Alone in solitary confinement, a teenager called out to the men in the hole with him to send a book. Dudley Randall's The Black Poets slid under the teenager's cell door. These initial pages of Randall's book started a journey into a poet, lawyer, and promoter of prisoner rights. 23 years after his release from prison, Reginald Dwayne Betts explores the experience and consequence on his incarcertion in this convincing solo theater show. The theater piece is a meditation on life after prison, criminal justice, art-making and community. 

Since the summer of 2021, this project has been in development by The Lewis Center for the Arts and has been played in many correctional facilities. Renowned Japanese artist Kyoko Ibe created the set for Felon out of paper kits from clothes of men that Betts met in prison. Felon is one of multiple collaborations between Ibe and ACC Alumni Elise Thoron (ACC 2008, 2010). Ibe and Thoron will have an adjacent event focusing on their new book and conversations surrounding their art. You can read more about their new book launch here. 

Visit here for information about the production and updates for purchasing tickets.