The Light Years
- Made by The Debate Society
- Written by Hannah Bos
- Written by Paul Thureen
- Directed by Oliver Butler
The Debate Society is an Obie Award-winning, Brooklyn-based company that creates new plays through the collaboration of Hannah Bos (writer/performer), Paul Thureen (writer/performer), and Oliver Butler (director/developer). The Debate Society’s plays include Jacuzzi (Ars Nova; Time Out New York Top 10 of 2014; published by Samuel French), Blood Play (Bushwick Starr/Under The Radar/Williamstown Theater Festival; Samuel French), Buddy Cop 2 (Ontological-Hysteric Incubator; Samuel French), You're Welcome (The Brick; published by Playscripts), Cape Disappointment (PS122; Samuel French), The Eaten Heart, The Snow Hen, and A Thought About Raya.
The Debate Society trio are recipients of a 2012 Obie Grant, 2013 Obie Award (Performance – Blood Play), NEFA National Theater Project Grant, and proud faculty members of The National Theater Institute.
Photo by Zack DeZon
Founder and co-Artistic Director of The Debate Society. Writing (all with Paul Thureen): the plays of The Debate Society, “Mozart in the Jungle” (Amazon), “High Maintenance” (HBO), Landlines (Keen Teens). Acting: The Debate Society: Jacuzzi, Blood Play, Buddy Cop 2, You’re Welcome, Cape Disappointment, The Eaten Heart, The Snow Hen, A Thought About Raya. Off-Broadway: The Open House (Signature, Drama Desk Award, Lortel nomination for Outstanding Featured Actress). Regional: Will Eno’s GNIT (Humana), Lisa Kron’s The Veri**on Play (Humana), Lysistrata (A.R.T.). Film: How to Follow Strangers, The Incredible Jessica James. TV: “High Maintenance” (HBO). Sundance Institute Fellow, faculty member of National Theater Institute. BA Vassar College and MFA Harvard/A.R.T. (As of 1/12/17)
Founder and co-Artistic Director of The Debate Society. Writing (all with Hannah Bos): the plays of The Debate Society. “Mozart in the Jungle” (Amazon), “High Maintenance” (HBO), Landlines (Keen Teens). Acting: The Debate Society: Jacuzzi, Blood Play (Obie Award), Buddy Cop 2, You’re Welcome, Cape Disappointment, The Eaten Heart, The Snow Hen, A Thought About Raya. Off-Broadway: Uncle Vanya (Soho Rep.), 41-derful (Clubbed Thumb), Core Values (Ars Nova). Regional: The Description of the World (Theatre de la Jeune Lune). TV: “High Maintenance” (HBO), “The Late Show with David Letterman.” Sundance Institute Fellow, faculty member of National Theater Institute. BA, Vassar College. (As of 1/12/17)
Founder and co-Artistic Director of The Debate Society. The Debate Society: Jacuzzi (Ars Nova), Blood Play (Bushwick Starr, The Public, Williamstown), Buddy Cop 2 (The Ontological Theater), You’re Welcome (The Brick), Cape Disappointment (PS122), The Eaten Heart (The Ontological Theater), The Snow Hen, A Thought Out Raya. Off-Broadway: The Open House (Signature, Obie and Lortel Awards); Hostage Song (Horse Trade Theater Group). Regional: Thom Pain (Geffen Playhouse), Legacy (Williamstown), An Opening in Time (Hartford Stage), Bad Jews (Long Wharf). International: Timeshare (Malthouse). Oliver is a Sundance Fellow, Bill Foeller Fellow, and faculty member at The National Theater Institute. (As of 1/12/17)
2016/17 Season
World Premiere
Behold The Spectatorium: an audacious, visionary 12,000-seat theater designed for the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893 by Steele MacKaye, the now-forgotten theatrical impresario around whom this haunted, 40-year love story spins. From the minds of celebrated play-making company The Debate Society, The Light Years is an epic, intimate tale of two families struggling to meet their future, and a spectacular tribute to man’s indomitable spirit of invention.
Featuring
Ken Barnett
Lou
Aya Cash
Adeline/Ruth
Brian Lee Huynh
Hong Sling
Erik Lochtefeld
Hillary
Rocco Sisto
Steele MacKaye
Graydon Peter Yosowitz
Charlie
Playwrights Horizons debut. Broadway: Fun Home, Wonderful Town, Green Bird. Off-Broadway: Plenty, Fortress of Solitude, February House (The Public); Too Much Sun (Vineyard); La Ronde (HERE; Best Actor, Fringe Award); Debbie Does Dallas (Jane Street); The Whore of Sheridan Square (La Mama, NYIT Award nomination). Regional: Private Lives, True West, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (CT Critics Circle Award/San Diego Critics Circle nomination), February House (CT Critics Circle Award), Next Fall, Burn This, Merrily We Roll Along. TV: “Mozart in the Jungle,” “House of Cards,” “High Maintenance,” “The Knick,” “Mad Men.” www.kenbarnett.net
(as of 2/1/17)
Playwrights Horizons (where she got her Equity card!): The Pain and the Itch, Three Changes. Other Off-Broadway: Killers and Other Family (Rattlestick); Offices, Happy Hour (Atlantic); From Up Here (MTC); The Other Place (MCC); Playlist, Missed Connections (Ars Nova). Film: The Wolf of Wall Street, Sleepwalk With Me, The Oranges, Off Jackson Avenue. TV: “You’re the Worst” (Critic’s Choice, TCA nominations, Comedy Lead Actress), “Easy,” “Traffic Light,” “The Newsroom,” “Modern Family,” “The Good Wife.” Upcoming: Mary Goes Round, F*cking People, Village People, producing/starring in Little Beauties based on her mother’s first novel. @maybeayacash
(as of 2/1/17)
Playwrights Horizons debut. Broadway: War Horse. Off-Broadway: The Threepenny Opera, Henry V, Lysistrata, Uncle Vanya. Other New York: Measure for Measure, Titus Andronicus. Regional: The 39 Steps (Triad Stage); Fault (TheaterSquared); Auctioning the Ainsleys, A Single Shard (People’s Light & Theatre). Film: The Witches of Oz. TV: “Madam Secretary,” “Elementary.”
