CWU students, staff, faculty and alumni are encouraged to propose their ideas for the Ghostlight Lab Series, which gives them a chance to share their voices and ideas. The Ghostlight Lab Series is a branch of the theatre department that creates diverse shows. The series stemmed from the Ghostlight Project that started over two years ago after the 2016 presidential election. According to Dr. Emily Rollie, founder of the Ghostlight Lab Series, the Ghostlight Project was a national initiative led by theatre artists concerning inclusion, diversity and acceptance in the field and in the nation at large.

“They encouraged us to symbolically light the ghostlight. To gather outside our spaces, and then pledge ourselves to be interested and devoted to creating diverse, safe, brave spaces for artists of all backgrounds,” Rollie said. “It’s an experimental space for students and faculty to create art about social issues and talk about diversity and inclusion, and to be brave when talking about these issues by using art to open up those conversations, and having more productive, inclusive conversations.”

The shows hosted by the Ghostlight Lab Series can be experimental in style and location. A Ghostlight Lab Series project can be anything from a play to a flash mob, it just depends on the proposals sent in by the students. There are endless possibilities as to what a Ghostlight production can be and where it can take place. In the past, shows have taken place in McConnell Hall, the 1891 Bistro and Hertz Hall. The show being presented in the spring, “Round The Mountain” was written by recent CWU alumnus Cameron Houg and will be hosted in the Tower Theatre.

Libby Akin, a senior on the Ghostlight Lab Series steering committee majoring in theatre arts design and production, was elected and nominated to be on the committee last year. Akin has a lot of experience producing entertainment after working on shows such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Akin loves to see people’s work come to life and to be a helpful hand in making that happen. She discussed why students should come to see future Ghostlight Lab Series productions.

“We offer something that you’re not going to see on the main stage from the theatre department and it’s also a chance to see up-and-coming artists and fresh ideas. A lot of the stuff we do has been written by students and designers who work here, so all of it is something really new, interesting, edgy, cutting edge and fun,” Akin said. “You might be inspired in a way that you never thought you would be.”

There are two faculty members on the committee, Emily Rollie and Jason Tucholke, and two students, Libby Akin and Riley Allen. Allen is a senior majoring in theatre design and production. Allen discussed what he likes most about being a part of the Ghostlight Lab Series.

“I like that we are really open to actively trying to engage students to bring in a bunch of different ideas. Between last year and this year, we have had a number of really fun projects spanning a variety of topics. I enjoy that we’re bringing in a bunch of different ideas,” Allen said. “I saw that there were a lot of voices and ideas in the department that could use that opportunity and could use somebody that was motivated to help get them get up off the ground.”

If you have an idea for the project, the committee can help bring it to life. To propose a project, email [email protected] or talk to one of the members of the steering committee.