SIP Team

Shakespeare in Prison￨Team

We can hardly believe it, but here we are: celebrating FOURTEEN YEARS of Shakespeare in Prison!

On February 7, 2012, SIP was founded by a small ensemble at Women’s Huron Valley Correctional Facility. We’ve come a long way since that cold February day when one woman walked in and asked, “What is Shakespeare?” We’ve been figuring it out together ever since—not only with nearly 300 people in prison, but beyond the barbed wire fence with SIP alums in our post-release program.

… if you’d like to join the celebration with a (tax deductible!) 14th Birthday gift!

Leadership

Sophia Esch

Director of Shakespeare in Prison

Sophia Esch, new Director of Shakespeare in Prison, is thrilled to step into this leadership role while continuing SIP’s mission of ensemble-based, transformative theatre work. A Michigan-based theatre artist, educator, and arts manager, Sophia has worked extensively in applied theatre, community engagement, and arts administration across Southeast Michigan.

Sophia holds a BFA in Musical Theatre Performance from Oakland University and is currently pursuing her MFA in Theatre Management at Wayne State University. She also serves as a Graduate Research Assistant with Wayne State University’s Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre & Dance, where she designs marketing and community engagement initiatives for mainstage productions. Her work is grounded in the belief that theatre can foster empathy, healing, and meaningful pathways for personal and collective change.

Facilitators

Laiyla Santillan

Facilitator

Laiyla Santillan is a senior at the University of Michigan studying comparative literature. She has been with Shakespeare in Prison since the summer of 2025 and enjoys analyzing and discussing interpretations of Shakespeare’s works with the ensemble.

Alumni Advisory Council

Ciara Byers

Bio to come

Program Support

Patrick Hanley

Stage Combat Coordinator

Patrick Hanley is Production Manager for Detroit Public Theatre, support staff for SIP, and a stage manager, fight choreographer, and performer. He earned his B.F.A. in Acting from Wayne State University, where he was on the Varsity fencing team for four years, including two as captain.

Patrick has facilitated at Parnall Correctional Facility and in Youth Arts Alliance workshops, and he has choreographed stage combat for every ensemble performance since 2017. He has worked with many Metro Detroit theatre companies, including Matrix Theatre, Planet Ant Theatre, Water Works Theatre Company, and Shakespeare in Detroit. Credits also include years of working in educational theatre as fight choreographer, director, and producer.

Many, many thanks to past facilitators Elizabeth Barnes, Catherine Coffey, Alastar Dimitrie, Ciara Garrett, Assata Haki, Bethany Hedden, Gaia Klotz, Janai Lashon, Dominique Lowell, Hannah Manela, Clearie McCarthy, Molly McGuire, Emma Rodgers, Vanessa Sawson, Frannie Shephard-Bates, Maria Tejada, Jamie Weeder, Sarah Winkler, and Emily Wilson-Tobin. Your passion, hard work, and dedication have been vital as the program has grown.

Thanks to Ashley Lucas of Prison Creative Arts Project, Niels Herold of Oakland University, and Curt Tofteland of Shakespeare Behind Bars for the endless advice, support, friendship, and inspiration.

Thanks to all of the staff in the Michigan Department of Corrections for the incredible support that enables us to keep doing this work.

And, most of all, thank you to all of the people—those who are still behind bars, and those who are not—who have made this program what it is. We’ve shown up with books, ideas, and enthusiasm. All of the truly hard work has been yours.

Thank you for the opportunity to work alongside you.

But wait… There’s more!

Inside SIP

If you’re looking for photos, videos, the blog, and activity packs—this is the page for you!

Donate to SIP

Your support is crucial as we continue our work in prisons, and with SIP alumni post-release through Shakespeare Reclaimed.

SIP History

Wondering what we’ve been up to since our founding in February 2012? Well, lucky you—we made a timeline with all the major milestones.

Detroit Public Theatre is deeply grateful to these past and current Corporate, Foundation, and Government funders for their generous support of Shakespeare in Prison.