.
Press release
“I WROTE THAT!” AUTHOR TALK SERIES: CHRIS BELDEN
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH, PALACE THEATER
Waterbury, CT – Tuesday, February 4, 2024, at 7:00 pm, join the Palace Theater 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. This event is made possible through the support of Mary Ellen & Tim Rourke.
Tickets are $20 and are offered on a first-come, first-served basis as seating is limited. Tickets and more information are available at palacetheaterct.org or 203-346-2000.
Chris Belden ran a writing workshop at Garner Correctional Institution from 2009 until the pandemic in 2020, and he became impressed by the writing of men in those workshops, eventually editing Closer to Freedom: Prose & Poetry from Maximum Security. At the same time, Mark Aldrich produced original plays written and performed by the men incarcerated at Garner. The evening celebrates the importance of storytelling and the power of the written word and 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.
About Chris BeldenChris Belden is the author of several books, including Shriver (the basis for the film A Little White Lie), Carry-on, The Vote, and Who Am I to Judge? Belden is currently an instructor at the Westport Writers Workshop and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Fairfield University.
About 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.
About Floyd LawrenceFloyd has been involved in theater, film, and entertainment in general for over 30 years. The Garner Players helped him to continue to pursue acting. Among some of Floyd’s recent credits: The Color Purple, These Four Walls, My Time Now, and Dysfunctional Ways.
About Jamar BoydBoyd 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 works at Yale New Haven Hospital as an environmental services specialist.
About the Authors of The ConfrontationPat Walsh is currently incarcerated at Macdougall-Walker CI. Isschar Howard is incarcerated at Cheshire CI. Dwayne Griffin is incarcerated at Corrigan-Radgowski CI. All three are founding members of the Garner Players, and Walsh and Howard are contributors to Closer to Freedom.
