Actor's Express to Take Part in THE GHOSTLIGHT PROJECT Tomorrow

At 5:30 p.m. on January 19, 2017 Actor's Express will join over 500 theaters, ensembles and companies, and high school and university theater programs as they gather across the country to light a light and make 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 part of The Ghostlight Project.

The Ghostlight Project will bring together participating organizations in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. From Broadway to high school auditoriums, members of the theater community will gather from coast to coast in each time zone to light a light and make a pledge. Inspired by the theatrical tradition of keeping a "ghost light" on in a darkened theater, we create light for the challenging times ahead.

Saheem Ali, Director and member of the Ghostlight Project Steering Committee says, "The act of expressing something out loud has significance. [It] demonstrates solidarity and a firmness of belief. Our most solemn ceremonies-weddings, graduations, ordinations-are by design public and communal because they demand witnesses. By standing outside the privacy afforded by one's four walls and declaring something in full voice, one asks to be held accountable for the stance being taken."

Anyone interested in attending AE's event is encouraged to arrive by 5:15 p.m. The program will be brief. Come as you are and meet other people interested in utilizing the arts to promote and preserve social justice in our country.

Since our founding in 1988, we have sought to nurture the next generation of playwrights through workshops, readings, and full productions of new plays; to develop and nurture Atlanta's artistic community through theatre training; to catalyze the dialogue essential to the vitality of our neighborhood and our city; and to enhance Atlanta's reputation nationally as a thriving center for live performance.

Actor's Express is located on the west side of Atlanta in the King Plow Arts Center at 887 W. Marietta Street, Suite J-107, Atlanta, Georgia 30318.