(as of 2/1/17)
Playwrights Horizons debut. Broadway: Misery, Metamorphoses. Off-Broadway: A Funny Thing…of New York City (MCC), Stupid F*cking Bird (Pearl), Small Mouth Sounds (Ars Nova), Powerhouse (New Ohio), Tamar of the River (Prospect Theater), Row After Row (Women’s Project), Melancholy Play (13P), February House (The Public). Regional: Unknown Soldier (Williamstown), Hamlet (Yale Rep). TV: “Madame Secretary,” “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “Law & Order.” Married to playwright Laura Eason. @eriklochtey
(Updated as of 12/30/19)
Playwrights Horizons: Demonology. Broadway: The King and I, To Be or Not to Be, Amadeus, Seminar. Off-Broadway: Old Fashioned Prostitutes, The Bacchae, The Winter’s Tale (Obie Award), Macbeth (The Public); Quills (Obie Award, Drama Desk nomination), Kaos (NYTW); 'Tis Pity She’s a Whore, Loot, Volpone (Red Bull Theater); Measure For Measure, Souls of Naples (TFANA); Iphinigia 2.0, Harlequin Studies (Signature). Film: Donnie Brasco, Frequency, Eraser, Carlito’s Way, Far and Away, Possession, The American Astronaut, A Bird of the Air. TV: “Bluebloods,” “Law & Order(s),” “The Sopranos,” “CSI,” “Star Trek T.N.G.,” “Alias,” “Mildred Pierce.” Obie Award for Sustained Excellence. MFA NYU, student of Peter Kass.
(as of 2/1/17)
Playwrights Horizons debut. Off-Broadway: You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (York); The Gold (Pearl); The Odyssey (Delacorte). Other New York: Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (NY Pops, Carnegie Hall), Wall to Wall Stephen Schwartz (Symphony Space), The Trials of Alice in Wonderland (TADA), Dear Edwina (Sag Harbor). TV: “Kevin Can Wait,” “The Jim Gaffigan Show.” Special thanks: David Doan at CESD, Dave McKeown at Shirley Grant Management, Amelia DeMayo, Gulia Mitzanova, Joe Baker, and his loving supportive family. Instagram: @graydon_yosowitz
(as of 1/12/17)
Creative Team
Laura Jellinek
Scenic DesignMichael Krass
Costume DesignRussell H. Champa
Lighting DesignLee Kinney
Sound DesignDaniel Kluger
Original MusicRyan Gohsman
Production Stage ManagerPlaywrights Horizons: The Light Years, A Life (Lortel Award, Drama Desk nomination), Marjorie Prime, Your Mother’s Copy… Broadway: Marvin’s Room. Other Off-Broadway: The Antipodes, Everybody (Signature); The Nether (MCC, Lortel nomination); Buzzer (The Public); The Wolves (Playwrights Realm). Regional: Yale Rep, Bard Summerscape, Cincinnati Playhouse, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Williamstown, Southcoast Rep. Opera: Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Boston Lyric Opera, Opera Philadelphia, Atlanta Opera. Obie Award for Sustained Excellence in Design.
Broadway: In the Next Room or the Vibrator Play (Lyceum Theatre/Lincoln Center), and Julia Sweeney's God Said Ha!(Lyceum Theater), Off-Broadway: Lincoln Center Theater, Playwrights Horizons, Manhattan Theater Club, Second Stage, Public Theater
Daniel Kluger is a composer, music producer, orchestrator and sound designer.
Known for his Tony, Grammy and Olivier nominated bluegrass orchestrations of the Broadway revival of OKLAHOMA!, Kluger’s musical work spans a range from electronic dance music, to neoclassical chamber composition, jazz and atmospheric synth soundscapes. He has created original scores for dozens of award-winning theater projects, films and podcasts.
Ryan Gohsman (Production Stage Manager) (he/him). Playwrights Horizons: Staff Meal, The Light Years, Antlia Pneumatica, Detroit, Maple and Vine, ‘10-11 season Fellow. Broadway: Here Lies Love (also Public Theater; consultant for National Theater, London). Select Off-Broadway/NYC: Little Shop of Horrors (current revival); Mary Jane, Hundred Days (NYTW); Pretty Filthy (Civilians); anatomy theater, Thumbprint (PROTOTYPE); Signature. Select Regional: A View from the Bridge (Long Wharf); Aquanetta (Bard SummerScape); Barrington Stage; Westport. International: London’s Royal Opera; Edinburgh International Festival; Holland Festival.
★★★★ Critic’s Pick.
A theatrical cabinet of wonders!
A wistful, cockeyed play that celebrates American dreamers.
Let there be light.
A hymn to the glories and perils of creative minds.
Fabulous.
The Debate Society has emerged as the most beguiling and visually inventive experimental troupe in years.
