Catch a screening of a short documentary from a Lawrence filmmaker capturing one day of a program where incarcerated mothers can play with their children outside of prison walls.
The Play Free program at the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center launched as a pilot in 2018. It uses play-based learning to strengthen relationships between incarcerated parents and their kids, according to the website.
The “Play Free” documentary, directed by Lawrencian Stephen Lerner, is an inside look at a day in the program.
“The film follows incarcerated mothers as they reunite with their children for a day of uninterrupted play at the Kansas Children’s Discovery Center — away from prison walls, guards, and the barriers that separate families impacted by incarceration,” the event page reads.
After the screening, Lerner and Dené Mosier, CEO of the discovery center and founder of the Play Free program, will participate in a Q&A.
The screening will start at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12 at the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St.
Tickets are free but required for entry. Get yours at this link.
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Wulfe Wulfemeyer (they/them), reporter and news editor, has worked with The Lawrence Times since May 2025. They can be reached at [email protected].
Read their complete bio here. Read their work for the Times here.
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