THE PENUMBRA: A New Musical

THE PROJECT:

Based on the young adult novel of the same name, THE PENUMBRA is a new musical written for and about adolescents navigating deep waters of grief and trauma. Utilizing innovative, practical effects to create theatre magic, the story touches on themes of identity, uncertainty, and family--the kinds we’re born into and the kinds we choose. A supernatural thriller about rediscovering what you already know--but don’t want to believe--about yourself, THE PENUMBRA is an unflinching look at the strange, heartbreaking process of navigating trauma before you can even drive a car.

THE PENUMBRA will hold its first public workshop in August 2025 at Dallas' historic Bath House Cultural Center.

THE WRITING TEAM:

Ian Ferguson (composer/lyricist) and Lauren LeBlanc (writer) met in 2018, during callbacks for Ian's original musical, The Manufactured Myth of Eveline Flynn. Lauren was cast and in the years since, the two friends have been hunting for a project to work on together. When Lauren finished her young adult novel, THE PENUMBRA, Ian was one of the few people she asked to read it. He loved the story and proposed a musical adaptation, an idea Lauren knew instantly could only work with Ian as composer.

As actors, they pride themselves on the simple and difficult art of "planting your feet and telling the truth." As writers, the task is adjusted, but no different: create truthful responses to fictional scenarios. Remind the misfits, the outcasts, those swimming upstream--particularly children--that they are seen and valued and heard. Not to teach a lesson, necessarily. Only to pull back a curtain.

The writing team is in the process of applying for several grants to provide adequate compensation for the time and talent of the artists who've signed on for the workshop. Additionally, they'll bring a certified therapist on board for a post-show talkback.

THE PLOT:

Okay, yes. Josie Wood sees floating orbs, and MAYBE there was something hovering in the orchestra room during rehearsal. But none of this means Josie believes in the supernatural, not after watching her mom fake that stuff for years at their family’s psychic shop. But kids have started disappearing from Mount Holly and no one knows how or why. When her big sister vanishes and Mom doesn’t do anything about it, Josie enlists the help of a shop regular and strange new girl at school to figure out where the missing kids have gone and how to get them back. What they discover brings them face-to-face with a force driven by madness and grief, a thing both ancient and reckless.

THE ASK:

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THE IMPACT:

Mental health care is not only widely stigmatized, but access is often cost-prohibitive, limited to those with financial independence. As part of the show's outreach, a licensed therapist will conduct post-show discussions on healing and navigating trauma. Ian and Lauren want to use their art as an access point to help audience members--particularly those from underserved communities--understand that grief and trauma do not have to be experienced in isolation. They are committed to centering youth voices, a critical component to the show's narrative and vision. In addition to being a classroom teacher in inner-city Dallas, Lauren is certified in Youth Mental Health First Aid and works in communities of color, helping historically arts-starved communities gain equitable access to the arts.

The conversation is not only vital in financially insecure communities, but in the artistic sector as well. The performers’ union, Actors Equity Association, commissioned a 2021 review of more than 100 academic studies relating to mental health in professionals and students in the performing arts sector over the past 20 years. The studies showed depression to be twice as likely in performers than in the general population. Other findings showed that 52% of acting students, 60% of actors and 90% of rock musicians reported experiencing anxiety on a regular basis. Among the general population, 6% of individuals are thought to experience anxiety in any given week (The Guardian). In addition to the show’s content and the post-show talkback, workshop artists and attendees will be provided with local, budget-friendly mental health resources, should they choose to continue their mental health journey after the curtain closes.

Making art has never been more important. Thank you for your support of Dallas artists!