COMING SOON in 2023
WHoS has been working on a series of Short Films
In 2022 we were not able to bring in audiences for a live play due to ongoing COVID restrictions, so we are actually working on a short film project that we are hoping to release publicly in 2023! Please Join Our Email List so we can send you updates and invites when we have future events to share.
This creative arts experience affected me so deeply, with a real and lasting raw honesty…Needless to say I have grown as a person since becoming a part of W.H.o.S. I have reconnected with parts of myself that I thought were lost forever.” - P.H. W.H.o.S. Incarcerated Artist 2021
RECENT PROJECTS in 2022
In May 2022, WHoS co-produced a live event downtown at the Salvation Army ARC Building. Audiences experienced compressed history – four decades of standing ovations, stage fright, and singing in public for the first time – at a walk-through gallery and shadow puppetry performance celebrating the past 40 years of prison theatre. Documented in photos, posters, crew T-shirts, news articles, costume pieces and handcrafted giant puppets—these artifacts of prison theatre history decorated four hallways of the gallery tour, one hallway for each decade, starting in the 1980s up to present day.
Victoria’s William Head Prison has been the home of WHoS Prison Theatre Company for forty years, led by incarcerated artists who create and perform plays for the general public. Normally each fall, thousands of people buy tickets, drive out through Metchosin and sit in the prison gymnasium to witness the hard work of the incarcerated actors, builders and musicians. As we were unable to do a play in 2021, instead the incarcerated artists designed and built the Prison Theatre Time Machine: a gallery installation that we shared with public audiences at the Salvation Army Addiction and Rehabilitation Centre in downtown Victoria May 26-29, 2022.
The tour begans, guided by an audio soundtrack of the voices of William Head on Stage (W.H.o.S.) artists past and present. Like Alice down-the-rabbit-hole, you follow the shadow of a person chasing a butterfly through each hallway of prison theatre artifacts.
Victoria’s William Head Prison has been the home of WHoS Prison Theatre Company for forty years, led by incarcerated artists who create and perform plays for the general public. Normally each fall, thousands of people buy tickets, drive out through Metchosin and sit in the prison gymnasium to witness the hard work of the incarcerated actors, builders and musicians. As we were unable to do a play in 2021, instead the incarcerated artists designed and built the Prison Theatre Time Machine: a gallery installation that we shared with public audiences at the Salvation Army Addiction and Rehabilitation Centre in downtown Victoria May 26-29, 2022.
The tour begans, guided by an audio soundtrack of the voices of William Head on Stage (W.H.o.S.) artists past and present. Like Alice down-the-rabbit-hole, you follow the shadow of a person chasing a butterfly through each hallway of prison theatre artifacts.
As men we don't often allow ourselves the opportunity, or have the opportunity, to be vulnerable, express how we feel, and share that with others. It was incredible to witness that by the cast [of W.H.o.S.] tonight. Thank you for sharing that with us.” - Parker, W.H.o.S. audience member 2019
It was powerful to watch the stories of individuals and the community be woven together … to see the joy, the humour, the sweetness of hearts behind the costumes. … I believe these moments are truly healing for everyone on stage and off. Thank you for sharing this work!” - Carmelle, W.H.o.S. audience member 2019
DARK TRAVELLER
CANADA'S FIRST PODCAST CREATED BY INCARCERATED ARTISTS
Official podcast launch (with more episodes every week) June 2nd, 2021 on all Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Breaker, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, and RadioPublic
William Head on Stage prison theatre company (or WHoS) and SNAFU Society of Unexpected Spectacles are excited to release their latest co-production, Dark Traveller. The podcast consists of 3 episodes; each is approximately 40 minutes. It features the team performing the radio play The Northern Lights, a science-fiction radio play initially written in 1949 by Wyllis Cooper, behind the scenes interviews with the incarcerated artists about the process of creating the podcast and an original sequel inspired by the old radio show, and a mix of creative writing inspired by the Northern Lights themes & workshops.
William Head on Stage prison theatre company (or WHoS) and SNAFU Society of Unexpected Spectacles are excited to release their latest co-production, Dark Traveller. The podcast consists of 3 episodes; each is approximately 40 minutes. It features the team performing the radio play The Northern Lights, a science-fiction radio play initially written in 1949 by Wyllis Cooper, behind the scenes interviews with the incarcerated artists about the process of creating the podcast and an original sequel inspired by the old radio show, and a mix of creative writing inspired by the Northern Lights themes & workshops.
Already listened?
Click here to leave a comment for the incarcerated artists
Show Credits
Radio Play “The Northern Lights” written by Wyllis Cooper.
Creative Writing, Commercials, and Commentary created by incarcerated artists Midnight, Paul
Dark, Dr. Percy, and The Captain.
