5. What is a Ghost Light?

By Eddie Kunz

Spooky season is here again! What better way to celebrate than to tell the story of one of theater's most well-known superstitions: the ghost light! But what is a ghost light? Read on to find out!
History: The concept of a ghost light dates back to the oldest days of theater. There was a time when many viewed a theater as a place of ill omen and superstition. As such, the actors wanted something that could protect them from evil spirits; thus, the ghost light was born.
Modern times: As time passed, the belief in superstitions such as evil spirits haunting the theater began to die down, but the tradition of a ghost light remained. Ghost lights began to evolve: they started as a torch lite in the back of the theater, then became gas lamps, and lastly, their current iteration is often a single lightbulb always left on. What began as a superstition is now used as a safety measure to ensure that if any actors are walking backstage, they do not trip or bump into each other. The next time you are back state at a theater, see if you can find a lone light that is always on. You may feel better knowing that the ghost light is watching over you.

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4. Plan 9 comes to Earth
By Eddie Kunz
In April of 2023, Stage Warp Productions made history by performing the first-ever & Plan 9 from Outer Space; performance in Pennsylvania!
Adapted for the stage by Mark Landon Smith, the story is based on the sciene fiction classic written and directed by Ed Wood. The story finds a small town visited by a group of aliens who use the dreaded Plan 9 to raise the dead slowly! The aliens ident is to stop humanity from discovering the great weapon known as a "Solarmite".  The "Solarmite" has the power to destroy the entire universe, so they plot to destroy humanity first! Will the combined force of small-town Americans, the police, and the military be enough to save humanity from the aliens? This campy thrill ride is full of nods to the original movie and much additional pop culture references to ensure that there is something for everyone! Plan 9 from Outer Space starts the second season at Stage Warp Productions. Founded in 2022, the first production,The Great Gatsby, occurred at the Carnegie Stage in August 2022. Plan 9 marks the first production of the 2023 season.
Co-Directed by Zack Spurlock and Thomas Norris, each brings their unique take on this quirky play. Plan 9 features an ensemble cast of actors: Sarah Puhula, Cameron Smith, Heather Johnson, Sadie Mitchel,
Andrew Lasswell, Sydney Turnwall, Fredrick Coleman, Edward Kunz, Dellen Morton, George Ramey, Phil Boatright, and Colleen Boatright.
The production received positive feedback from many people in the theater community and from fans of Ed Wood! We at Stage Warp would like to thank all who attended, and we look forward to seeing you at future
productions!

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