Off the Hook

EX-CON CAST PERFORMS PRISON PLAY IN SANTA CRUZ

SANTA MARIA, CA -- The original musical drama OFF THE HOOK, set in a California prison and featuring a 15-member cast of formerly incarcerated actors, will play one time only in Santa Cruz on Saturday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. at the First Congregational Church, 900 High Street.

OFF THE HOOK examines the ever-present threat of violence and racial segregation in prison. Separation from family, the danger of becoming too close to others and, finally, the triumph of the human spirit come to life in OFF THE HOOK.

The play was written by Deborah Tobola, artistic director of the Poetic Justice Project and directed by Bill McLaughlin, a veteran actor and director. OFF THE HOOK stars Alaska Native film actor Pius Savage, whose films include SPIRIT OF THE WIND, WHITE FANG, BLACK FEATHER, OUT OF THE WILDERNESS and EDGE OF THE WORLD.

Poetic Justice Project has received funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the California Arts Council and the LEF Foundation to help fund its 2010 Prison Town Tour. Each performance is followed by a talk-back with the audience. Performances in Bakersfield, Tehachapi, Fresno, Sacramento and Redding have garnered powerful audience response.

A program of the William James Association, based in Santa Cruz, Poetic Justice Project produces original theatre on the Central Coast that examines crime, punishment and redemption. Tickets for OFF THE HOOK range from $10 to $20, available by calling 1-800-838-3006 or visiting brownpapertickets.com.