Edited by Kathleen Greenfield.
Workshop Facilitation and additional voices by Anne Cirillo, Kathleen Greenfield, Ingrid Hansen,
Jeni Luther, and Kate Rubin.
Dark Traveller cover art is by Carolyn Moon as part of our pen-pal art exchange between ‘outside’
and incarcerated artists.
A big heartfelt thank you to the staff and team at Correctional Service of Canada for their
support with this project.
SNAFU and WHoS would like to thank the generous support of the CRD Arts Commission, The Canada Council for the Arts, and the BC Arts Council.
Click here to leave a comment for the incarcerated artists
Show Credits
Radio Play “The Northern Lights” written by Wyllis Cooper.
Creative Writing, Commercials, and Commentary created by incarcerated artists Midnight, Paul
Dark, Dr. Percy, and The Captain.
Edited by Kathleen Greenfield.
Workshop Facilitation and additional voices by Anne Cirillo, Kathleen Greenfield, Ingrid Hansen,
Jeni Luther, and Kate Rubin.
Dark Traveller cover art is by Carolyn Moon as part of our pen-pal art exchange between ‘outside’
and incarcerated artists.
A big heartfelt thank you to the staff and team at Correctional Service of Canada for their
support with this project.
SNAFU and WHoS would like to thank the generous support of the CRD Arts Commission, The Canada Council for the Arts, and the BC Arts Council.
CELEBRATING 40 YEARS of PRISON THEATRE
With WHoS T SHIRTS
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William Head on Stage is celebrating its 40th Anniversary (1981 ~ 2021),
with T SHIRTS listing all 60 performances from WHoS history on the back of each shirt.
T Shirts start at $20.49, and come in black, grey, or navy.
$2.50 from every shirt sold will be donated to the United Way's Blue Love Campaign.
“The Blue Love Campaign was inspired by a three year old’s blue painted heart created for Bell Let’s Talk day. It was shared on social media and a comment was made by an individual struggling with mental health challenges: “Not all hearts are red. Some are black and blue from dealing with trauma, but are made better because of people like YOU.” And so the Blue Love campaign began…"
HELP HEAL HEARTS AND MINDS. SUPPORT THE BLUE LOVE CAMPAIGN.
Please spread the word to any and all WHoS supporters, family and friends about this important fundraising effort for mental health.
with T SHIRTS listing all 60 performances from WHoS history on the back of each shirt.
T Shirts start at $20.49, and come in black, grey, or navy.
$2.50 from every shirt sold will be donated to the United Way's Blue Love Campaign.
“The Blue Love Campaign was inspired by a three year old’s blue painted heart created for Bell Let’s Talk day. It was shared on social media and a comment was made by an individual struggling with mental health challenges: “Not all hearts are red. Some are black and blue from dealing with trauma, but are made better because of people like YOU.” And so the Blue Love campaign began…"
HELP HEAL HEARTS AND MINDS. SUPPORT THE BLUE LOVE CAMPAIGN.
Please spread the word to any and all WHoS supporters, family and friends about this important fundraising effort for mental health.
ABOUT THE COMPANY - William Head on Stage (W.H.o.S.
William Head on Stage (or WHoS) is Canada’s longest-running prison theatre program. Since 1981, the inmates have staged a play each fall and invited the general public. Anyone 19 or older can buy a ticket, go through prison security, enter the prison gymnasium and experience the show performed by the prisoners.
“WHoS is a safe place where we don’t have to wear a mask or project an image,” says one prisoner participant. “Going through prison...there are many messages we get put into our heads that you are inhuman...The process slowly chips away at you. I didn’t realize how deep it went until I was exposed to the community. Oh yes, this is what it is like to be treated like a person…we need normal human contact without an agenda.”
Questions?
Contact whonstage@gmail.com
“WHoS is a safe place where we don’t have to wear a mask or project an image,” says one prisoner participant. “Going through prison...there are many messages we get put into our heads that you are inhuman...The process slowly chips away at you. I didn’t realize how deep it went until I was exposed to the community. Oh yes, this is what it is like to be treated like a person…we need normal human contact without an agenda.”
Questions?
Contact whonstage@gmail.com
“One of the best performances I have seen. It took terrific heart and courage for these men to get up onstage, do something new, and share a piece of themselves with the audience. I would go again in a heartbeat.”
- The Charlebois Post
“W.H.o.S. is a testament to
the power of theatre to change lives.”
- The Globe and Mail
the power of theatre to change lives.”
- The Globe and Mail
There will be no WHoS play in 2021,
However we have several other creative projects in the works.
Join our email list to get updates.
A heartfelt thank-you to our supporters,
