MCLENNAN COUNTY, Texas — One local man started using his life-changing story to help change the lives of others in Central Texas. Jamison Charles is a Beaumont, Texas, Native who was incarcerated as a teen but didn't let that stop him from becoming a writer.
- Charles put pen to paper at 18 years old and began writing a story to help transform his life. The book is called "SAVED-ish: Sometimes it’s Hell gettin' to Heaven.
- The book is now turned into a stage play. His first performance was in Beaumont with more than 700 people—his second performance hit 1,400 people.
- Charles' emphasizes the play is a story of redemption and has turned into his ministry, helping him inspire others.
- The play is about real-life Christians going through real-life situations, but it's not just for Christians. It's for anyone who enjoys drama, laughter, and a story behind it.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“It started on a blank sheet of paper inside a prison cell,” Jamison Charles said.
Incarcerated as a teen, Jamison Charles put pen to paper at just 18 years old and started to write "SAVED-ish: Sometimes it’s Hell gettin' to Heaven"
“It’s not always about your religion. It’s about your relationship—your relationship with God is the ultimate game changer,” Jamison Charles said.
After publishing his book in 2022, the now 49-year-old is taking it to the stage.
“I wanted to write about a tumultuous life and because we all live that way, and you need to know that yeah it’s raining, and year the sun is going o come out but sometime your learn more in the rain than you do when the sun is out,” Jamison Charles said.
It’s a redemption story with gospel music, rapping, and life-changing moments.
“This was written in prison, and my change and evolvement happened there. People in prison need to see this,” Charles said.
Charles’ inspiring play is the only play in America that gets streamed into prisons nationwide. He said a small light in their lives can spark a change.
“They think the world of this because they can see themselves like, wait a minute. I can do that— I can go out and become a truck driver. I can go out and be an entrepreneur. I can go out an be a great dad, even though life started this way for me, It’s not going to end this way,” Jamison Charles said.
The play will be this Saturday night at Lee Lockwood Library. Doors open at 5 p.m.; the play begins at 6 p.m. You can purchase tickets here.
