You saw the Dancing Inmates of Cebu do “Thriller.” You probably saw them do “They Don't Really Care About Us.” But! Did you know that the Dancing Inmates have inspired an avant-garde multi-part interactive web drama?
It's called Prison Dancer:
… an original interactive musical web series inspired by the viral Youtube phenomenon, the “Dancing Inmates of Cebu.” Featuring a cast of Youtube stars and some of the most exciting Filipino musical talent emerging in North America, Prison Dancer is “Glee meets Miss Saigon” wrapped in a “choose your own”adventure. Filled with catchy pop tunes, star-crossed lovers, and engaging interactive elements, Prison Dancer brings together the best of Broadway and Youtube entertainment and takes transmedia storytelling to the next level.
Prison Dancer: the Interactive Web Musical is the story of 6 Filipino prisoners whose lives are forever changed by the dancing rehabilitation program that eventually became a worldwide viral sensation on Youtube. Through surveillance footage, interviews with inmates inside the prison, and good old fashioned investigative journalism, pop culture journalist Matt Wells uncovers the personal, poignant, hilarious and universal stories of 6 prison dancers whose group dancing turned a maximum security jailhouse into a world stage. Behind the prison walls, we meet inmates Ruperto Poblador aka LOLA, who (along with his gay minions OO OO and NANA), choreographs the first prison dance routines, HOOKAPS, (the prison hustler), SHAKESPEARE (the prison's resident poet) and CHRISTIAN, (the prison's newest inmate) and discover a tale of life, death, dreams, fears and ultimately, redemption.
Episode four is out now. Watch AFTER THE JUMP …
