UW Faculty Members Receive Ellbogen Foundation Grant for ‘Second Act’ Performance Project

University of Wyoming faculty members Dan Fetsco, an associate lecturer in the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology, and Matthew Greenberg, an assistant professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance, have received a $50,000 grant from the Ellbogen Foundation to support “Second Act,” a multidisciplinary performance that expands access to creative expression for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people.

Drawing inspiration from stories of human redemption and transformation, “Second Act” will merge theatrical performance and real stories to illuminate the lived experiences of people impacted by the justice system, including those currently and formerly incarcerated, victims, policymakers and advocates.

Relative Theatrics, a nonprofit theater company based in Laramie, will serve as fiscal sponsor for the project. Through this work, “Second Act” aims to foster hope, dialogue and understanding across communities.

The performance will be based in part on Fetsco’s recent book, “Cutting Life Short,” which tracks the growing population of people serving life sentences in Wyoming and the U.S. The book explores research that indicates that much of the public, including victims of violent crime, support second chances for people who are serving excessive prison sentences.

“Second Act” also will feature creative contributions from community members, professional actors and members of UW’s Department of Theatre and Dance, as well as from students participating in the UW Pathways from Prison program at both the men’s and women’s correctional facilities. This collaboration seeks to create a transformational experience for participants and audiences alike, using multidisciplinary storytelling as a bridge to empathy and connection.

The production will premiere in spring 2027 and embark on a statewide tour through spring 2028. By centering voices often left out of public conversation, this performance will advance a vision of justice rooted in healing, second chances and the shared capacity for growth.

“We are grateful to Mary Garland, Becca Steinhoff, the Ellbogen Foundation and Relative Theatrics for their faith in our vision of using the arts to change hearts and minds when it comes to the public perception of people serving long prison sentences,” Fetsco says. “I also am thankful to the people who shared their stories and talents with us. I am particularly excited to work with Professor Greenberg, merging our diverse backgrounds and expertise to elevate each other and the other members of this project.”

Copies of Fetsco’s book, “Cutting Life Short,” can be purchased here.

For more information about “Second Act,” email Fetsco at dfetsco@uwyo.edu or Greenberg at mgreenb1@uwyo.edu.