In a week’s span, Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar and Macbeth were performed at San Quentin State Prison for audiences that totaled more than 600 guests including community members, prison staff and fellow inmates.
Lesley Currier and Suraya Keating of the Marin Shakespeare Company have been directing plays inside San Quentin for 12 years. They work with the inmates for months, helping them learn to speak and understand the language of Shakespeare, and to examine and portray the motivations of his characters. In doing so, the inmate actors say they learn a great deal about themselves.
“Shakespeare helps me open up to people because I’m a closed person,” said inmate Eric Lowery. “It helps relieve racial tensions. It takes my mind off being in prison and it’s good to be appreciated by the outside people who come to our performances.”
Lowery, 35, who played Young Siward in Macbeth and Trebonius in Julius Caesar, said this was his sixth and last Shakespearean play. Lowery is preparing to appear before the parole board next year. He’s been imprisoned 17 years and at San Quentin for eight years. “Shakespeare has given me the chance to mature emotionally and spiritually,” he said.
Azraal Ford played Julius Caesar. Before taking the stage, he said, “I feel excited, ready to awe some people and leave some people to believe it was a great day,”
Ford has been incarcerated 17 years and has been at San Quentin for two years. “I’ve met a lot of people here,” he said. “Both insiders and outsiders have helped me pursue a path of success and break out of the bad. It’s allowed me to laugh at myself, which is something I’ve not done in a long time.”
Julius Caesar began with a dramatic entrance of Roman soldiers proceeding up the center aisle from the rear of the Protestant Chapel, which doubles as a theater.
Upon Caesar’s entrance, some inmates seemed amused at seeing inmates they know well in costume as actors. There were murmurs and laughter at some of the Shakespearean lines, but it was clear that the audience was involved in the story.
Many entrances and exits moved the flow of the story along. Whenever Caesar exited, the inmates, mimicking Roman soldiers, raised their arms and hailed him.
Lemar “Maverick” Harrison played Mark Anthony. This was Harrison’s third play. He played Gratiano in The Merchant of Vince and Fenton in The Merry Wives of Windsor.
Harrison said, “I feel very privileged to have the opportunity to live out a dream in prison. I was 19 at the time of the crime that sent me to prison. I go to the board in two years. Since being incarcerated, I’ve learned how to be myself.
“The plays are full of relatable issues that prisoners in general go through, like racism or love or the lack of it, jealously, envy and self-doubt,” Harrison added.
Harrison said the role of Mark Antony impacted how he matured while incarcerated. “I was Caesar’s right hand man. It is a role that made me look into myself and ask myself: ‘Am I strong enough to accept another person’s burden or troubles?’ It made me reevaluate how I look at friendships. It made me realize the importance of a true friend.”
Referring to his youth when he began his incarceration, Harrison said, “I was prone to peer pressure. I used to do anything to acquire friends or look good or whatever my peers wanted to do. Now 20 years later, I realize that I can’t allow other’s ideologies or expectations to dictate who I am.
“I feel obligated to today’s youth to not only be an example but to be a promoter of their dreams and aspirations,” Harrison said. “That’s all I ever wanted as a kid, someone to believe in me, someone to motivate me.”
In Macbeth, the clear and polished tones of JulianGlenn “Luke” Padgett evoked the inner turmoil of the lead character and his wife, Lady Macbeth, who was portrayed by Jarvis “Lady Jae” Clark.
The audience intently watched their performance as the couple’s ambitions led to murder, guilt, regret and catastrophic loss. In eerie scenes, actors playing the crowned ghosts emerged from the audience to torment Macbeth.
Overall, Macbeth was a powerful performance with very physical scenes of murder and violence, including a woman being chased down the aisle by an inmate actor. The final battle between Macduff and Macbeth brought a round of applause from the audience as they fought to the death on the stage.
Later, “Lady Jae” explained why she was drawn to acting, “It’s to get over my fear of talking in front of people and release pent-up frustration. When you’re on stage, you’re the focal point. As a transgender, we have to be comfortable in our skin, because people stare at us 24/7. Being on the stage pushes me out of my comfort zone. When it comes to being the center of attention, it forces me to be comfortable with myself.
Currier and Keating “had faith in me.” she added. “They told me that I could do it. Their encouragement gave me faith. They are my Shakespearean goddesses.”
Padgett, who has played the lead in three Shakespeare plays in San Quentin, declared, “Shakespeare was the James Brown, the Marvin Gaye, and Janis Joplin of his time. He speaks to everyone who’s going through this human process. He questions politics, religion, cross-dressing, interracial relationships, homosexuality, and the empowerment of women. I think he even questions the meaning of life itself.”
Referring to his role as Macbeth, Padgett said, “This role was very challenging to me. Macbeth forced me to go back to places and think about murdering another human being; a man who was deeply loved and respected in his community, dearly loved by his family and friends. So, I was being truthful with myself and I opened up universes where I had locked away the thoughts and the emotions and feelings of murdering someone — of looking at my inhumanity.”
“So inspiring,” said Londoner Ruth Moran, wiping tears from her eyes. “It was so moving. It’s first time I have been in San Quentin.”
“It was wonderful. I am always impressed with how much the men give of themselves,” said Victims Offender Education Group facilitator Karena Montag.
Kate Brickley, from Pennsylvania, said, “It completely allowed me to lean forward and connect with the story and made me leave feeling like a braver person.”
