Curt Tofteland Bio

Curt L. Tofteland is the Founder of the internationally acclaimed Shakespeare Behind Bars program.

From 1995 - 2008, Curt facilitated the SBB/KY program at the Luther Luckett Correctional Complex. Additionally, Curt worked in the Kentucky Correctional Institution for Women - where he taught college classes for the Jefferson Community and Technical College and created a Ten Minute Playwriting Program, and the Kentucky State Reformatory - where he taught JCTC classes.

In the summer of 2010, Curt partnered with filmmaker/director/producer Robby Henson and playwright Elizabeth Orndorf to create Voices Inside/Out - a 10-minute playwriting program - funded in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, at the Northpoint Training Center in Burgin, Kentucky. Now in its third year of funding by NEA, the program has generated inmate authored plays that have gone on to be professionally produced at Theatrelab, an Off-Off-Broadway theatre in New York City.

On February 12, 2011, Curt created the most recent Shakespeare Behind Bars program at the Earnest C. Brooks Correctional Facility in Muskegon Heights, Michigan.

Curt frequently travels the country to screen Philomath Films award-winning documentary - Shakespeare Behind Bars, facilitate a post-screening audience talk-back, teach master classes, and visit classrooms. To date, he has visited thirty-three college campuses and eleven professional Shakespeare Festivals. Additionally, Curt has been hosted by the Modern Language Association, Shakespeare Association of America, National Conference of the Teachers of English, Shakespeare Theatre Association, and the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival Regions III, VII, and VIII.

Curt has been the keynote speaker at the Utah Shakespearean Festival’s Wooden O Symposium; the European League of Institutes of the Arts (ELIA) Joint International Symposium with Columbia College, Chicago, IL;  National Arts Club in New York City; and the Shakespeare Connection Conference at the Grand Valley Shakespeare Festival. Additionally, he has upcoming keynote speaking engagements as the Gates-Ferry Distinguished  Visiting Lectureship at Centenary College; Personal Effectiveness and Employability Through the Arts (PEETA) International Symposium, Rotterdam, Netherlands; and the Jepson School of Leadership Study at the University of Richmond.

Curt has delivered two TED Talks. In 2012, at the TEDx Macatawa in Holland, Michigan where the subject of his talk was mercy and in 2010, at the TEDx East in New York City where the subject of his talk was shame. Additionally, he was a guest speaker at the Vibe Wire Youth, Inc. FastBREAK Breakfast Speaker Series in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. In September, Curt will be hosted at the IDEA Festival in Louisville to screen the SBB documentary, facilitate a post-screening audience talk-back, and chair a panel about Shakespeare in corrections.

Curt is the recipient of two distinctive fellowships, from the Fulbright Foundation and the Petra Foundation, for his work with Shakespeare in corrections. Curt’s 2011 Fulbright Senior Scholar Fellowship took him to Australia where he brought SBB to the Borallon Correctional Centre in Queensland.

Curt is a published poet and essayist who writes about the transformative power of art, theatre, and the works of William Shakespeare. He has three published essays - “As Performed: By Shakespeare Behind Bars at the Luther Luckett Correctional Complex in LaGrange, KY, 2003” in The Tempest, Chicago: Sourcebooks Shakespeare 2008 and “The Keeper of the Keys:Building a Successful Relationship with the Warden” in Performing New Lives: Reflections on Prison Theatre, London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers 2010. His third essay, published in the 2012 edition of the Shakespeare Survey, is co-written in with SBB/KY founding member Hal
Cobb - “Prospero Behind Bars: Redemption, Forgiveness, & Transformation”. His essay - “Shakespeare Goes to Prison: Holding the Transformative Mirror up to Nature: Responsibility, Forgiveness, and Redemption” won the University of Wyoming 2010 National Amy and Eric Burger Essays on Theatre Competition. Additionally, Curt continues to write his own book, Behind the Bard-Wire: Reflection, Responsibility, Redemption, & Forgiveness . . . The Transformative Power of Art, Theatre, and Shakespeare.

