Flying in Place: Liberating Voices from Virginia’s Prisons

Charlottesville, Va. – April 11, 2022 – The Piedmont Virginia Community College (PVCC) Division of Humanities, Fine Arts and Social Sciences will bring to the stage a cross-disciplinary collaboration that seeks to lift the voices of PVCC students who are incarcerated. “Flying in Place: Liberating Voices from Virginia’s Prisons” uses creative writing works by students in the PVCC Higher Education in Prison program as the basis for theatrical performance, interpreting each manuscript, poem or essay through stylized physical movements while the works are read aloud. Performances will take place Friday, April 29 and Saturday, April 30, at 7:30 p.m. each evening, in the Main Stage Theatre in the V. Earl Dickinson Building on the PVCC main campus.

"Flying in Place” is the brainchild of Leonda Keniston, dean of the division, who was excited about spearheading a project that brings together differing academic disciplines to more deeply investigate aspects of human society and culture. Keniston paired with Professor of English Ben Sloan, whose work with PVCC in regional prisons has women and men inmates honing their writing skills in college-level classes. Those curated writings became the foundation of the project, with the goal of not just showcasing the students’ work, but also inviting the community to witness and understand more about persons who are incarcerated through their own words.

Associate Professor of Theatre Arts Brad Stoller was brought in to lead an interpretative component based in physical theatre, gathering a cast of roughly 20 PVCC students and community members from all walks of life to bring the words on the page to life. The result, what Sloan describes as “fascinating,” is a physical theatre voyage that vividly interprets the writings as a narrator reads, with movements prompted by images or words in the text. “I have been amazed to watch this progress” said Sloan, “It’s such an original piece.”

Tickets to “Flying in Place” are available for $5. Advance tickets may be purchased online at www.pvcc.edu/performingarts or by calling the PVCC Box Office at 434.961.5376 (major credit cards accepted). The PVCC Cashier’s Office, located in the Main Building, will also have tickets available for purchase during normal business hours. If available, tickets may also be purchased starting two hours prior to the performance at the Box Office, located in the lobby of the Dickinson Building.

For more information, email boxoffice@pvcc.edu or call 434.961.5376. Learn more about the PVCC Fine Arts and Performance season at www.pvcc.edu/performingarts.

The V. Earl Dickinson Building is located at the south end of 501 College Drive. Ample, free parking is located in front of the building and the facility is wheelchair accessible.

About Piedmont Virginia Community College
Established in 1972, Piedmont Virginia Community College is a nonresidential two-year institution of higher education that serves Central Virginia – principally, residents of the City of Charlottesville and the counties of Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, and Nelson. PVCC is one of 23 community colleges in Virginia that comprise the Virginia Community College System. PVCC is committed to providing access to a college education for all who can benefit, an opportunity for each student to reach her/his potential and excellence in all programs and services. Visit www.pvcc.edu.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Susian Brooks
Director, Marketing and Media Relations
434.961.6574 | sbrooks@pvcc.edu

 

Photography: Lindsay Gray