Rta program sing sing (Photo by Dominic Leon/Courtesy of A24) In a city teeming with creative energies, where chance encounters often lead to extraordinary collaborations, the making of the film Sing Sing is a testament to the power of serendipity, shared visions and the Aug 8, 2024 · Such a play – titled "Breakin' the Mummy's Code" – was made possible through a program called RTA: Rehabilitation Through the Arts. But every time the filmmakers started outlining a screenplay, it felt all Jan 27, 2025 · Whitfield is a founding member of the RTA which runs comprehensive arts workshops and a unique arts-anchored re-entry program in 10 correctional facilities in New York, as well as at one facility Aug 1, 2024 · Whitfield and RTA are the beating heart of Sing Sing (releasing nationwide Aug. The program started at Sing Sing Correctional Facility, a maximum-security prison in Ossining, New York. It was started in 1996 after a small group of men in prison expressed an interest in putting on a play at the prison. Join our movement to break the cycle of incarceration. Jun 4, 2024 · Journal SING SING Now Available to Stream on Demand. Domingo delivers a soul-baring performance as a man putting in the work to redeem Jul 28, 2024 · In “Sing Sing,” a movie that has opened in New York cinemas to universal critical acclaim and goes nationwide next week, Colman Domingo portrays an inmate at Sing Sing named John “Divine G” Whitfield, who helps found a theater program in the prison called Rehabilitation Through the Arts, or RTA. Jan 15, 2025 · Thanks to A24, Sing Sing, a powerful film inspired by the real-life Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program at Sing Sing Correctional Facility, is making history as the first-ever national film release for an incarcerated audience. Mar 14, 2024 · Sing Sing, the new feature film about RTA’s theater program starring Oscar nominees Colman Domingo and Paul Raci, had its U. RTA uses theater, dance and music, among other art-related workshops to help Dec 5, 2024 · The film specifically focuses on the theater program at the Sing Sing facility in Ossining, NY, and its production of the original time traveling musical Breakin’ the Mummy’s Code. Jan 24, 2025 · Journal SING SING Now Available to Stream on Demand. premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, TX on March 8, 2024. Dec 21, 2024 · Kwedar and Bentley first became aware of Sing Sing’s RTA program through an article in Esquire, which led them to volunteer at the facility. Aug 16, 2024 · Nonetheless, SING SING does indeed sing, with a tour-de-force performance by Colman Domingo as one of the men participating in the prison theater arts program, a program that transforms the lives of those incarcerated through performing in plays and expressing their humanity and finding uplift. Sep 25, 2024 · Sing Sing, a film that’s based on the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program at the now-decommissioned Sing Sing Maximum Security Prison in Ossining, New York, primarily revolves around a Sep 12, 2023 · This message of restoration reverberates in each and every frame of “Sing Sing,” a remarkable true story directed and co-written by Greg Kwedar. Transform Lives Through the Power of the Arts. Based on the real-life Rehabilitation Through the Arts program at Sing Sing Maximum Security Prison, the film centers on a group of incarcerated men involved in the creation of theatrical stage shows through the program. Aug 2, 2024 · Oscar-nominated actor Colman Domingo brings to life the inspiring story of a prison theater program in “Sing Sing,” a powerful A24 film that highlights the transformative impact of the arts within the walls of New York’s Sing Sing Correctional Facility. He helped found the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program at Sing Sing. Jun 20, 2024 · The big idea for Sing Sing was to recapture the big feelings of the RTA program: the energy, the heartbreak, the triumph. It was born in 1996 after a group of incarcerated men at Jan 17, 2025 · Sing Sing is based on an actual prison theater program called Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA). They centered their story on incarcerated actors Jan 14, 2025 · Sing Sing, which follows a group of men enrolled in a prison theater program, will screen inside correctional facilities in California, New York, Texas and 43 other states. Jul 9, 2024 · In ‘Sing Sing,’ an arts program in a correctional facility has a transformative effect on its inhabitants, who, in the quest to escape the confines of their prison walls, find something worthwhile and engaging that leads to new discoveries and personal healing. Jan 24, 2025 · Sing Sing isn't just a fictional drama; it's based on the real-life Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program at Sing Sing Maximum Security Prison. That year, they wrote and staged their first play. The only recognizable Hollywood face in the mix belongs to Colman Domingo, who portrays founding RTA player John “Divine G” Whitfield. Aug 1, 2024 · Sing Sing is based on a real theater program at Sing Sing called Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA), where a group of men behind bars puts on productions of Shakespeare and other plays. Clarence Maclin is an alumni of RTA at Sing Sing Correctional Facility. "The objective is to create Sing Sing tells the true story of