At 6 p.m. Thursday, church bells rang over a group of more than 30 people standing on the Greenfield Town Common in the yellow glow of a “ghostlight.”
“It’s a safety factor,” said Amherst playwright Richard Ballon. “Anytime you’ve cleared a (theater) set, you put a ghostlight in the middle of the stage. A ghostlight protects a person from falling off the stage and breaking their neck.
“Theater has always been the place for diversity. It’s the freedom of voice for criticism.”
The event, held the day before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, was hosted by Silverthorne Theater outside The Arts Block as part The Ghostlight Project, a national initiative promoting values of inclusion and compassion. Nationally, groups gathered in all 50 states lighting ‘ghostlights’ at precisely the same time, 5:30 p.m.
In Greenfield, some held candles, others, lanterns, flashlights and cellphones. A somber tone exuded tangibly through the voices of about 10 people who publicly shared thoughts, quotes and poems.
“The heart that beats for justice is the source we’ll soon need,” Shelburne poet Allen Harris read. “Between us there is more power in light than darkness can ever vanquish.”
David Rowland, who helped start Silverthorne Theater along with Lucinda Kidder, encouraged attendees not to condemn fellow citizens who don’t hold the same perspectives; rather, he said, unity will come “by extending compassion.”
“This is precisely what we need — grassroots efforts, people rolling up their sleeves to make changes,” said Steven Goldsher, owner of The Arts Block.
In a prepared speech, Kidder read, “Like a ghostlight, the light we create tonight will represent our commitment to safeguard. It will symbolize safe harbor for our values and for any among us who find ourselves targeted.”
Before the group dispersed, singer Annie Hassett sang a rendition of “Brand New Way,” her voice echoing through the center of town.
“Let it be uplifting in a time of seemingly darkness. The light is present in this situation,” she said about the performance.
At the Turners Falls gathering, about 60 people showed up at the Shea Theater to light candles, sing and discuss their plans and activism for the upcoming Trump administration.
“This is your home, and you may always feel safe here,” Linda McInerney from Eggtooth Productions said to the crowd gathered outside.
The event then moved into the Shea, where anyone could fill out an a sheet of paper that says “I am, I fight for” and list their identities and what brought them out Thursday night.
There was a mix of heavy emotions and concerns for the new administration but also a sense of optimism on Thursday night. Those who attended renewed or established their commitment to causes like keeping art in schools, staying politically active, or to engage and embrace differences among community members.
“The one really positive thing to come out of this is that there’s a feeling of activism and coming together in community,” said Gail Conner, a participant from Greenfield.
She came out because she’s been involved in theater most of her life, and she plans on attending one of the women’s rallies on Saturday.
The Turners Falls event was a partnership between the Shea, Eggtooth Productions and TheaterTruck. Brianna Slone, a co-founder of TheaterTruck, said the event is an invitation to the theater community to pledge social action, an idea that Linda Tardiff of the Shea and McInerney from Eggtooth both reaffirmed.
“It’s not just tonight, but tonight starts something bigger,” Sloane said.
Linda Tardiff, the new director of the Shea, echoed those statements and said that the Shea will continue to be a place where everyone can come and be accepted. She said that being able to host something like this is important because it sets the tone for the days to come.
McInerney agreed. Tomorrow she’s taking the train to Washington, D.C., to join the women’s march and she wore her pink knitted hat at Thursday night’s event. She said she’s lived through a lot of different political movements, and this is the first time she’s felt compelled to attend rallies and be an activist.
“Let’s make change, baby,” she said.