From Sing Sing prison to the Oscars: A man’s unlikely journey
Clarence Maclin is a nominee for Best Adapted Screenplay for his contributions to the screenplay of "Sing Sing
By Tony Aiello
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MOUNT VERNON, New York (WCBS) — A Mount Vernon man is headed to Hollywood this week to prepare for the Academy Awards.
Clarence Maclin is a nominee for Best Adapted Screenplay for his contributions to the screenplay of “Sing Sing,” which tells a story that Maclin lived inside the walls of Sing Sing prison.
“There’s portions of my life that I wouldn’t want anyone to follow… . This way of thinking failed me. And how many others did it fail?” Maclin said.
“Sing Sing” tells the true story of “Rehabilitation through the Arts,” or RTA, a prison program that uses theater to build communication, empathy and compassion.
“We can use these same life skills to help rebuild the communities that we damaged. Because, you know, we’re responsible for our own behavior, we know that,” Maclin said.
Maclin co-stars in the film, playing himself, alongside Colman Domingo.
“A lot of people tell me this film has caused them to reconnect with loved ones or individuals that they had written off, because of their incarceration,” Maclin said.
Maclin is using his platform to promote RTA and other rehab programs like “The Last Mile,” which teaches computer skills to incarcerated people.
“The national recidivism rate is 60 percent. This program and programs like this have a 3 percent, or less than 3 percent recidivism rate,” Maclin said.
Maclin is heading to Hollywood for the run-up to the Oscars on March 2. It’s a cinematic second act his younger self never dreamed of.
“I look around like, where am I? It comes to me, Oh, I really am here. It’s great,” Maclin said.
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