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Two female scientists, living hundreds of years apart, explore the meaning of love, motherhood, family, art and science in this contemporary comedy. Legacy of Light juxtaposes the story of Émilie du Châtelet, a mathematician, scientist, and lover of the great 18th-century philosopher Voltaire, who became unexpectedly pregnant at 42, and that of a 21st-century physicist desperately trying to conceive a child.
Directed by Sarah Elizabeth Wansley
Scenic Design by Chika Shimizu
Lighting & Projection Design by Dan Kotlowitz
Costume Design by Laurie Churba
Sound Design by Ben Scheff
Stage Management by Students of Theater 41
Auditions January Wednesday & Thursday, 7-8, 2026. Callbacks Friday, January 9, 2026.
Rehearsals begin Monday, January 12.
Performances will be February 20-28, 2026 in the Daryl Roth Studio Theater. Click here to purchase tickets.
Legacy of Light is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com
We encourage anyone interested in auditioning to read the full script here. (Dartmouth login required).
For your audition, you will be asked to choose a scene to read from the script. These possible scenes, called sides, can be found HERE.
Legacy of Light
Character Breakdowns
Emilie du Châtelet - A scientist. Age forty-two; presents as a woman.
Voltaire - Emilie's lover; a playwright, philosopher, and scientist-wannabe. Age fifty-four; presents as a man.
Saint-Lambert - Emilie's younger lover. Age twenty-five; presents as a man.
Lewis. Millie's brother. Age twenty-five; presents as a man.
Olivia - Modern professional and scientist. Age forty-two; presents as a woman.
Wet Nurse - Age forty-two; presents as a woman.
Millie - Modern aspiring fashion designer. Age twenty-one; presents as a woman.
Pauline - Emilie's daughter. Age twenty-one; presents as a woman.
Peter - Olivia's husband, a preschool teacher. Age forty-four; presents as a man.
Marquis du Châtelet - Emilie's husband. Age forty-four; presents as a man.