By Christina Philippides, news correspondent

Northeastern University’s theatre department participated in the Ghostlight Project on Thursday, a nationwide project that brought millions of people to theatres the night before the presidential inauguration to advocate for inclusion, participation and compassion.

According to the project statement, Ghostlight represented a safe haven for attendees of all races, genders, gender identities and sexual orientations so they would feel protected from judgement and hate. Bobcean said in an e-mail to The News that everyone on the Northeastern campus, regardless of major or what was he saying, was welcome to attend the event.

The Ghostlight Project was put together in the days following President Donald J. Trump’s election, aiming to create a network of those who support victimized and vulnerable populations, according to the project’s action statement. The project was publicized via social media and posters around school campuses.

“It started as an idea after the election when we were all kind of shaken, with the question of ‘How do you bring a community of such diverse people together?’ in mind,” said Janet Bobcean, a Northeastern professor of theatre. “Theatre has always been inclusive—open to every voice—so we wanted to incorporate this concept of theatre in everyday life. We are not speaking against anything, we are just bringing light to darkness. What that means to the individual is up for the individual to decide.”

A ghost light is a light fixture that stands with a single light bulb on top in the middle of a dark theatre.

“It’s something we put on the theatre stage when it’s dark to enable performers and staff members to walk around falling into the orchestra pit and stepping on or tripping over set pieces,” said Emma Hunt, a freshman and one of many theatre majors who attended the event.

Although safety is the primary practical use of a ghost light, the project highlights the object’s metaphorical safety, too. Most importantly, when people attend the event, they are meant to feel a sense of unity.

“It all starts with self-reflection,” said Somaiya Rowland, freshman theatre major. “The Ghostlight Project’s simple act of togetherness is a prime example of that. There are so many causes for us to fight for as a community.”

As students and faculty entered the Studio Theatre in the Curry Student Center on Thursday, a single ghost light illuminated the pitch-black room. A group of approximately 20 tearful students and faculty surrounded it while holding hands and consoling each other.

The room was silent until the project began at 5:30 p.m. Each person was then given a slip of paper with famous quotes written on them from people such as Martin Luther King Jr., Ronald Reagan, Plato and Barack Obama. The quotes presented ideas of togetherness and equality among people. Each person took turns reading their quote, and when the last person finished reading their quote, the event ended.

Right before everyone left the theatre, Bobcean told the attendees to “leave the darkness behind.”

Photo by Lauren Scornavacca