“Whenever I walk down a street, I find myself fascinated by the glow of windows and the curtains drawn across them, knowing that behind each one lives a world of its own. A microcosm of hopes, dreams, heartbreaks, and laughter.”
Playwright Dana Hall offers the information above in her program note—a little inspiration into what drove her to write Refracted Light. We do not always know what is going on behind closed doors, and oftentimes, we move too quickly through our own lives to even wonder. However, when one does slow down and opens their eyes or asks the right questions, they might begin to learn a little more about someone else’s story.
Refracted Light centers on a family in Chicago. Penny (Jamie Lee) is about to head off to college; however, she is not quite feeling ready for this life change. Her parents, Ted (Zach Kunde) and Lucy (Jessica Lauren Fisher) each have their own thoughts on the matter. While Ted feels Penny is ready, Lucy is feeling a bit more hesitant, worried about what might happen to her daughter when she’s not immediately present to take care of her. These smaller worries and doubts take a big shift when Penny runs away, leaving her parents and Aunt Becky (Kim Wilson Buck) unsure of their next steps. Will they find Penny, and how will they help her when they do?
Directed by Natividad Salgado, the design team stays true to Hall’s intentions in her program note—particularly in how the audience is granted a glimpse into this family’s personal life. Scenic designer Cassie McKnight invites us into the Harris home, with a specific and detailed design that highlights the growing chaos within the family. As things begin to spiral out of control and Lucy is unsure of how to handle her family, the organization with the house cleverly mirrors the journey. Lighting designer Amina Gilbert and sound designer Kate Schnetzer collaborate to heighten the tenser moments of the piece through their designs, particularly in how they bring a moodier feel to the transitions.
Writing about mental health can be a challenging task. Hall’s play sheds light on how the struggles for Penny and Becky create obstacles for the family to come together. Both women battle challenges with bipolar disorder. Rather than focusing specifically on the individual journeys for these women, Hall smartly writes a story about how that truth impacts the family’s larger struggle of wanting to help but not quite understanding how. While Penny and Becky are looking for autonomy, Lucy and Ted fear what could happen if they are not able to catch their loved ones when they fall.
Ultimately, this conflict creates tension, and at a certain point, they all need to learn to communicate their needs if the family is ever going to move forward. There were some moments where the story seemed to veer off and it was unclear on which character we were meant to focus. However, the overall message did find its way through.
Mental health is an important and often taboo topic—one that we continue to learn how to talk about in our everyday. Offering a window into this specific family dynamic can invite conversations to begin, and Hall should be celebrated for tackling this topic that is so often pushed aside. No one should have to be alone in trying to figure any of this out—whether in the place of Penny, Becky, or the parents just wanting to support. While this particular world premiere production had some shaky and unclear elements, I have hopes that with continued work, Hall’s piece can continue to grow.
Refracted Light runs through September 27 at the Edge Theater, 5451 N Broadway. Run time is 2 hours and 15 minutes, with an intermission. For tickets and information, see the Eclectic Full Contact Theatre website.
For more information on this and other productions, see theatreinchicago.com.
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