For nearly a decade Dell'Arte International has brought theater courses to residents of Pelican Bay State Prison through its Orbit Arts (formerly Prison Theatre Arts) Program, which aims to
bring together justice-impacted individuals in circles of theatrical art-making to explore the collective human experience.
But its not often that the participants in this program get a chance to share their work with the outside world.
In late 2025 Dell'Arte and KHSU collaborated to change that and, after receiving enthusiastic support from the participants in the program, decided to air original radio plays.
The Orbit Arts Program works with the three general population yards at Pelican Bay and runs in 20 week terms. During the first several classes, participants meet with Program Director Janessa Johnsrude and Teaching Artist Samantha Williams Gray to build a working ensemble. Johnsrude then takes over the course to focus on project work. This term, Johnstrude worked with elected class production managers from each yard — Delroy Espinoza, Daniel Williams, and Anthony Eidem — to write and voice these original radio plays.
KHSU's Stephanie McGeary, along with local artist Cory Goldman — who works with youth on music and beat making through the MARZ Project, a program of the Ink People Center for the Arts — then traveled to the prison for two days of recording the pieces in the final weeks of class. This was not an easy task. The prison administration needs to approve everything and everyone that enters the prison grounds — a process that can take months. Equipment needed to be inspected when entering and leaving each individual prison yard, and each group had to record within the allotted class time, with virtually no chances to redo any mistakes.
Despite these unique challenges, the participants worked diligently to complete these projects. After long hours of editing, the plays were able to be aired over the December holidays, providing a chance for the participants' families and friends to connect with their loved ones. Processes and challenges for each yard varied, but each group came together around chosen themes with the intention of creating something that listeners could enjoy and transcend the stigma and stereotype of men incarcerated at Pelican Bay.
Here are the three plays as presented by the A, B and D yards at Pelican Bay State Prison:
"Gumbo: An Audio Collage"
Follow Chef Foreign Waterz as he makes a pot of Gumbo, which serves as a metaphor for collective belonging in a time of extreme divisions.
Written and Performed by Orbit Artists from Pelican Bay’s A yard: Daniel Wilson, Juan Rubio, James Kern, Demone (Cleamon) Johnson, Delroy Espinoza, Jesse (Jesus) Contreras, Steven Mitchell, Christopher Hendrickson.
Production Managers: Delroy Espinoza & Daniel Williams
Sound Design and Editing by: Stephanie McGeary with support from Cory Goldman
“Ro-Sham-Boom: Last Hand Standing”
A comedy short of a radio broadcast of the 10th Annual Intergalactic Ro-Sham-Bo championships.
Written and Performed by Orbit Artists from Pelican Bay’s D yard : Jermaine Brim, Nicholas Bates, John Purugganan, Jacob Carroll, Ruben Zarate, Alberto Ramirez, Genaro Garcia, Anthony Joseph Eidem, and J.D. Donovan
Production Manager: Anthony Joseph Eidem
Sound Design and Editing by: Cory Goldman with support form Stephanie McGeary
“From the Outside Looking In”
A meditation on the concept of identity with poems and thoughts from B-yard Orbit Artists at Pelican Bay.
Interviews from and poems by Orbit Artists from Pelican Bay’s B yard: Jose Avila, Adrian Calderon, Dejon Griffin, Michael Williams, Armando Canchola, Rene Lopez, Magic Knight, Manuel Rosas, Zachary F. Hurlburt Erhardt
Sound Design and Editing by: Stephanie McGeary with support from Cory Goldman
Thank you for listening. You can find more info about the Orbit Arts Program or make a donation at this link.
