Hello Friend,

Our next production, Project Dawn  - commissioned by People’s Light through the New Play Frontiers program – has been many years and countless partnerships in the making.

During the process of play development, I have had the privilege to visit and connect with representatives of Project Dawn Court in Philadelphia, the inspired setting and focal point of Karen Hartman’s play. Each time, I was struck by the abounding humanity in the courtroom. Here we have a revolutionary problem-solving court program staffed by a group of kick-ass criminal justice professionals and social workers, all volunteering their time in a uniquely collaborative effort to transform the lives of program participants – each a woman with multiple prostitution convictions. But first and foremost, participants are thought of and treated like people; like women – daughters, sisters, mothers, and grandmothers, which they are – instead of a default setting of criminal or a number.

Born of this region, Project Dawn represents one of the most tangible, not-to-mention meaningful, examples of reciprocal community investment at play in this company (and there are many). Local donors and nationally-focused funders alike have contributed to the life of this project over years of development. These gifts enabled People’s Light to engage a playwright of Karen Hartman’s caliber and embed her in our community to glean inspiration for this play. On the grassroots level, our first-ever crowd-funding campaign inspired 53 generous community members to step forward and contribute $15,000+ toward subsidized play tickets for hundreds of volunteers and professionals in our region working with vulnerable populations.

Additionally, we typically offer complementing surround programs with our productions. And for this play it’s surrounded, alright; with a smorgasbord of offerings for a diverse range of interests. We have also amassed a slate of meaningful resources, linked to themes and ideas within the play (to access: click here and visit the resources tab). There are many points of entry and opportunities to engage more deeply in this work, but if there are others you wish to recommend, I want to hear about it – so please let me know.

It’s hard to contain my excitement for this production. The whole team at People’s Light is most eager to share Project Dawn with you and, in the spirit of deep-seated community investment, hope you will in turn share it with others...

Marcie Bramucci,
Director of Community Investment

Published Script

As another exciting first(!), we have worked with the publishing house Samuel French to print The Kumi & Bill Martin Limited Edition publication of Project Dawn. Copies of these scripts will be available for purchase at the theatre before and after performances, Karen’s insights above are excerpted from her Introduction in this printed text. 

Continuing Eduction/Training courses

Each on-campus course offering is paired with attendance at a performance of Project Dawn. Click the titles to download informational PDFs.

“Working with Female Survivors of Commercial Sexual Exploitation”
Pennsylvania Society for Clinical Social Work (PSCSW)
3 CE credits available
Sunday 6/25, 1:00-4:30PM

"Nursing Insights: How to Identify and Treat Survivors of Commercial Sexual Exploitation"
Nursing Education Contact Hours – Pennsylvania State Nurses Association (PSNA)
Up to 3 CNE Hours available
Friday 6/16, Tuesday 6/20, Friday 6/30, & Friday 7/7, 7:30PM

“Project Dawn: Play and Panel on Sexual Exploitation”
Brandywine Division of NASW-PA
3 CE credits available
Wednesday 6/28, 5:30PM

"Trauma Exposure Response and the Ethics of Self Care"
Center for Excellence in Advocacy
3.0 Substantive CEUS and 3.0 CLEs (2.0 Substantive and 1 Ethics) available
Sunday 7/9, 2:00-5:30PM

OFF-CAMPUS TRAINING
Community Tickets

“Introduction to Human Trafficking for Law Enforcement”
Co-presented by the Crime Victims’ Center of Chester County, Inc. & People’s Light
at the Chester County Public Safety Training Campus, 137 Modena Road in Coatesville
Wednesday 6/21, 10:00 – 11:30AM

Residency Spotlight

In his double-life as Artist-in-Residence and Drama Director at the Pathway School, Pete Pryor recently teamed up with Samantha Reading (Stage Manager); Will Scribner (Scenic Designer); and Bridget Brennan (Costume Designer) to direct Frog and Toad with a cast of 19 student-performers!

The Pathway School is a non-profit school founded in 1961 that serves students with Autism Spectrum Disorders, Intellectual Disabilities, serious emotional disturbance and other neurological impairments. The school strives to build academic, social, and life skills in students with special needs, to promote their success and independence after Pathway.

Producing three plays in a year, the Theatre Arts program is a major tenet of the Pathway School experience. The Theatre Arts program was also the recent focus of a study by Butler University researchers, who confirmed the positive impacts of theatre on social and emotional development for young people with autism spectrum disorder. Read the full report here.