1A

Oscars Run: 'Sing Sing,' Rehabilitation And Healing Through The Arts


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How do you tie together the stories of ancient Egypt, Robin Hood, Freddy Kreuger, and Hamlet – on a single stage?

Well, through time travel, of course. But also with the minds and talent of a group of actors at Sing Sing correctional facility in New York.

Such a play – titled "Breakin' the Mummy's Code" – was made possible through a program called RTA: Rehabilitation Through the Arts. It was born in 1996 after a group of incarcerated men at Sing Sing put on a few theater productions. They decided they wanted those productions to be something more – an organized group that could bring the power of theater to people inside prisons.

The program's story is now on the big screen in the film "Sing Sing." We talk to the people who made the movie possible.

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