Prison Radio Plays Air Locally, Spotlight Pelican Bay Creativity

Dell'Arte’s Orbit Arts Sonic Showcase reached local airwaves over the holiday weekend, featuring short audio pieces created by the three working theatre ensembles at Pelican Bay State Prison. The series ran on KHSU at 6:30 p.m. on December 24, 25, and 26, and was available online for listeners across Humboldt County and neighboring communities. KHSU broadcast the pieces on 90.5 FM in Arcata, 89.9 in Garberville, 88.7 in Ferndale, 99.9 in Willow Creek, and 91.9 in Crescent City.

The three separate works were written, developed, and performed inside the prison and captured different modes of storytelling. Gumbo, an audio collage created by the A yard ensemble, follows Chef Foreign Waterz as he makes a pot of gumbo that becomes a metaphor for collective belonging. Ro Sham Boom, Last Hand Standing, produced by the D yard ensemble, is a comedy short fashioned as a radio broadcast of the Intergalactic Ro Sham Bo championships. From the Outside Looking In, from B yard, offers a meditation on identity through poems and interviews.

Dell’Arte’s Orbit Arts Program at Pelican Bay collaborated with KHSU’s Stephanie McGeary, who handled recording, editing, and sound design, while local musician Cory Goldman assisted on music and beats. The program was facilitated by Program Director Janessa Johnsrude. Program participants and facilitators describe theatre as a constructive way to process emotions, build communication and articulation skills, and cultivate empathy, skills they said are useful both inside and after incarceration.

For the local community the broadcasts served multiple purposes. They provided an opportunity to hear creative work from people inside the prison, a counterpoint to the isolation that often defines incarceration. Listeners gained exposure to voices that are frequently excluded from public forums, which can reduce stigma and create empathy in a community grappling with the social and health consequences of mass incarceration.

The broadcasts also connect to local public health concerns. Arts programming in carceral settings can be part of efforts to support mental health, emotional regulation, and social skills, complementing medical and behavioral health services offered inside facilities. Organizers are channeling public support into an upcoming live listening event and fundraiser on January 30, 2026 to support Orbit Arts classes at the Humboldt County Correctional Facility, a move that could expand access to creative programs for people serving time locally.