NYC Filmmakers To Produce Documentary Focused On Theatre Superstitions, Traditions, And How The Industry Is Changing

A "ghost light" is a single light that is left onstage after the audience, cast, and crew have left the theater for the night. The practical use of this light is to protect the theater workers from falling in the dark. However, a popular superstition, believed by many thespians, is that a ghost light is left on so that spirits of a theater have a light to perform in...

A small group of filmmakers are tackling this subject in an upcoming documentary. Using the superstition as an anchor, "Ghost Light" will dive into timeless theatre superstitions, rituals, traditions, and beliefs from New York City theaters that create a universal theatre language. This week the documentary team will launch an Indiegogo in hopes to raise funds to successfully shoot, edit, and distribute the film over the course of the next year.

The mission with the film is to reach as many people, from different backgrounds as possible, to illuminate the superstitions and traditions that make theatre tick. The filmmakers will engage directly with the NYC theatre community, giving them a spotlight to tell their stories and explain what theatre means to them. By collaborating with these theater spaces and artists, the team hopes to help them grow their own platforms. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to reimagine theatre as we knew it, as the industry has had to adjust to an online format. The creativity and the coming together (from a distance!) of the theatre community this past year has shown just how resilient this industry is. Theatre is constantly evolving but has maintained certain superstitions and traditions that make it magical. Through Ghost Light, the filmmakers want to talk directly with NYC theaters and individuals in the community to hear how they've been impacted and to give them a platform to tell their stories. In a way, Ghost Light will serve as a love letter to theatre.

Brooke Yunis, the film's director, who is originally from Anchorage, Alaska, grew up surrounded by music, dance, and theatre. Her love for theatre later turned into a passion for filmmaking and, through this documentary, hopes to share her love for theatre and get others excited about it. Brooke was nominated for a Southeast Emmy Award for a short version of the documentary, and has had several other film festival successes.

The "Ghost Light" team has developed several exciting perks for your contribution to their Indiegogo. You have the opportunity to receive custom merchandise like t-shirts, hoodies, posters, stickers, mugs, and bags, and can even become an Executive Producer of the film with your name in the credits. These items could make a wonderful gift for the theatre-nerd in your life, or just a great way to support the arts.

From Off-Broadway to Broadway theaters, to interviews with performers, stage managers, writers, directors, choreographers, etc., the "Ghost Light" team will venture behind the curtain to uncover the superstitions and traditions that are as mesmerizing as the theaters themselves.

Links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ghostlightdoc/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ghostlightdoc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ghostlightdoc