the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program at New York’s Sing Sing Correctional Facility. The film, directed by Greg Kwedar, is inspired by the real-life Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program at Sing Sing Correctional Facility. It asks viewers to reconsider their perceptions of incarcerated individuals and challenges the idea that punishment should overshadow personal growth. Started in 1996 after a small group of men in prison expressed an interest in putting on a play at the prison, the program was formed with RTA founder Katherine Vockins. Jan 30, 2025 · Sing Sing is based on a very real story of the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program that originated at the Sing Sing Correctional Facility, and even most of the actors we see are real ex-members of the program. Domingo is joined by Clarence Maclin and other real Jan 13, 2025 · 'Sing Sing' cast will reunite to perform 'Breakin' the Mummy's Code,' a time-traveling play originally performed at Sing Sing Correctional Facility. Colman Domingo plays Divine G, a Dec 10, 2024 · Greg Kwedar’s “Sing Sing” takes place in a maximum-security prison and depicts the real Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program. A24’s hit film Sing Sing is a testament to the life-changing impact of RTA’s programs. In this stirring film based on a real-life theatre program inside New York’s Sing Sing Correctional Facility, director Greg Kwedar (Transpecos, SIFF 2016) demonstrates the transformative power of art using an ensemble cast of professional actors and formerly incarcerated people who participated in Sing Sing’s Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program. Though it is fiction, Sing Sing’s cast includes many actors who were once incarcerated Jan 14, 2025 · “The RTA program at Sing Sing Prison is about communities coming in to be in service and give this gift of theater, and how that has transformative powers. What amounts to a theater troupe for prisoners, the program gives those who wish to join it a purpose beyond their sentence. A talented performer and a leader among the troupe, he is used to deciding what plays to mount only to find his authority challenged when tough new member Divine Eye (real-life RTA alumnus Clarence Maclin in an indelible debut) suggests they put on a comedy. Rehabilitation Through the Arts, otherwise known as RTA — this is the real-life program that inspired the film Sing Sing(2024). Nov 12, 2024 · Sing Sing shares the true story of the RTA program, which has been instrumental in helping incarcerated individuals at Sing Sing Prison develop essential life skills through creativity and connection. May 2, 2024 · Journal SING SING Now Available to Stream on Demand. ” In the film, Raci plays Buell, who taught at RTA programs at Sing Sing, Woodbourne, Fishkill and Greenhaven state prisons from 2001 until 2011. Feb 12, 2025 · SAN ANTONIO — Greg Kwedar first premiered his Oscar-nominated "Sing Sing" a year and a half ago, at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. The film […] Aug 8, 2024 · The cast of Sing Sing, featuring Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program alumni. Loosely adapted from a 2005 Esquire article about the RTA program at Sing Sing, the film tells the story of a group of inmates who use theatre and acting as a means to reclaim their humanity. Based on RTA’s theater program, Oscar-nominated SING SING is a powerful portrayal of the life-changing impact of RTA. It also stars several program alums. Experience the powerful stories behind the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program on the big screen. Feb 6, 2025 · Journal SING SING Now Available to Stream on Demand. The RTA team joined the cast and crew to celebrate this momentous occasion for both the organization and for community-based filmmaking. In an interview at the film’s premiere in Aug 4, 2024 · It’s been “such a wonderful ride,” the 58-year-old actor says, from first stumbling across the theater program within Sing Sing’s walls — he signed up because some of RTA’s volunteers Aug 16, 2024 · Based on the real-life story of the maximum security prison’s Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program, founded in 1996, the film follows inmates who form a theater troupe while serving Oct 17, 2024 · The film "Sing Sing" is based on the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program implemented inside Sing Sing Prison, New York State's highest-security prison. Nov 20, 2024 · Journal SING SING Now Available to Stream on Demand. Founded in 1996, the RTA program is a non-profit organization that provides inmates with opportunities for self-expression and social rehabilitation through the arts, including theater Jan 28, 2025 · Actor Colman Domingo stars in "Sing Sing," the movie, which tells the moving story of an RTA production at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining. (RTA) program, Sep 19, 2024 · Journal SING SING Now Available to Stream on Demand. The film follows the inspiring story of RTA alum John “Divine G” Whitfield (played by Colman Domingo), as he finds purpose by acting in RTA’s Sing Sing Correctional Facility theater group alongside RTA alum Clarence Maclin, who plays himself. When a wary newcomer named Clarence Maclin enters the Sing Sing […] Jan 15, 2025 · Based on the real-life Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program