“A firefly that flies too far and burns too bright.” These are the words to describe a generational line of women whose spirits are forced to be contained by their political surroundings. As Hotaru looks back on her life, confronting her time in the Japanese internment camps, her granddaughter, Chiyako, looks forward to her future, unsure of how to proceed in a way that will both fulfill her own desires and live up to the sacrifices her family has made for her. In this new play, inherited experience ties these two generations together as they fight for the freedom to love while inhabiting a skin they can’t escape. 

A Capstone in Playwriting by Lindsey Ruzza. A Capstone in Acting by Lizzy Moreno. A Capstone in Acting by Dara Pohl Feldman.

What happens when power is abused and the lines are blurred? "In the Spotlight" is an original play based on the mental, physical and sexual abuse perpetrated by the artistic director at the Profiles Theatre in Chicago in 2016. Follow Maya and Violet as they both navigate exploitation and realize the power of female friendship. In an age fraught with confusion and pain, this play attempts to answer questions like how do we hold perpetrators accountable, how do we move on, and how do we reclaim our power?

“A firefly that flies too far and burns too bright.” These are the words to describe a generational line of women whose spirits are forced to be contained by their political surroundings. As Hotaru looks back on her life, confronting her time in the Japanese internment camps, her granddaughter, Chiyako, looks forward to her future, unsure of how to proceed in a way that will both fulfill her own desires and live up to the sacrifices her family has made for her. In this new play, inherited experience ties these two generations together as they fight for the freedom to love while inhabiting a skin they can’t escape. 

A play by Jennifer Haley. A Capstone in Directing by Jason Karos. A Capstone in Production/Media Design by Rebecca Brill Weitz. 

We can begin where our bodies end; images-ideas-can create reality. In Jennifer Haley's The Nether, friction between the real world and the virtual world of "The Nether" culminates when Detective Morris investigates into a special realm called "The Hideaway." Slowly, Detective Morris and the residents of “The Hideaway” are forced to come to terms with all of what makes them who they are.

A Capstone in Playwriting by Lindsey Ruzza. A Capstone in Acting by Lizzy Moreno. A Capstone in Acting by Dara Pohl Feldman.

What happens when power is abused and the lines are blurred? "In the Spotlight" is an original play based on the mental, physical and sexual abuse perpetrated by the artistic director at the Profiles Theatre in Chicago in 2016. Follow Maya and Violet as they both navigate exploitation and realize the power of female friendship. In an age fraught with confusion and pain, this play attempts to answer questions like how do we hold perpetrators accountable, how do we move on, and how do we reclaim our power?