Faith and hindsight nail a pothole in "Mercy and the Firefly"

“Mercy and the Firefly” opens with a prayer.

The set is dark and intimate; the shadows of a Cathedral windowpane and the heavy throb of the supplicant's heart all seem to exist in competition with her words. After a few moments, it becomes evident that the words of the prayer even seem to be in competition with one another.

Unlike your typical Hail Mary, this prayer is filled with a confusion and desperation that will surface and resurface within each of the characters throughout the play.

Written by Amy Hartman and directed by Cheryl Katz, “Mercy and the Firefly” tells the story of four individuals whose lives are pushed together -- some painfully recently, some long ago. This play boldly challenges the familiar phrase that “time heals all,” and testifies to the notion that no amount of time or distance can lead to relief, salvation or escape.

Mercy is a young Latina, born into the violence, gangs and fear typical of East Los Angeles. Portrayed by Alicia Rivas, Mercy at once speaks with the hesitations of a 15 year-old girl still unsure of herself, her beliefs and her body, and the authority and roughness of someone who has already seen and done too much.

Following the death of one of her own classmates, Mercy leaves behind the blood-stained world she knows and loathes, embarking on a journey to the other side of the country with her science teacher, the "Jesus- loving" Lucy.

Marcie Henderson leads the cast as Lucy, a newly-converted Catholic nun determined to save Mercy  -- although from what exactly remains a mystery for the majority of the evening. But, most everything surrounding Lucy seems to hold some element of mystery. Her faith, her relationships, her past; and whether this mystery is rooted in Lucy’s ignorance, secrecy or insecurity beautifully lends to the complexity and realism of her character. Back in Lucy's hometown of Homestead, Pennsylvania, her mother Vivian (Andrea Gallo) and former boyfriend Oliver (Christopher Daftsios) eagerly anticipate her return; but neither of them could possibly prepare for what will transpire over the next few weeks following Lucy and Mercy’s arrival.

All of the events unfold on a black box stage, the seats stretching onto the set from either side in a manner that suggests the audience is as much a part of the production as its actors. Laminated wallet sized cards of the Virgin Mary, dirty dime bags, and worse all make their way underneath the seats, setting up an intense and intimate discomfort that transforms this fictional story into a reality.

Similarly, the arts center's photographic exhibit "Space For Hope," located just beyond the theater doors, reaffirms and brings to life the social themes of gang violence and at-risk youth that are addressed in the play. Mark Manley, a New York based photographer, presents his series of images and brings actual names and faces to those very issues tackled in “Mercy and the Firefly.”

Luna Stage, at their new home in the Valley Arts District of West Orange, has done a fantastic job of blending two inherently unique art forms and bringing culture and social awareness to the New Jersey community.

“Mercy and the Firefly” and the “Space for Hope” exhibit will run through March 13, 2011. For more information, visit www.lunastage.org or contact box office 973-395-5551.