at Sing Sing Maximum Security Prison in New York State, the movie’s cast is largely composed of formerly incarcerated men who are alumni of the program themselves. He appeared regularly in RTA theatrical productions Aug 2, 2024 · Greg Kwedar’s moving drama, Sing Sing, explores the importance of rehabilitation programs within the prison system. But when the night of the Academy Awards arrives Jan 14, 2025 · The majority of the ensemble are formerly incarcerated actors who participated in the RTA program at New York's Sing Sing Correctional Institute. Many RTA alumni seek to continue their creative journey and maintain the community they found so meaningful inside. Jul 10, 2024 · With Greg Kwedar occupying the director’s chair, ‘Sing Sing’ gives a positive outlook on life in prison through the art of theater as Divine G, a falsely convicted inmate, leads other incarcerated men to perform in a theater program called Rehabilitation Through the Arts. The unusual release is Dec 15, 2024 · How theater can break the cycle of incarceration 10:24. The film, which shows the positive impact that the real-life Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA Aug 15, 2024 · The RTA program. A majority of Jul 15, 2024 · “The story is based on the real-life Rehabilitation Through Arts (RTA) program, in operation at Sing Sing since 1996. Three professional actors – Colman Domingo (playing the lead character, John “Divine G” Whitfield), Sean San Jose (playing inmate Mike Mike), and Paul Raci (playing artistic director Brent Buell) – are paired with actual previous participants of the Sing Sing RTA program, including Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin, who incorporates his Dec 11, 2024 · SING SING continues to captivate audiences and critics alike, from Colman Domingo’s recent Golden Globes Best Actor nomination to Best Motion Picture nominations across the nation; this powerful movie based on RTA’s theater program is garnering widespread acclaim for its poignant portrayal of the transformative power of the arts. This program uses theater and the arts to help incarcerated individuals develop skills, find purpose, and prepare for life after incarceration. Jan 15, 2025 · The critically acclaimed film SING SING returns to theaters nationwide on January 17th — find a screening near you. He recruits into the program another Nov 20, 2024 · SING SING Now Available to Stream on Demand. SING SING is now available for purchase on select streaming platforms! Bring the transformative power of the arts home and experience the incredible true stories of RTA program participants—brought to life with critically acclaimed performances from Colman Domingo, RTA alum Clarence Maclin, and more. The film is an accurate representation of the transformation that happens to the incarcerated people who join our programs and have a desire to change, but need the vehicle, encouragement, and support to do so. 1 day ago · Whitfield, a deejay and artist, saw first-hand how prison dehumanizes and made it his purpose to do something to help him and his fellow inmates. So, it was built in a very community Jun 1, 2024 · Like the RTA program itself, Sing Sing argues that the incarcerated need not lose their humanity behind bars, and the film succeeds most when it watches these amateur performers access difficult Jan 15, 2025 · Journal SING SING Now Available to Stream on Demand. John "Divine G" Whitfield, wrongfully imprisoned, finds purpose in mentoring others through the program, fostering personal growth and joy amidst bleak circumstances. 18 — was an RTA leader while incarcerated for murder at Sing Sing. premiere at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin, TX. Founded at Sing Sing in 1996, RTA works with professional teaching artists to lead year-round workshops in theater, dance, music, creative writing, and visual arts. Prisoners incarcerated at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in New York partake in theatrical productions and actor workshops. Jan 23, 2025 · With the Best Adapted Screenplay nomination, Clarence Maclin and John “Divine G” Whitfield become the first RTA alums ever nominated for an Oscar. How successful is the RTA program? Successful enough that many of the main cast are portrayed by formerly incarcerated actors, alumni of the program who are portraying versions of themselves. The artistry of Sing Sing is undeniable, contrasting the Aug 4, 2024 · It’s been “such a wonderful ride,” the 58-year-old actor says, from first stumbling across the theater program within Sing Sing’s walls — he signed up because some of RTA’s volunteers Jan 29, 2025 · This film is based on a prison theater program called Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA). Critics agree that Sing Sing benefits from Kwedar’s insightful direction, as well as from powerful acting by both professional and non-professional actors, several of whom won Gotham awards last month. Under the direction of Greg Kwedar, the film follows John Whitfield, AKA Divine […] Jan 16, 2025 · The Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program at Sing Sing Correctional Facility effectively helps inmates cope and develop skills, resulting in a recidivism rate below 3%. Along with Katherine Vockins, the founder of RTA, the program was formed. Get your tickets to see Sing Sing today. Vocal and instrumental