Curt is the recipient of a number of prestigious honors and awards, including a Doctor of Humane Letters from Bellarmine University, an Al Smith Fellowship in playwriting from the Kentucky Arts Council, the Fleur-de-lis Award from the Louisville Forum, the Mildred A. Dougherty Award from the Greater Louisville English Council, and a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Minnesota.

LaDonna Thompson Bio

LaDonna H. Thompson, began her career with the Kentucky Department of Corrections in 1989, made history when Governor Steve Beshear named her Commissioner, marking the first time a woman has been chosen for the top Kentucky Department of Corrections’ post.

As one of the original correctional officers at the Eastern Kentucky Correctional Complex, Thompson moved on to hold a position at Kentucky State Reformatory and Luther Luckett Correctional Complex in LaGrange.  She made her way up through the ranks, working with the VINE program (Victim Information and Notification Everyday), inmate classification and population management divisions.  Thompson spent two and a half years as Deputy Commissioner of the agency.

During her career in Corrections, Thompson received numerous awards, including three honors for distinguished service to the department. A graduate of the Leadership Kentucky class of 2007, her awards also include two for recommendations that resulted in fiscal savings for the Commonwealth. Thompson was a 2007 recipient of the “Breaking the Glass Ceiling” Award presented by the National Center for Women and Policing, and was selected as a participant in the 2006 NIC Executive Leadership for Women class.  Thompson is currently the Program & Training Committee Chair for the Midwest Division of the Association of State Correctional Administrators.

A graduate of Morehead State University, Thompson received her degree in psychology and sociology.

Larry Lucas Bio

Larry Lucas was incarcerated for twenty-seven years with the Kentucky Department of Corrections. During his years of confinement, Larry stayed active in his faith and took advantage of completing numerous education programs, including his certification as a legal aide. These educational programs were instrumental in helping Larry gain his release from prison and assist him in the process of becoming reacclimatized to society.

Larry was a member of Shakespeare Behind Bars at the Luther Luckett Correctional complex from March 2000 to the time of his release in 2010.

Following his release from prison, Larry found it difficult to find employment due to his criminal record. After completing a variety of job programs without being hired and filling out numerous job applications without getting a call back, Larry decided it was his “sink” or “swim” moment. Rather than “sink,” Larry started his own business. He borrowed money from his mother and sister, bought a lawnmower, and began to build LSL Enterprise. Today, Larry employs two part-time employees in LSL Enterprise that has grown to include a complete lawn care and landscaping service, as well as a janitorial and floor care service. Additionally, Larry is a sales representative for Health Daddy Wow.

Larry is a member of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. He is a full-time student at Jefferson Community and Technical College pursuing an Associates of Arts and an Associates of Applied Sciences Degree in Human Services.
Future plans include continuing to grow LSL Enterprise, helping others released from prison to find gainful employment, and earning his Bachelor’s degree. Larry’s ultimate goal is to move from success to significance.

Michelle Bombe Bio

Michelle Bombe (costume designer for Shakespeare Behind Bars, 1998-2008) is  Professor of Theatre, Director of Theatre, and Resident Costume Designer at Hope College in Holland, MI.  Michelle received her MFA in Design from University of Texas-Austin and has designed the costumes for over 100 productions for professional and academic theatre.   Michelle is Chair of Region III of the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.  Her professional credits include 10 seasons at the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, The Theatre of Monmouth, and Hope Summer Repertory Theatre. 

Steve Berry Bio

Steve Berry graduated from the University of Kentucky with a BS in1973 and received a MS in Criminal Justice from the University of Louisville in 1982.  He worked at the Kentucky State Reformatory as a Classification and Treatment Officer in 1974 and later worked as a Unit Director and Deputy Warden at that facility.  He also worked as Deputy Warden at Roederer Correctional Complex and Warden at Luckett Correctional Facility from 1994 -1998.