Colman Domingo Leads a Theater Troupe of Prisoners

Colman Domingo is on a remarkable run, and ahead of Oscar night and his nomination for “Rustin,” A24 has released the first trailer for his next moving drama, “Sing Sing.”

Greg Kwedar directed “Sing Sing,” which follows the true story of a leader of a theater troupe in prison and how they use acting to escape the realities of their incarceration, putting on a play all while Domingo’s character is seeking parole. The film is based on a real-life rehabilitation program, and the movie even features a cast that includes formerly incarcerated actors.

Domingo leads the cast that also includes Paul Raci, an Oscar nominee for “Sound of Metal.” And A24, which picked up the film out of last year’s Toronto International Film Festival, has announced it is eyeing a theatrical release this July for the movie. It will have its U.S. premiere at the SXSW Film festival on Friday.

In the trailer, we see Domingo during a clemency hearing, talking about the remarkable growth and life that doing theater has given him and others in the program, only for the parole officer to question whether he’s “acting during this interview,” causing the expression on his face to sink. The film looks like another acting showcase from Domingo.

“The world expects brothers like you and I to walk in with our heads held down,” he says to one of his students in an inspiring turn. “Nah, you’ve got to walk in like a king! Everything is yours!”

“Sing…