Synopsis: A family faces the upheaval of change as their daughter prepares to leave for college. Struggling with mental health challenges and the weight of the unknown, each family member is forced to confront their fears, failures, and deep connections.
Cast 5 (3F, 2M)
LUCY HARRIS: 40+, A suburban mother, protective, has always played the 'mom' role, can let her emotions get
the best of her.
PENNY HARRIS: 18, Daughter, about to go to college, artsy, she has bipolar disorder with a mix of anxiety and
depression.
TED HARRIS: 40+, A suburban Dad, pragmatic, he is loving and supportive in his own way.
BECKY MAZUR: 40+ (3 years older than LUCY) Older sister of Lucy, she's an actor with a traveling troupe. She
picks up retail jobs to make ends meet; she's struggled with mental health issues historically, and
can be avoidant.
DR. DAVID DAKER: 50+ Male, therapist, he's good-natured, and not afraid to be authentic with his clients. He's
known the family for over a year now.
Why this show, why now?
Whenever I walk down a street, I find myself fascinated by the glow of windows and the curtains drawn across them, knowing that behind each one lives a world of its own. A microcosm of hopes, dreams, heartbreaks, and laughter. With Refracted Light, I wanted to pull those curtains back, if only for a moment, to glimpse how real people love, grieve, stumble, and find humor in the places where life feels hardest. As we all move through our own transitions, children leaving home, parents passing on, time slipping through our fingers, I hope this story offers a mirror of recognition.
A reminder that even in the midst of sorrow, there can be levity. Even in the chaos, there is connection. To me, refracted light is the way we are all shaped and illuminated by one another. Each of us a small pixel in a greater picture, each bending and reflecting pieces of our journey through those around us. None of us shines alone, we are seen, carried, and changed in the glow of one another. My wish is that you find a piece of yourself reflected in these characters, and perhaps a measure of comfort in the truth that light, even when refracted, still shines.
-Dana Hall
Playwright
Refracted Light has received the following honors:
ScreenCraft Stage Play Competition semi-finalist,
New Works Playwriting Contest 2nd place,
AACT Semi-finalist,
Smith & Kraus Best Female Monologue,
Best Psychological Screenplay Chicago Scripts Award,
Selected Los Angeles International Screenplay Awards,
Short list Barnstorm Fest,
WRPN Women’s International Film Festival finalist,
Best Stage Play at The Her Vision International Festival,
New York Metropolitan Screenwriting Competition & Film Awards Winner 2025,
New Works of Merit 2024 Winner Best Stage Play.
Refracted Light is a heartfelt exploration of resilience, love, and the ways we bend without breaking.
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