workshops, concerts, revues, and a popular songwriting workshop offer ongoing opportunities for participants to develop concrete skills and expand their capacity for self-expression. Kwedar met up with Buell, Whitfield Jul 3, 2024 · The story is based on the real-life Rehabilitation Through Arts (RTA) program, in operation at Sing Sing since 1996. Feb 7, 2025 · Sing Sing, directed by Greg Kwedar, is one of these bright spots, as it centres on the true story of the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program in Sing Sing prison in New York state. Feb 6, 2025 · Archer — named executive director on Feb. And the impact doesn’t stop there— it's now re-released in theaters nationwide! Jan 17, 2025 · In Sing Sing, Colman Domingo plays John “Divine G” Whitfield, a real person who was a star actor and playwright in the RTA program while wrongfully incarcerated for many years. [ 4 ] Sep 13, 2024 · But this year, Maclin and 13 of the formerly incarcerated men who once found brotherhood and self-expression on a prison stage received breakthrough roles in A24’s new movie “Sing Sing,” based Aug 22, 2024 · Almost three decades since it was founded, RTA is now gaining mainstream attention thanks to Sing Sing, Greg Kwedar’s new A24 film starring Oscar nominees Colman Domingo and Paul Raci, who Jul 28, 2024 · In “Sing Sing,” a movie that has opened in New York cinemas to universal critical acclaim and goes nationwide next week, Colman Domingo portrays an inmate at Sing Sing named John “Divine G” Whitfield, who helps found a theater program in the prison called Rehabilitation Through the Arts, or RTA. Mar 6, 2024 · SING SING continues to captivate audiences and critics alike, from Colman Domingo’s recent Golden Globes Best Actor nomination to Best Motion Picture nominations across the nation; this powerful movie based on RTA’s theater program is garnering widespread acclaim for its poignant portrayal of the transformative power of the arts. Parents need to know that Sing Sing is a moving, fact-based drama about the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) theater program inside New York's Sing Sing Correctional Facility. For almost 200 years, a grim monument to the theory that Dec 14, 2024 · Before “Sing Sing” became a critical hit and awards darling, it almost failed to launch. Jan 17, 2025 · In Sing Sing, Colman Domingo plays John “Divine G” Whitfield, a real person who was a star actor and playwright in the RTA program while wrongfully incarcerated for many years. His work with RTA profoundly enriched his Jul 12, 2024 · It quickly becomes clear this isn’t a dream or a flashback, it’s sometime in the 2000s – and Sing Sing’s Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program has already bore nurturing fruit for 4 days ago · Sing Sing tells the true story of the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program at New York’s Sing Sing Correctional Facility. The film follows John "Divine G" Whitfield Jan 27, 2025 · Whitfield is a founding member of the RTA which runs comprehensive arts workshops and a unique arts-anchored re-entry program in 10 correctional facilities in New York, as well as at one facility Jan 14, 2025 · At Sing Sing, he “finds purpose by acting in a theatre group alongside other incarcerated men,” per the synopsis, based on the real life Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program. 6 to take office on Feb. 2 days ago · The theatre group is based on the real-life program, Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program at the maximum security prison, Sing Sing. Nov 27, 2024 · While serving time in Sing Sing, my father honed his craft with the Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA), a program that he helped found and recruit for. Aug 1, 2024 · Novelist and writer John “Divine G” Whitfield constantly dreamt of being in a movie. Feb 12, 2025 · A true story developed by co-writers and producers Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar (who also directed) and RTA alumni Clarence “Divine Eye” Maclin and John “Divine G” Whitfield, the film stars Oscar nominees Colman Domingo and Paul Raci alongside an ensemble of formerly incarcerated men who participated in the RTA program, including Aug 3, 2024 · The people who are incarcerated and participate in RTA are the same characters we get to know on screen. RTA’s music program began at Sing Sing with a vocal workshop for a production of West Side Story, and then took on a life of its own. Sing Sing is a 2023 American prison drama film directed by Greg Kwedar and written by Clint Bentley and Kwedar. Sing Sing Correctional Facility is 40 miles and a world away from New York City. The Rehabilitation Through the Arts ( RTA ) program has been so successful that it now operates in eight correctional facilities nationwide. . He wanted to be in a movie that centered around his time at Sing Sing Jan 31, 2025 · Starring Oscar nominee Colman Domingo, “Sing Sing” is set at the eponymous maximum security prison and is based on the real-life Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program where Feb 6, 2025 · More than just an inspiring story, Sing Sing serves as an advocacy piece, bringing attention to the real-life RTA program and the need for rehabilitative opportunities within the prison system. "The overall objective for RTA is not to create actors," Maclin explained. Find