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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.
The Play Free crew works with a resident of the Topeka Correctional Facility and their child. (Queren King-Orozco/Contributed photo)
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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