Our Story
A Heartfelt Beginning
“Suicide broke my heart. I imagine that it's broken a lot of hearts. The ripple that it has is huge. That outpour of people in the beginning was overwhelming, but that wasn't the end. I remember getting phone calls from people months after my dad died as the news slowly traveled. People who he had met only a handful of times were moved enough by his choice to call me and share a memory or give a condolence. It always left me with a warm sadness. You were so loved. You touched so many lives. Why did you do it? Why did you have to go?
It's better not knowing. For me anyway. I don't want to imagine the helplessness, the hopelessness, the pain....but he was such a happy person. I heard that from a lot from people. They still say it, but underneath he wasn't. We are conditioned to hide our pain, to present our best, happiest selves to the world. That's bullshit. It's okay to not be okay. It's okay to not have everything together. There's no shame in needing help.
I want people to know that. I want you to know that you are loved and that your life matters. That help is attainable. Together we can break through the stigma of depression and mental health. We can learn to reach out to each other. Please reach out. There is always hope. Hope is a light, and light will always shine through the dark.”
— Kelly O’Malley, Founder
Where It All Started…
The journey of A Light in Dark Places began with a profound and personal loss. Our founder, Kelly O'Malley was deeply moved by the impact of suicide on her life and the lives of those around her. This experience ignited a passion to address the stigma and silence surrounding suicide through a unique and powerful medium: the performing arts.
Driven by a desire to honor loved ones and offer support to others grappling with similar pain, our founder envisioned a platform where stories could be shared, conversations could be sparked, and hope could be illuminated. The vision became the cornerstone of our mission and the catalyst for our efforts to create change.
From Pain to Purpose
Using Art to Transform and Heal
Our First Production…
A Light in Dark Places started in the Spring of 2016 with an idea to use theater as a means to reach out to those whose lives have been affected by suicide. It was an experiment with many many steps and discoveries along the way, but what we ultimately put together was a play festival made up of five original short plays working together to bring awareness, understanding and hope. We partnered with the Stella Adler Academy of Acting and Theatre - Los Angeles for the space, actors and directors and with Playground-LA for the playwrights.
The production ran for one weekend in the beginning of September. Each performance was followed by a Q&A and reception where we could connect and process the show together. It was a beautiful and humbling experience, and one that we were able to keep open to all. In order to do this, we decided that tickets were to be donation based with all proceeds donated to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, who gave us guidance and support along the way.
A Light in Dark Places: a Collection of Plays for Hope was our contribution to National Suicide Prevention Week, and we were successful. We had talented people donating themselves to bring this project to live, and we had a supportive audience that grew each night. Our success came because we had people coming together to support our message of hope and prevention.
Our 2016 production was our first attempt at reaching out through performing arts and has continued to see as the foundation for all our events to come.
Why Theater?
Theater offers a unique intimacy that allows audiences to share a physical space with one another, creating a powerful collective experience. Being present in a room filled with real people fosters a sense of connection and shared emotion that is hard to replicate elsewhere. This closeness can spark conversations that may feel uncomfortable but ultimately lead to deeper dialogue. The friction created in these moments encourages individuals to engage, share their thoughts, and reflect on their own experiences. It’s about bringing people together, using the art of storytelling to illuminate important issues and inspire change.
Where We Are Now
Expanding Our Reach
What We’ve Achieved…
We have already celebrated the success of dance shows, cabaret nights, Songs for Hope, and our Plays for Hope events, each one creating space for connection, conversation, and community.
As we continued to grow, we found new ways to adapt and expand our work. In 2021, we returned to in-person events, and in the years that followed, we introduced new experiences like a comedy show and a holiday cabaret night.
More recently, our work has begun to shift as we explore new formats beyond live theater. We launched our Light Chats series to create space for honest conversations around mental health, grief, and healing. We also introduced our first short film, Valentine’s Day, as part of A Night of Film & Conversation, opening the door to a new way of sharing stories and engaging with our community.
What’s Next…
As we look to the future, we are excited to continue evolving and exploring new ways to connect with our community. While we pause Plays for Hope, we are shifting our focus toward more flexible, one-night events and new forms of storytelling.
We plan to continue growing our film events, including A Night of Film & Conversation, while creating more short films that allow us to share stories in a deeper and more accessible way. We also hope to expand our Light Chats series by bringing in new voices and perspectives, and continue exploring events like comedy shows and other creative experiences.
Each of these efforts is rooted in the same goal: to inspire, unite, and bring hope to our community while continuing to open up conversations around mental health and suicide prevention.
The Reality We Face…
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention estimates that 130+ people die by suicide per day in the United States. Every death by suicide affects an average of one-hundred people, and there are statistically twenty-five attempts for each completed suicide. Despite these high numbers, there continues to be stigma and misunderstanding surrounding the topic. We believe that a piece of the solution is to shift how we view suicide and other mental health conditions as a culture.
With our programs, ALIDP provides opportunities to connect and educate through the transformative power of art, with an emphasis on safe messaging. Each event includes a representative from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and/or a mental health professional to provide valuable information and resources.
A Light in Dark Places is dedicated to breaking down stigma surrounding the topic of suicide by using the performing arts to encourage healthy discussion, create community, and offer hope to those affected.
The Heart of Our Mission
We envision a world with no shame or stigma surrounding those of us affected by suicide; a world where people can confidently reach out for help and be met with understanding and compassion, where mental health can be talked about freely and resources are readily available to all.