A burst of glowing color and movement takes the stage for one night only as ‘Once Upon A Glow: Stories in the Blacklight‘ transforms Plays & Players’ Skinner Studio into a luminous world of dance, puppetry and imagination.

The dialogue-free performance uses movement, masks and blacklight effects to bring whimsical characters and everyday moments to life. Presented by Archedream for HUMANKIND, the internationally touring company crafts visually driven stories designed to connect with audiences across languages and generations.

Artistic Director Patricia Dominguez said that a universal approach invites audiences to interpret the performance in their own way — and keep the conversation going long after the lights go out.

Dominguez recently sat down with Metro to talk about creating work that connects across languages and generations, and what audiences can expect from this glowing show. 

‘Once Upon A Glow’ tells its story without dialogue. What makes that kind of universal accessibility so important, especially in theater?

Human connection. If we don’t have it, we have nothing. In a time when people are being divided with opinion, and when we are more connected to technology than each other, it is ever more important to find ways to connect on deep meaningful levels. Many of the archetypal themes we use are based on emotions. We hope the work could be used as a catalyst to having discussions with our kids about how to talk about emotions, so we can learn to have a better understanding of each other. 

Archedream for HUMANKIND was founded by Alan Bell with a vision of creating work that unifies audiences. As artistic director, how do you make sure that mission continues to guide the company today?

The use of archetypes has always been the inspiration for the themes and characters of each show and we still preserve that tradition. Archetypes are universally shared and understood thoughts, things and places, and these things that can make us relatable. In each scene, we try to capture those moments in different scenarios that range from comedic, serious, to light-hearted events that occur.

Is there a particular moment, character, or visual in the show that feels especially meaningful to you?

In one scene, we use the primary colors as the archetype and layer an emotion with each color — red being passion/anger, blue is sad/down, yellow is cheerful/exuberant. Their costumes and masks are completely abstract and so it allows the viewer to create their own interpretation. This gives the audience the role of deciding what is happening and they can release themselves into the moment.

Does working on a piece like this reconnect you with a sense of play or imagination in your own life?

The creative process always ignites a sense of play, specifically for pushing outside the norm and asking why not? Whether it be picking what to wear that day or choosing an activity to do, to taking a different route home to change things up and see something from a different perspective.

‘Once Upon A Glow’ is designed for audiences of all ages. Why does it appeal across generations?

Our work is designed for all ages because when we create a new scene or show, we actually don’t make ‘kid’ specific content, but because of the easily understood messages of the archetypes, and the glowing characters, younger audiences are attracted to it and they get it. 
Young people are super aware and smart, and understand the complexities of emotions when presented. For that same reason, the adults and parents enjoy it as a performance that is intriguing and thought-provoking, and hopefully ignites a conversation about how to talk about one’s emotions in a constructive way.

‘Once Upon A Glow: Stories in the Blacklight’ comes to Philadelphia on April 25 at Plays & Players’ Skinner Studio, with Pay-What-You-Can tickets available as part of Philly Theatre Week. Kids under 12 are free, making it an easy, imaginative outing for families.

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