“Step into my body,

Take a trip with me,

Take a look at my world, 
See the things I see,

Slip inside my heart,

Feel what I feel"

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Gary Farlow has been in the South Carolina prison system for 35 years. For the past 10 years, he has been working with a mentor in Creative Writing. Currently, he mentors other inmates in Creative Writing and is the long-time editor of their prison newsletter. In 2025, his play Song of the Prison Gate was awarded first place in the 2025 PEN America Prison Writing Contest.

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Teatro Paraguas and Ironweed Productions will present a reading of his play on May 2nd and 3rd, directed by Alexander Lane and featuring an ensemble of 10 Santa Fe, Española and Albuquerque-based actors including: Rudy (Froggy) Fernandez, Jorge Gonzalez, Daric Gutierrez, David Jondreau, John Macker, Marcos Maez, Emery Barrera, Matt O'Reilly, Joaquin Rodriguez, and former Poet Laureate of Santa Fe Darryl Lorenzo Wellington. This production is sponsored by the Donovan Nofte Estate.

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Song of the Prison Gate, a collection of riveting monologues, is by turns poignant, deeply funny, thought-provoking, unsettling, searing, and heartening... a unique storytelling experience through which Gary hopes to “bring the face of humanity to the incarcerated."

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Proceeds from this reading will benefit Living with Convictions, a non-profit based in North Carolina, whose mission is to provide essential support and resources to men transitioning from incarceration back into society. Through their comprehensive approach to transitional housing, they aim to break the cycle of recidivism and empower individuals to lead fulfilling, productive lives. Gary will be supported by this organization upon his release.

 

The reading runs for two performances only: Saturday, May 2nd at 7:30pm and Sunday, May 3rd at 2:00pm. Tickets are a $20 suggested donation. Tickets can be reserved by phone at (505) 424-1601 or by clicking on the button above.