Photo Flash: First Look at The Shelter's GHOST LIGHT

The Off-Broadway theatre company The Shelter - an ensemble of writers, directors, actors and designers developing original works for the stage - will present the world premiere of their newest work, GHOST LIGHT, a collection of six original short plays performed on a bare stage below a single light. Preview performances of GHOST LIGHT began February 21 prior to an official press opening of February 24 at the Gloria Maddox Theatre (151 West 26th Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001) in Manhattan. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

By tradition, a ghost light is left lit on stage when a theater is unoccupied and would otherwise be completely dark. Some claim this ritual, which precedes the invention of electricity, to exist for reasons of safety, but according to superstition, this polite deference to the theater's resident spirits will avoid incurring their wrath - the forms of which may range from instances of minor bad luck to outright violence.

The Shelter's GHOST LIGHT is an intimate, theatrical affair with six short plays that makes effective use of an aggressively minimal setup: a single, caged work light (a "ghost light") hung above a bare stage, live music and sound effects, and a closely gathered audience - primed to let their imaginations fill the surrounding darkness with whatever forms the stories conjure.

The plays are: MAKE LOVE WITH THE LIGHTS ON by Bob Kolsby, directed by Beth Jastroch (dir. ART - "Robot Girl"); SCHUHPLATTLER by Meghan E. Jones (FAIRY TALE - "Dinner for the Queen"), directed by Lily Robbins; THE FLY SPACE by Beth Jastroch (FAIRY TALE - "Three Sisters and a Carnie"), directed by Michael Kingsbaker (dir. FAIRY TALE - "Three Sisters and a Carnie"); SEEN by Dave Lankford (NIGHT WINDOWS - "Night of the Living"), directed by Meghan E. Jones (dir. FAIRY TALE - "Kate"); ON WITH THE SHOW by Michael Sean McGuiness (ART - "Glyph"), directed by Olivia Killingsworth (dir. FAIRY TALE - "Terror on Haxos 9"); and INGREDIENTS FOR LOVE by Michael Kingsbaker (F***ING CHRISTMAS - "A Burn That Don't Come Out"), directed by Ian Bell.

The cast of GHOST LIGHT will feature Aubrey Ball, Danielle Beckmann, Ian Bell, Michael Bernstein, Katelyn Collins, Lawrence Crimlis, Loren Dunn, Andy Hassell, Morgan McGuire, Stephanie Ringstaff, Nick Stevens, Maiken Wiese, and Steven Alan Wilson. The design team for GHOST LIGHT includes Jonathan Ashley (The Shelter's Creative Director) and Andy Cohen (sound and music).

Currently celebrating its fourth season, The Shelter - under the guidance of Co-Artistic Directors Meghan E. Jones and Michael Kingsbaker and Executive Director Dave Lankford - is a family of artists creating original theatre for the New York stage. All productions are written, directed, acted and designed by its members and are collaboratively developed through the company's weekly Shelter Sunday workshop series. The heartbeat of The Shelter, Shelter Sunday provides a safe haven where writers, directors, and actors challenge themselves to refine their respective crafts through hard work, creative exercise, experimentation and artistic discourse.

Through its productions, The Shelter strives to connect with patrons seeking innovative, independently produced theatre with a focus on character-driven storytelling. Past productions include: THE SHELTER PRESENTS: ART (2012), FAIRY TALE (2011), NIGHT WINDOWS (2011), F***ING CHRISTMAS (2010), MOTEL (2010) and 3:56 AM (2009).

Earlier this season, The Shelter presented their one-night-only, immersive, ensemble theatre experience: SOARWARD HOLIDAY PARTY. Up next from The Shelter will be LILY & KOSMO, a comedic space opera for all ages performed live in the style of a 1950's radio drama, in Spring 2013.

The Shelter's GHOST LIGHT runs February 21 through March 3, with performances Thursday through Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 3pm at the Gloria Maddox Theatre (151 West 26th Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001) in Manhattan. Tickets are $18 and can be purchased online at www.theshelternyc.org or at the door.

For more information about GHOST LIGHT or The Shelter, visit www.theshelternyc.org.