{"id":4506,"date":"2012-10-20T05:33:47","date_gmt":"2012-10-20T12:33:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/?p=4506"},"modified":"2012-10-30T21:58:10","modified_gmt":"2012-10-31T04:58:10","slug":"hobbit-hits-hard-with-inmate-backup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nexusnewspaper.com\/newsite\/2012\/10\/20\/hobbit-hits-hard-with-inmate-backup\/","title":{"rendered":"Hobbit<\/em> hits hard with inmate backup"},"content":{"rendered":"

What motivates good people to do bad things? Kate Rubin explores this idea in her latest production, a version of J.R.R. Tolkien\u2019s The Hobbit,<\/em> which takes place inside the William Head Prison in Metchosin.<\/p>\n

Rubin explains that the William Head on Stage program, which has been running for over 30 years, is very unique, in that inmates work together with the theatre community to produce professional performances.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
There is more to The Hobbit than... whatever they're holding. (Photo provided)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cThere are no other places in Canada with such a program like this,\u201d she says. \u201cIn Canada there are no other prisons that include professional actors and actresses like this program.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of the biggest reasons why this play and other William Head on Stage productions are very special is that inmates organize everything for the performances, including managing the stage, choosing a theme, financing, and so on. Rubin and her colleague Monica Prendergast say the reason why students should come to the play is to experience new worlds, adding that it\u2019s an inspirational experience. It\u2019s also a challenge for students to look at their opinions about those who are incarcerated, says Rubin.<\/p>\n

\u201cInmates just made mistakes in their lives,\u201d she says. \u201cSome of them made bad mistakes. They are still human beings with hearts. They will have chances to heal, to be better people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Experiencing being in a prison and meeting inmates can help students to have a better understanding of who they are and how society can embrace them, says Rubin. Eventually, students\u2019 assumptions about inmates could change from this experience.<\/p>\n

Prendergast says that even though the play\u2019s theme of greed is a little bit heavy, The Hobbit<\/em> has a lot of fun scenes in it, too. Not to mention a huge amount of enjoyable escapism.<\/p>\n

\u201cLiterature takes you to another world,\u201d she says. \u201cSimultaneously, the rest of the world disappears. It\u2019s magical that in this amazing world there are elves, goblins, trolls, wizards, puppets, giant rabbits<\/del>\u00a0spiders. The audience will really feel it inside, because we are all around them.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Hobbit
\nUntil November 10
\nWilliam Head Prison
\nticketrocket.org\/the-hobbit<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What motivates good people to do bad things? Kate Rubin explores this idea in her latest production, a version of J.R.R. Tolkien\u2019s The Hobbit, which takes place inside the William Head Prison in Metchosin. Rubin explains that the William Head on Stage program, which has been running for over 30 years, is very unique, in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4507,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,11,82],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4506","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts","category-issue","category-october-17-2012"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t