The project
Fresnes sur scène, part of the SPIP 94's Cultural Integration Programme, is designed to help prisoners re-socialise and reintegrate into society by introducing them to the world of theatre.
The project comprises
- 28 3-hour workshop sessions with two professional actors, at the prison itself.
- An initial presentation of the work is given to prison staff, a sentence enforcement judge and prisoners.
- This will be followed by 2 performances as part of an exceptional leave of absence, at the Théâtre de l'Odéon and Théâtre 71 in Malakoff, the project's partner theaters.
Nearly 800 spectators are expected to attend.
The project also includes a programme of meetings with the theater's various trades (technicians, set designers, set construction and public relations teams) to help people discover the wide varietý of jobs in the performing arts.
A number of objectives are pursued :
Mastery of oral and physical language
Team spirit and long-term commitment to a collective project
Discovering new perspectives outside prison
Preparing for release from prison by presenting vocational alternatives
Building self-esteem and confidence
Since March 1990, the Théâtre national de l'Odéon has been known as the Odéon-Théâtre de l'Europe. At the center of contemporary artistic creation, its mission is to showcase the greatest directors of today and tomorrow, with a particular focus on European and international creation since 1983. As a national theater, the Odéon seeks to share its artistic excellence with an increasingly diverse audience. Currently directed by Julien Gosselin, the theater has a number of projects aimed at audiences far removed from culture, including prison populations.