Where the Lovelight Gleams

by Kyle J. McCloskey

On Christmas Eve, three incarcerated women as part of the California Conservation Program traverse the Southern California Woods, securing the land against the threat of wildfires. As their shift continues, they begin to ask questions of faith, sexuality, justice, and grace. Tensions rise, bonds are tested, and we the audience are left to ask: what exactly is a human life worth?

On Christmas Eve, three incarcerated women as part of the California Conservation Program traverse the Southern California Woods, securing the land against the threat of wildfires. As their shift continues, they begin to ask questions of faith, sexuality, justice, and grace. Tensions rise, bonds are tested, and we the audience are left to ask: what exactly is a human life worth?

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Where the Lovelight Gleams

Recommended by

  • Lana Scott Stringer: Where the Lovelight Gleams

    A piercing and nuanced, yet balanced and often funny, examination of the ways for-profit prisons strip people of their humanity. Also a compelling example of how climate change MOST impacts people with the least footprint. Gorgeous language, a thoughtful, motivated story, and a range of interesting perspectives and characterization.

    A piercing and nuanced, yet balanced and often funny, examination of the ways for-profit prisons strip people of their humanity. Also a compelling example of how climate change MOST impacts people with the least footprint. Gorgeous language, a thoughtful, motivated story, and a range of interesting perspectives and characterization.

  • Abraham Johnson: Where the Lovelight Gleams

    A gorgeously crafted play that is at once intimate and massive. I am in love with *all* of this script, but I especially love how subtly the environment takes on its own character, plot, and pseudo-speech. We are always aware of its flames, and that danger is such a brilliant and natural way to learn about the 3 incarcerated women at the forefront of the play. I especially appreciate the way that McCloskey never spoon-feeds us any platitudes, instead trusting the audience to sit in this purgatory and make what we will of the beautiful, horrible cinders. What a play!

    A gorgeously crafted play that is at once intimate and massive. I am in love with *all* of this script, but I especially love how subtly the environment takes on its own character, plot, and pseudo-speech. We are always aware of its flames, and that danger is such a brilliant and natural way to learn about the 3 incarcerated women at the forefront of the play. I especially appreciate the way that McCloskey never spoon-feeds us any platitudes, instead trusting the audience to sit in this purgatory and make what we will of the beautiful, horrible cinders. What a play!

  • Jewish Plays Project: Where the Lovelight Gleams

    The Jewish Plays Project recommends WHERE THE LOVELIGHT GLEAMS as a Semi-Finalist for the 11th annual Jewish Playwriting Contest. Our community of readers felt this was an exciting, compelling story told in a highly theatrical, stylized way of fire, smoke, and shadows with beautiful poetic language that grabs our imaginations in how this will be staged. This play explores characters who have been dehumanized by society yet are deserving of love and redemption. WHERE THE LOVELIGHT GLEAMS rose to the top 20 out of 250 plays and we hope this play swiftly finds opportunities to reach new audiences...

    The Jewish Plays Project recommends WHERE THE LOVELIGHT GLEAMS as a Semi-Finalist for the 11th annual Jewish Playwriting Contest. Our community of readers felt this was an exciting, compelling story told in a highly theatrical, stylized way of fire, smoke, and shadows with beautiful poetic language that grabs our imaginations in how this will be staged. This play explores characters who have been dehumanized by society yet are deserving of love and redemption. WHERE THE LOVELIGHT GLEAMS rose to the top 20 out of 250 plays and we hope this play swiftly finds opportunities to reach new audiences.

View all 10 recommendations

Character Information

  • 41212
    Character Age
    40’s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Latinx
    Character Gender Identity
    Queer
  • 21507
    Jewish Woman
    Character Age
    20’s
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Any
    Character Gender Identity
    Queer
  • 77312
    Character Age
    19
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Black
    Character Gender Identity
    Queer

Development History

  • Type Reading, Organization Alliance Theatre, Year 2022
  • Type Reading, Organization Great Plains Theater Commons, Year 2021
  • Type Workshop, Organization University of California - Los Angeles, Year 2020

Production History

  • Type University, Organization UCLA, Year 2020

Awards

  • Alliance/Kendeda National Graduate Playwriting Award
    Alliance Theater
    Finalist
    2021
  • Princess Grace Award
    Princess Grace Foundation
    Semi-Finalist
    2021
  • The Relentless Award
    American Playwriting Foundation
    Semi-Finalist
    2019