(gentle wind chime ambiance)
- [Joey] Playing Hamlet has helped me ask
questions of myself that usually
I would leave very deep inside.
I never thought I'd do anything like this:
"To be, or not to be—
That is the question."
(playful electronic music)
- [Lesley] Put your hands on your belly,
take a deep breath in.
My name is Lesley Currier. 
I'm the founding managing director of
Marin Shakespeare Company.
(actors vocalizing together)
The methodology of our program is inspired
by drama therapy. It creates
laughter in the room.
And it breaks down barriers between races,
and ages, and groups.
- You didn't ask that question,
I wouldn't say "for here lies the point".
- It's very beautiful work,
and we've seen a lot of transformation.
Most of the men in the group don't have
any theater experience,
and haven't studied Shakespeare before.
So when we start talking about the plays,
and the characters, they're just bringing
their own personal life experience
to the conversation.
- "I shall heal my broken wings!"
- When I first came in, I thought
I would never act again.
I attended college back
in Nebraska in 1968, ’69.
I was a co-major, theater and music.
When I came into prison,
there is this certain demeanor
that you have to establish.
So in essence, I'm acting
on a day to day basis.
Just to survive.
To be able to be up on that stage,
letting the true Steve come through,
but in the person of the character.
That's the freedom I get.
And that's what I hope comes
out when I do Polonius.
(practicing)
"Pastoral, historical come--"
- [Joey] This role is so challenging
that it makes me go through
the entire gamut of emotions.
He's so conflicted that,
man, I must've pulled from
every facet of my life.
I've been betrayed before,
I've had my trust broken,
I've done really horrible
things to people,
you know, in a rage, like Hamlet's done.
(acting)
"Well you may see the
in-most part of you!"
- "What will that do?
Thou will not murder me!"
(screaming)
"Help! Help!"
- Over the years I've
learned I have to give back.
That I also have to own up
and look at what I did realistically.
I'm hoping through other things that I do,
my acting, I can give
something back to society.
- I've been able to use
all of my past experience
and kinda channel it
into this character.
I hope that playing my role,
helps the other inmates here feel like
they're part of the story.
This doesn't just help me escape,
this helps them escape, too.
It also helps, uh, me gain a lot of empathy
for, you know, what other people are going through.
It's tearing open old wounds
to try to embody this,
to bring the character alive,
and bring other people within the story.
It's difficult.
But it's also really cathartic.
It helps… It helps me heal.
(acting)
"In this cruel world,
“draw thy breath and pain.
“To tell my story.
“The rest in silence."
(audience applause)
