George Martorano, who spent 32 years of incarceration, will bring his captivating experiences to the stage at Craft Hall, 901 N. Delaware Ave., on Feb. 22 at 7 p.m.
Martorano, son of the late, infamous Philly mobster Long John Martorano, has been telling his fascinating story on stage and in countless interviews since his release from an otherwise life sentence in 2015.
After 32 years of incarceration, Martorano became eligible for a Compassionate Release program at the age of 65 and was released from prison. Martorano’s life sentence drew widespread criticism regarding how a first-time, non-violent offender could receive such severe punishment, especially since much of the case revolved around marijuana.
His case was also seen as part of a broader effort by federal authorities to pressure him to provide information about mob activities and his family ties. However, Martorano maintained he had no knowledge of criminal activities and refused to cooperate. As a result, he was sent to some of the country’s most dangerous prisons with the most dangerous and notorious criminals in American history including his one-time cellmate, John Gotti.
“I decided I wasn’t going to become among the walking dead and transformed my prison life into becoming an educator, writer and mentor,” Martorano said. “My writing classes educated over 8,000 prisoners.”
From “the hole” to the stage, Martorano tells all in this intimate setting. Andrea Giovino, author of “Divorced From The Mob,” TV personality, crime commentator, motivational speaker and true crime podcaster, will open for Martorano, followed by his monologue and a screening of the award-winning short film, “Georgie.”
Tickets are available at https://shop.georgemartorano.com/pages/events. For more information about George’s life, visit https://georgemartorano.com/.
