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<\/a>The Crossroads: A Prison Cabaret<\/i> is a musical parody that dives deep into some of the emotions that are a huge part of life in prison. Loneliness, isolation, intolerance, and a deep need for inclusion are some of those emotions; it\u2019s easy for an audience member to relate, as these are feelings we all have. The entire show was written in-house, a collaborative effort between Rubin, the actor and support-crew inmates, three actors from Victoria, and writer Kathleen Greenfield from SNAFU Dance Theatre.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have this show that we are all in, and that we have to be ready for,\u201d says Rubin.<\/p>\n
Along with the actors, the show also has a large production crew. A show like this one requires many different skill sets, many of which can be found in the inmates themselves.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are 23 men performing on stage,\u201d says Rubin. \u201cThere are maybe twice that in the production crew. They will be doing lighting, some set building\u2014some have engineering experience\u2014and the hanging of lights, all different aspects of a production. We have one man who had designed with other shows in the past who designed the costumes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rubin says that an outside choreographer helped with management, and they had inmates involved with sewing costumes on industrial sewing machines and working in the office.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is pretty cool, the level of commitment that goes on,\u201d says Rubin. \u201cI made a guess that we have at least 50 men involved in the production, which is a quarter of the population at William Head.\u201d<\/p>\n
This is WHOS\u2019 58th theatre production in 37 years. Rubin says it started in the \u201980s as a university class, then moved to the men creating their own non-profit company within the prison.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a place where they have the opportunity once a year to develop a play by hiring a director from the outside,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n Rubin says it\u2019s the inmates who are the inspiration for Crossroads<\/i>. The idea for the production began from a conversation around tolerance and banishment of people who are looked at as being different. This cabaret exists in a fantasy world, so no one\u2019s actual life story is in there, but their realities and their expressions might be.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s very metaphorical,\u201d says Rubin. \u201cA play within a play inside this show.\u201d<\/p>\n Rubin says they used historical research of people who have been buried in crossroads over the centuries, people of different cultures who were not accepted to be buried in regular cemeteries. The characters are then stuck in this cabaret and not able to find the key to be released.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Rubin says that this is another example where the use of art\u2014any kind of art\u2014is so valuable. She says that a lot of barriers are broken down whenever a production takes place, and the response from the public is always positive.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve had two showings of Crossroads: A Prison Cabaret <\/i>so far. Both of them sold out, with standing ovations,\u201d she says. \u201cThere is a huge bridge that occurs for the public, especially if they have never been inside a prison before. I think certain walls come down, and there is possibility for dialogue, and possibility for new understandings.\u201d<\/p>\n