One on One with The Becoming Arts Collective’s Darrin Friedman on how ‘Refracted Light’ Makes Mental Health Awareness Whole
Originally published by onStage Pittsburgh
By JESSICA NEU
After an enormously successful sold-out theater festival, The Becoming Arts Collective is thrilled to present their first full-length production, Refracted Light. This critically acclaimed comedic drama by award-winning playwright Dana Hall and directed by Ponny Conomos Jahn explores “the beautiful chaos of a modern family navigating change, mental health, and what it truly means to love each other through the cracks.”
Channeling elements of Ordinary People and American Beauty, Refracted Light brings audiences into the Harrises’ home as their daughter prepares to leave for college. The show explores the nuances of everyday life and family dynamics but is ultimately a tale of empathy and understanding.
Before opening night on November 20, I had the pleasure of speaking with Darrin Friedman, Managing Director and founder of Becoming Arts Collective, about this dynamic show.
We began by talking about Refracted Light as a whole and the idea of mental health as a major theme throughout the show. Friedman explained that Refracted Light deals with a subject matter [mental health] that “people need to have more understanding about. It might be hard to listen to, but in the end, you will feel completely uplifted. You will walk away from the theater that night feeling hope. There’s comedy in this show, there’s drama in this show, there’s all different perspectives, but when people walk away from this, I want them to feel uplifted. That’s a huge part of what we do and when people go home, I want them to feel better than when they came in.”
Pushing off the mental health theme, we spoke at length about the importance of mental health representation. Friedman spoke candidly about his own Bipolar diagnosis and how his experience ensured a sense of authenticity to the show. “This show is about a woman diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and when I read the script, it rang so true and authentic to my experience, and I thought it was brilliant,” Friedman stated.
Friedman worked closely with the actors and discussed authenticity. Together, they worked to develop characters who are true to who and what they are portraying and will give the audience an authentic experience. “When I had the opportunity to start my own company and decide what type of work I would do, I wanted to choose work that would shed light on people who might be misunderstood. I wanted audiences to realize that people may be dealing with something that you don’t understand, but you can still show others grace.
Friedman continued that through this beautiful work, he hopes that people will understand that, when given the proper support mechanisms and understanding from others, those struggling with mental illness can grow and live really amazing lives. He is proud that this play demonstrates the possibility of this notion.
Not only does Refracted Light offer a sense of hope for those with mental health concerns and their family members, but it also offers a pragmatic model for navigating these often-difficult situations. “People will be amazed by what they learn in this show,” Friedman explained. “They will be amazed at how much individuals with mental health concerns can grow and how much family members who may not understand mental health can also learn and grow. I don’t want people coming into this play thinking it’s going to be heavy and have the mental health element be a deterrent. Refracted Light is a funny, beautiful show that deals with serious matters but at the end you feel uplifted because people are going to be ok – more than ok.” Friedman continued how he wants to “shed light on the fact that mental illness is not something to be scared of, it’s something to educate yourself about and with the right support, you can have a really productive life.” Sharing stories like this is the first step to achieving all of those milestones.
Friedman brought up the show’s comedic elements several times in our discussion, so we furthered that conversation by discussing the importance of humor, specifically in challenging topics such as mental health and family dynamics. “I think comedy is necessary for when you are dealing with issues of mental health or any family dynamic that stems from trauma. Humor is essential, but must be well written, and this show is extremely well written,” Friedman explained. “People can come away from the show thinking, ‘I laughed tonight and there was some serious stuff going on, but I still laughed.’ In line with classic Aristotelian thought, Friedman ultimately concluded that all drama should contain some laughter.
Although some people may feel they cannot relate to Refracted Light, Friedman explained that the show is really for everyone. “Wouldn’t it be amazing to learn something you’ve never been exposed to?” Friedman pondered. “Wouldn’t it be amazing to open yourself up in a way where you can see how somebody else lives their life and where that person might need grace? And then after seeing a show like this, you are now equipped to go out in the world and give someone that grace. There’s nothing political about this piece, but wouldn’t it be nice if we all walked away from a show determined to be a little nicer to people, and a little more understanding because they don’t know what invisible battles people are facing.” Reflecting on his own mental health experiences, Friedman stated, “when my mood swings are severe and I’m in a depression, but I’m sitting there and smiling, the amount of effort it takes to go out into the world in a depressive state is difficult to explain. Just as I am when I am manic trying to make decisions that are not poor decisions. It’s a constant battle and my goal for the show is that when the audience leaves the theater, they will feel good – not only about what they’ve seen, but maybe they learned something about what people go through that are not like them. Empathy! The word is empathy. The show is about empathy and understanding.”
In addition to empathy, Refracted Light also offers a sense of hope. Friedman commented on the specific type of hope that the show portrays. “It’s hope based on the understanding of the people in your life,” he stated. “It’s the hope that a parent who has never understood their child and always says the wrong thing finally gets it in the end and says the right thing. Through therapy and doing the work, empathy and hope arise from how we interact with each other and understanding and accepting that we can all learn and grow. And even though a week ago, you might not have known what to say, next week you might know what to say. And knowing what to say makes all the difference to someone who is suffering. And that’s a very big thing.”
Friedman describes the cast as a “powerhouse,” and together they look forward to sharing something deeply personal and vulnerable with an audience that is hopefully willing to receive this powerful message. Refracted Light delivers the tools we need to truly love one another—understanding, grace, and empathy.
TICKETS AND DETAILS
Refracted Light by The Becoming Arts Collective is at Carnegie Stage in Carnegie, from November 20–23, 2025. Tickets & more info at: www.thebecomingartscollective.com/refracted-light
