THE LAST PERFORMANCE OF "CALF" BY LEVITICUS JELKS

OutofHand Theater held the last performance of CALF, a one-man show directed by Nikki Young and performed by Marlon Burnley. The event was hosted in collaboration with the Georgia Justice Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to true rehabilitation for previously incarcerated people. The production is part of OutofHand Theater’s series of Shows in Homes, a program where hosts open up their homes for performances to take place and have a discussion centered around the themes of the performance. 

CALF details the life of Eli Willis, a former incarcerated person who encounters the consequences of his incarceration after being released from prison. The performance delivered by Burnley is a raw and thought-provoking portrayal of a man trying to reconcile with his community while facing the social restrictions placed upon him by the broken justice system. 

After the performance, a discussion was held regarding the effects of mass incarceration on the individual and the community at large. Present during this discussion were lawyers, professors, and even formerly incarcerated individuals. The conversation was one charged with passion and curiosity, as patrons sought out to understand the life of an incarcerated person, how the justice system upends the lives of former incarcerated people, and what can be done about the systemic issue. Solutions were suggested and stories were shared as the conversation became difficult but necessary as the night progressed. 

CALF illustrated the hardship an incarcerated individual faces, both on a personal level and a societal level, and OutofHand hopes that audiences are able to empathize with people like Eli Willis as well as be motivated to participate in the fight for criminal justice reform.