stage + arts

The show -- a collection of spoken word, drumming, acrobatics and puppetry -- was only 30 minutes long.

But director James A. Williams never seemed more sincere than when he said this small piece of raw, honest expression was "the highlight of my artistic year."

For Williams, the recent performance on the Pillsbury House Theatre's stage culminated five weeks of work in which he had traveled to the Hennepin County Home School and helped four young inmates there create their own piece of theater.

"I get a little verklempt at this time," Williams said as the short piece, "Emigration From Darkness to Light," concluded. It's like "I got four new sons -- they are my head and my heart."

Williams wanted to say more, but his emotions would not allow him. He asked Faye Price, Pillsbury House's co-artistic director, to rescue him and talk about the special connection between the theater and the Home School.

Founded 14 years ago by Stephen DiMenna and Thelma Fricke, Pillsbury's project is part of the Epsilon Program of Intermediate School District 287. This is Williams' ninth year.

"I was a lot like those guys," Williams told the audience of families and correctional officials. "I got into theater because at a young age I realized, 'I need to find something to do before I go crazy.' Theater saved my life."

Free expression

Poet Tish Jones helped the teenage performers put their words into dialogue, and designer Jack Johnson created large, high-contrast shadow portraits of each teen's face. After the performance, the actors were asked what they picked up from the process. Risk, motivation, purpose rose to the top of their responses. Just learning to channel expression in a positive way seemed crucial to them.

"Love is a puzzle that keeps adding pieces," one performer announced during a show in which teens who seemed so young referenced moments that took place "when I was a kid."

Williams acknowledged the poignancy that through their own actions, these young men had made childhood a distant memory.

"This is part of rediscovering the kid in them," he said.

Williams said his most emotional moment was yet to come on this Friday afternoon. After watching a video of their performance, his actors would get in the van and return to the County Home School, where they would complete their sentences.

"I do not think of this as an end," Williams said to his actors as he shared a moment. "When you get out, call me. You have a place here now."