PUNCH Will Offer Post-Show Conversations Following Select Performances

Manhattan Theatre Club has announced a slate of Beyond the Stage programming around their Broadway premiere of Punch, which will offer audiences and the general public opportunities to enrich their experience with the show.

Based on a true story, Punch is by two-time Olivier Award winner James Graham (INK) and is directed by Adam Penford. As Jacob tears through Nottingham in a whirlwind of drugs, girls, and bar fights, he makes a fatal mistake that lands him in prison. But as he struggles to accept the consequences of his actions and build a new life, he finds an unusual source of salvation: the parents of the boy he killed.

“We are proud to create these meaningful conversations which deepen the impact of the story of Jacob Dunne,” said MTC Executive Director Chris Jennings. “We are deeply grateful to the participating leaders, thinkers, and community organizations who have joined us in championing this production.” Playwright James Graham said, “MTC stands for really big, bold pieces of new writing that aren't afraid to look at the world and have some difficult conversations.”

Events Include:

September 12: The Real People Behind Punch: Navigating Healing and Forgiveness

Purchase a ticket and join in following the 8 PM show for a one-night-only conversation with the real people who are portrayed in Punch. Our audiences will get an intimate look into how the true story of Jacob Dunne was dramatized for the Broadway stage, and how those impacted by Jacob—including the parents of his victim—have formed an unlikely bond in the name of advocacy, healing, and forgiveness. This dynamic post-show conversation will be moderated by Broadway News journalist Ruthie Fierberg and will feature Olivier Award-winning playwright James Graham and director Adam Penford, as well as the parents of James Hodgkinson, Joan Scourfield and David Hodgkinson, and their court-appointed restorative justice facilitator, Nicola Fowler.

September 25: The Healing Power of the Arts

Purchase a ticket and join in after the 7 PM performance for a conversation that amplifies how art can provide a pathway to personal and collective healing. Hear from community change-makers who activate the arts as a vehicle for advocacy and social change, and unpack how people access art as a tool for self-expression, individual transformation, and universal connection. Layman Lee (Senior Director of Neighborhood Safety Initiatives, Center for Justice Innovation), Jamie Maleszka-Tate (Director of Creative Arts, The Fortune Society), and Michael McElroy (Executive Director of Collaboration and Performance, NYU Tisch Art & Public Policy) will participate in this discussion moderated by Gabbie Ballesteros (Assistant Director of Learning and Community Engagement, MTC).

October 15: What is Restorative Justice?

Purchase a ticket and join in after the 8 PM performance for a conversation exploring the transformative power of restorative justice. What exactly is it, and how does it differ from the traditional legal process? Susan Abraham (New York Law School) and Felix B. Rosado (Cofounder, Let's Circle Up) will use the true story behind Punch, as well as real-world practices in New York and across the United States to introduce the audience to the core principles of restorative justice, and how this work can aid in healing, accountability, community well-being, and safety.

In addition to these dynamic panel discussions, Manhattan Theatre Club has also announced the CIRCLE UP Saturday talkback series in partnership with the Center for Justice Innovation (CJI). Inspired by the restorative justice circle practices depicted in Punch, audience members are invited to stay after select matinee performances for a talkback co-facilitated by a Manhattan Theatre Club Teaching Artist and a NYC-based restorative justice practitioner. This series launches on September 20 and continues every Saturday through October 25.

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