A single fluorescent light in a dark theater conveyed a message to the incoming president’s agenda: unity.
About 30 people came to the Hippodrome State Theatre on Thursday afternoon to participate in the nationwide Ghostlight Project, a display of community on the eve of the presidential inauguration, said Lauren Warhol Caldwell, the artistic director.
A ghostlight is a single light left on in theaters to represent that the stage is always ready for a performance, she said. For the project, the light showed the theater’s acceptance to people, regardless of background.
Earlier that day, The Hill reported that Trump plans to eliminate the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities, which fund arts programs in schools.
“We are not against Donald Trump,” Caldwell said. “We hope he listens to us.”
When they filled the theater, Caldwell asked everyone to turn on their phone flashlights to make a beacon around the ghostlight.
She told the crowd that the theater is a safe place. After her speech, she embraced Jessica Hurov, the Hippodrome’s managing director, and broke out in silent tears.
“We are scared,” she said.
Ariel Reich, a 21-year-old actor and UF theatre performance senior, positioned the papers everyone wrote around the light for a picture.
“I think a little bit of light can banish a lot of darkness,” she said.
@paigexfry
pfry@alligator.org