a showtime near you. Cassius Life’s Bernard “Beanz” Smalls spoke with cast members and real-life members of the RTA program Jon-Adrian “JJ” Velazquez + Sean “Dino” Johnson about the program that has been instrumental in helping them turn their lives around. RTA uses theater, dance and music, among other art-related workshops to help reduce recidivism, which is the tendency to relapse into criminal behavior after being released from prison. S. Jan 10, 2025 · As a testament to the power of the program, many of Sing Sing ’s actors are real-life alumni of RTA. There will be two screenings, a panel discussion with Oscar nominees Colman Domingo and Paul Raci, along with RTA alums, and many other chances to connect. Based on a real RTA program at Sing Sing Correctional Facility in New York, the docudrama vocalizes an abundance of talent to be found within prison walls. A majority of Feb 5, 2025 · The movie is a lightly fictionalized account of a theater program that has operated inside New York's Sing Sing prison for many years. Language is strong, with uses of "f--k," "motherf----r," "s--t," "bulls--t," the "N" word, "f--got," "goddamn," and It’s a big weekend for RTA — Sing Sing, the new feature film about our theatre program, will have its U. Jan 17, 2025 · Sing Sing is based on the Rehabilitation Through Arts (RTA) program, which has been active at the Sing Sing prison in Ossining, New York, since 1996. Jul 14, 2024 · Colman Domingo stars in Sing Sing, based on the real-life accomplishments of the "Rehabilitation Through the Arts" program at New York's Sing Sing prison. [3] Jan 31, 2025 · SING SING is now available for purchase on select streaming platforms! Bring the transformative power of the arts home and experience the incredible true stories of RTA program participants—brought to life with critically acclaimed performances from Colman Domingo, RTA alum Clarence Maclin, and more. As of January 23, 2025, SING SING is playing in theaters nationwide. It’s been “such a wonderful ride,” the 58-year-old actor says, from first stumbling across the theater program within Sing Sing’s walls — he signed up because some of RTA’s volunteers Jan 22, 2025 · The director of “Sing Sing,” Greg Kwedar, didn’t know much about incarcerated people, but after reading a 2005 Esquire article about the RTA program, he reached out to Brent Buell, the real-life RTA coach who wrote and directed “Breakin’ the Mummy’s Code,” to hear more about the program. Mar 6, 2024 · Sing Sing focuses on the real-life Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program that allows prisoners at New York’s Sing Sing Correctional Facility to produce and act in their own stage Aug 2, 2024 · In Sing Sing, that community and joy flourishes on and off the RTA stage in the true-life story of the friendship between one of the troupe’s oldest and most committed members, award-winning Jan 10, 2025 · While RTA programs include a broad offering of artistic workshops, the film focuses exclusively on participants of its theater program. January 31, 2025. In fact, Colman Domingo as John ‘Divine G’ Whitfield and Paul Raci as Brent Buel are the only two prominent roles played Feb 4, 2025 · Journal SING SING Now Available to Stream on Demand. Rehabilitation Through the Arts’s theatre program at Sing Sing Correctional Facility has been dramatized in the independent narrative film Sing Sing, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2023. The RTA model provides an intensive, comprehensive arts program in prison that builds critical life skills so that people can meet the challenges of connecting with family and Sep 15, 2024 · “I fought to get those in because I believe that the program was designed primarily for guys who were really, really struggling. The film focuses on John “Divine G” Whitfield (Colman Domingo), a seasoned actor in the RTA program who is seeking parole. 2), which examines how the prison’s theater program spiritually liberates incarcerated people from their sentences Jul 25, 2024 · The film also stars the RTA’s founding members, who join Domingo as producers on the film and help tell their story. Aug 29, 2024 · Journal SING SING Now Available to Stream on Demand. Aug 8, 2023 · 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. The film follows John "Divine G" Whitfield (Colman Domingo), an Oct 29, 2024 · SING SING continues to captivate audiences and critics alike, from Colman Domingo’s recent Golden Globes Best Actor nomination to Best Motion Picture nominations across the nation; this powerful movie based on RTA’s theater program is garnering widespread acclaim for its poignant portrayal of the transformative power of the arts. RTA helps people in prison develop critical life skills through the arts, modeling an approach to the justice system based on human dignity rather than punishment. He had a very specific idea, though. Dec 16, 2024 · Journal SING SING Now Available to Stream on Demand. It’s been filmed as a pseudo-documentary, with the majority of the running time focusing on the prisoners as they become actors Nov 22, 2024 · Sing Sing has quickly become one of the most impactful films of the year, receiving widespread acclaim for its authentic storytelling and unique blend of professional actors and formerly incarcerated individuals. mowbf aucmq etbyf kvkgob gtbqjjzx lvt kqvxt lpcib bxk jhfj ffturn zwrgt ddccpou lgdm mncrlxcq