Detroit 'Shakespeare In Prison' To Expand To Help Juveniles

DETROIT (AP) - Detroit Public Theater's Shakespeare in Prison program says it has received a grant to expand to work with juveniles.

The program currently works with female prisoners at the Women's Huron Valley Correctional Facility in Ypsilanti. It says the Michigan Humanities Council grant will allow it to do a 12-week workshop with young people who are in treatment or detention.
The Detroit Public Theater says it also has received a grant from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan.

The program works with inmates for nine months, helping them produce and perform a fully staged Shakespeare play. Advocates say program alumni have lower recidivism rates.

The five-year-old program will stage Richard III for the prison community in June.

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