UofSC Theatre & Dance Stands Up to Intolerance with THE GHOSTLIGHT PROJECT

The University of SC Department of Theatre and Dance has joined The Ghostlight Project, a national movement of theatre artists standing up against intolerance.

The Department will host a gathering on January 19, 2017 at 5:30pm in Longstreet Theatre to publicly launch the initiative. Hundreds of theaters around the nation will stage similar events on the eve of the Presidential Inauguration, during which participants will join in a collective, simultaneous action, together creating "light" for challenging times ahead. Inspired by the tradition of leaving a "ghost light" on in a darkened theater, artists and communities will make or renew a pledge to stand for and protect the values of inclusion, participation, and compassion for everyone--regardless of race, class, religion, country of origin, immigration status, (dis)ability, gender identity, or sexual orientation.

As stated by the national project's organizers, "January 19th is a moment of gathering within a larger resistance to intolerance at all levels. We aim to create brave spaces that will serve as lights in the coming years. We aim to activate a network of people across the country working to support vulnerable communities. This is not a substitution for protests or direct action, but rather a pledge for continued vigilance and increased advocacy."

Longstreet Theatre will be the site for the ceremony, during which a new "ghost light" will be dedicated as a symbol of the department's pledge to be a safe space for all, staging works that open eyes and hearts to the entirety of the human experience. The light will be placed in the Longstreet Theatre lobby after the ceremony, where it will remain permanently lit. Longstreet Theatre is located at 1300 Greene St. The theatre's entrance is located in the rear breezeway.

The gathering is open to all. Participants are asked to bring their own light (smartphone lights, flashlights, etc) to create a collective beacon emphasizing a shared pledge of honoring diversity in the university's theatre spaces. Participants will also be encouraged to write down their personal commitments to creating an environment of inclusion on provided pledge cards, and share those pledges via social media using the hashtags #GhostlightProject, #AllAreWelcome and #BeALight.

For more information on The Ghostlight Project, visit www.theghostlightproject.com.

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