Prison Performing Arts is excited to present two plays written by PPA Alumni Theatre Company members. The first, Go Before I Do, written by Hazel McIntire and directed by Eric Satterfield, featuring Katherine Leemon, David Nonemaker, and Jocelyn Padilla, is set in a bar in the nightlife district which becomes a portal into others’ lives as drinks are poured and memories made. A daughter lives through the loss of both of her parents in the span of a few short years, which is viewed by her faithful bartender. A view of the world seen by the often unseen, Go Before I Do is a story of growth, exploration, and understanding. This play was originally produced for SATE’s Aphra Behn Festival in 2022.
The second is a brand-new play, Don’t Be a Hero, Thank You, written by Katherine Leemon and directed by Rachel Tibbetts. Featuring LaWanda Jackson and Kristen Strom, it is about life, friendship, and reentry. Don’t Be a Hero, Thank You takes a tongue-in-cheek look at what it means to be a contemporary woman.
The production ensemble includes Jim Bernatowicz (stage manager), Brian Dooley (sound designer), Bess Moynihan (set/lighting designer), Eric Satterfield (projection designer), and Tyler White (costume designer).
Performances are Thursday, November 14, 2024, 7:30 PM, Friday, November 15, 2024, 7:30 PM, Saturday, November 16, 2024, 7:30 PM, and Sunday, November 17, 2024, 2:00 PM. All performances will be held at Greenfinch Theater & Dive, 2525 S Jefferson Ave, St. Louis, MO 63104. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased through PurplePass. For more information, please visit www.prisonperformingarts.org.
Founded in 1999 by Agnes Wilcox, Prison Performing Arts (PPA) is a multi-discipline, literacy and performing arts program dedicated to enriching the lives of youth and adults in Missouri’s criminal and juvenile justice systems. PPA’s Alumni Theatre Company, unique in its existence as one of the only prison alumni theatre companies in the United States, is an ensemble of returning citizens who worked with PPA while incarcerated. The group meets on a regular basis both online and in-person to develop new material for performances, focus on skill development, and to offer support for company members.
Both playwrights Katherine Leemon and Hazel McIntire are members of the PPA Alumni Theatre Company. Both artists give credit to PPA for shaping their approach to writing. McIntire says, “PPA has shown me so many different styles of writing, which then gave me the confidence to tackle more than just a poem. PPA promoted my self-esteem in a way that told me I could do it, even if I didn’t think I could.”
Leemon agrees, “It gave me the confidence to try something I never imagined was possible. PPA is infectious. Their unwavering belief in me, gave me the courage to at least give it a shot, even if nothing ever came from writing the play.”
Content warning/Trigger warning:
Be advised that this production contains mature content and references to suicide.
Lynn (Zipfel) Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to St. Louis magazine and other publications.
She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents.
She is a member of Critics Choice Association, where she serves on the women’s and marketing committees; Alliance of Women Film Journalists; and on the board of the St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding and board member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
She is retired from teaching journalism/media as an adjunct college instructor.