R-S Theatrics Announces Virtual Discussion Series WHILE THE GHOSTLIGHT BURNS

R-S Theatrics has announced a new virtual discussion series featuring Artistic Director Sarah Lynne Holt in conversation with artists from the St. Louis theatre community. Conceived as a way to welcome artists and audience members alike into conversations about the topics and issues at the forefront of theatre today, this programming will serve as a means to connect not only during the COVID-19 pandemic, but also during the company's non-performance periods going forward. Says Holt, "Even before this extended period off-stage, we'd been exploring ways to stay in touch with our extended R-S family outside of the few weeks we perform each season. While the Ghostlight Burns will give us a flexible way to keep those relationships fresh while also allowing us to meaningfully contribute to some of the most important conversations going on in theatre. Since the pandemic left stages across the country dark, theatre artists have been saying we've left the ghostlight on in a clear message that we intend to come back. With this series, we want to be equally clear that while those ghostlights burn, we haven't stopped working and exploring the ways theatre can come back stronger than ever."

While the Ghostlight Burns will stream on Mondays at 7:00 p.m. CT on the R-S Theatrics Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/RSTHEATRICS) and R-S Theatrics website (http://r-stheatrics.com/index.html) with archived video preserved in both those locations and uploaded to the R-S Theatrics YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7q3T3s44aiS0KJNIDJnM6w). Whenever possible, conversations will be streamed live, although some guests may need to be prerecorded for logistical reasons. During livestreams, viewers will be able to comment on the Facebook stream. The series schedule will be announced at least two weeks in advance, with breaks for holidays and while the company is actively in production on other projects.

The series launches on November 2, 2020, with guest Adam Flores, the Manager of Community Engagement and Education at St. Louis Shakespeare Festival. The guest for November 9, 2020, is playwright, composer and lyricist Shualee Cook, and writer, producer and director Darrious Varner will be featured November 16, 2020.

R-S Theatrics is a small professional theatre company in residence at Kranzberg Arts Foundation in St. Louis, Missouri. Our mission is to present St. Louis-area professional premieres of work that introduces new voices to important conversations in our community. Since launching in May of 2011, R-S has produced acclaimed productions of Parade, In the Heights, Every Brilliant Thing, and The Motherf**ker with the Hat, among many others.

Host Sarah Lynne Holt (she/her) has been a theatre artist in St. Louis since 2001. She holds a directing degree from Millikin University and has helmed shows at The Midnight Company, Solid Lines Productions, The Q Collective, Kirkwood Theatre Guild, That Uppity Theatre Company, PRIME, The Non-Prophet Theater Company, and The Tin Ceiling. At R-S Theatrics, she has directed boom, A Perfect Arrangement, and numerous other projects, including four years of shows in partnership with The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis's WiseWrite Young Playwrights' Festival. She began working with R-S in 2014, served on the Board of Directors from 2015-2018, and has been Artistic Director since January 2020. Sarah previously held staff positions with Arcon Radio Players, The Non-Prophet Theatre Company, Last Chance Theatre, and Blue Lemon Theatre Group.

While the Ghostlight Burns can be found streaming on the R-S Theatrics Facebook Page (https://www.facebook.com/RSTHEATRICS) and R-S Theatrics website (http://r-stheatrics.com/index.html) on Mondays at 7:00 p.m. CT, starting November 2, 2020.