Inside Prison Theater Workshops

Maine Inside Out engages people incarcerated in Maine prisons in creating and sharing original theater to build peer support, prepare for re-entry, and inspire social action.

Since our founding, MIO has worked inside prisons to facilitate groups of incarcerated artists to create original plays based on their lived experiences. Participants share stories, build trust through theater practices, choose themes collaboratively, and perform their work for audiences inside the facilities and invited members of the public.

Sharing these original plays publicly amplifies system-impacted voices to support a shift from a culture of punishment and isolation to one that thrives in connection, dignity, and community-led accountability.

The theater projects bridge connections to MIO’s peer community to support participants while they are inside and as they prepare for and transition into re-entry after incarceration. 

View some of MIO’s films for a glimpse into this work.