DECATUR, Ill. – When recent 91ӣƵ graduate Katie Kocan ’25 was planning out her senior year, she knew a key piece would be the capstone project for her double major in Theatre and Film and Video Production. A perfect opportunity that combined her interests – a documentary film based on a production of “Twelfth Night” in program – presented itself and became much more than a Performance Learning project.
“As a Theatre major, I was familiar with School of Theatre and Dance Professor Alex Miller, who founded Shakespeare Corrected. I was also involved with 1901 Productions when we were hired to film the Shakespeare Corrected show that could be shared with family members who couldn’t make it to the performance,” Kocan said. “I was asked if I would be interested in doing a documentary and creating something to show how Shakespeare Corrected impacts students and the people involved. It's more than just putting on a Shakespeare play in the prison. It's very important to a lot of the people in there.”
The transformative mission of Shakespeare Corrected is to unite undergraduate students with marginalized populations, fostering an artistic experience that cultivates a culture of respectful inclusion and supported expression.
From fall to spring, Shakespeare Corrected operates within eight separate facilities throughout Macon County, including the Decatur Correctional Center. The program provides professional theater training through workshops and shows, which are often inaccessible to those not directly involved in theater. The students, who undertake a three-credit Shakespeare Corrected course, lead the work in all aspects of the production, including leading, teaching, directing, designing, writing, performing, logistics, and research.
Kocan’s documentary, brings a bigger audience to the work Shakespeare Corrected does because seeing the production in the prison setting is challenging.
“Getting to see the show is a delicate process, so making it more widely accessible for people to watch is important. Being able to go in there more this past semester and actually make those connections has been awesome. It has been great getting to know the ladies and seeing how much they grow, learn, and progress through this program,” Kocan said. “More broadly, the film looks at how rehabilitation through the arts programs is very impactful in the United States. It started as a capstone project, but it obviously means something more now.”
is a romantic comedy believed to have been written around 1601–1602 to be performed at the close of the Christmas season, i.e., the twelfth day of Christmas.
The play centers on the twins Viola and Sebastian, who are separated in a shipwreck. Viola (disguised as a page named 'Cesario') falls in love with Duke Orsino, who, in turn, falls in love with Countess Olivia. Upon meeting Viola, Countess Olivia falls in love with her, thinking she is a man.
“I went to the rehearsals and recorded footage three days a week for about two months. Each day was probably about three hours inside the prison,” Kocan said. “The guards would have to go through all of my stuff before I can actually go in, and they have to go through all of my stuff before I can leave. Most of my semester was spent there, and most of what wasn't is spent in the lab editing all of it together.”
The work of the cast and students culminates in a production in front of friends and family, and the excitement of the program also highlights the reality of the actors once the stage lights go off after the performance has concluded.
“It's awesome, but it's also very bittersweet because right after the show, the experience gets cut, clean off. We finish the show, and then suddenly you're no longer seeing them, and you're not getting together to make something together,” Kocan said. “It's so exciting, and you see how important it is for all of them. Not only is it a chance for them to show off everything that they've learned and worked for, but it's also a chance for them to see their families and show them that they've been doing something and making something out of their time in an unfortunate situation. They are bringing something positive that all of them can connect with in a situation that is more likely than not negative.
“It's such a wonderful experience watching them all peek through the curtain before the show starts, looking for their families. It’s a unique feeling watching a bunch of grown women get so excited and proud to put on a show for their families.”
