"The Castle" cast: Angel Ramos, Vilma Ortiz Donovan, Kenneth Harrington and Casimiro Torres. (Photo by Filip Kwiatokowski)

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We’ve heard the statistics. As of the beginning of this year, one out of every hundred adult Americans was behind bars. But to many of us, the people behind these numbers remain a mystery.

In a provocative new play, “The Castle,” four real ex-convicts, with 70 years time between them, come forward and tell their stories — of life in prison, and out.

We’ll talk with three of the performers, as well as the director of the show: a longtime advocate for prisoners and former prisoners.

This hour, On Point: Prisoners’ tales, and life on the outside.

What would you like to hear about life behind bars, and about life outside for people who have done time? You can join the conversation right here.

-Jane Clayson, guest host

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Guests:

We’re joined from New York by David Rothenberg, director of “The Castle” and founder of the Fortune Society, which works to improve prison conditions and help ex-convicts re-enter society, and by three of the performers who appear in and wrote “The Castle”:

Vilma Ortiz Donovan served two terms in state prison and now works as a receptionist for the Fortune Society.

Casimiro Torres spent 16 years in prison after 67 arrests, and now works as a youth counselor.

Kenneth Harrigan also spent 16 years in prison, and now works as a counselor for the Fortune Society.

Links:

“The Castle”
More on the play from the Fortune Society, including links to reviews, showtime and ticket information.

“Four Ex-Convicts Tell of Lives Lost and Found”
The New York Times’ Jim Dwyer devoted a recent column to “The Castle.”