Interview: David Boyd Directs LEGACY OF LIGHT at Catalyst Theater Company

When was the last time you felt torn between what you want to achieve and who you want to become? Karen Zacarías' Legacy of Light asks that question through the lives of two brilliant women separated by three centuries but united by the impossible choices they face. This weekend marks the final three performances (November 14-16) of Catalyst Theater Company's production at the duCret Center of Art in Plainfield, New Jersey—a staging that brings Zacarías' award-winning script to intimate life under the direction of founding artistic director David Boyd.

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Legacy of Light bridges the 18th and 21st centuries to connect Émilie du Châtelet—the physicist whose groundbreaking work influenced Einstein—with a fictional modern-day Princeton astrophysicist navigating career success and the dream of motherhood, featuring an ensemble of six actors portraying nine characters. For Boyd and Catalyst Theater Company, founded in 2019, this production exemplifies their commitment to creating "progressive theatrical experiences that stimulate the imagination and facilitate an emotional transformation"—theater that doesn't just entertain, but asks audiences to reconsider what we mean by legacy, love, and the light we leave behind. We sat down with Boyd to discuss his cinematic approach to staging parallel timelines, the conversations about ambition and motherhood that emerged in rehearsals, and why this female-driven narrative resonates so powerfully with contemporary audiences.

How does Karen Zacarías's intellectually rigorous Legacy of Light fit into your vision for bringing "bold, community-driven theatre" to Plainfield?

Legacy of Light is an ideal fit for Catalyst for many reasons. Our company is committed to presenting works that explore striking contrasts—between ideas, eras, and emotional experiences—and this piece exemplifies that vision. Its powerful, female-driven narrative was the most compelling factor in our selection, complemented by its intricate exploration of human relationships and connection. The intertwining stories offer a rich tapestry of emotion and insight, aligning perfectly with Catalyst's dedication to producing thought-provoking, resonant theatre.

This play juxtaposes Émilie du Châtelet—a brilliant 18th-century physicist who died after childbirth at 42—with Olivia, a modern astrophysicist dealing with ovarian cancer and surrogacy. How are you approaching the staging to make the parallel worlds of 1700s France and present-day Princeton feel both distinct and connected?

We are approaching the staging of Legacy of Light with a cinematic sensibility, using a unit set that accommodates multiple locations within a single cohesive environment. Smaller design elements will define specific settings, allowing us to move fluidly between 18th-century France and present-day Princeton. Transitions will be treated as storytelling moments in themselves—seamlessly shifting through lighting, music, video, and the actors' participation in the movement. These transitions invite the audience to journey with us from one world to another, reinforcing the thematic connections between the two timelines.

Émilie du Châtelet raced to finish translating Newton's Principia while pregnant at 42, knowing she might die in childbirth—which she did, a week after giving birth. The play asks "What is the science of love?" and explores women balancing ambition with motherhood. What conversations has it sparked in your rehearsal room, and how does this production create space for those conversations?

Our cast and artistic team have engaged in many meaningful conversations about the intersection of motherhood, ambition, and the place of women in both history and contemporary society—and about the challenges that persist to this day. Legacy of Light gives voice to those struggles with honesty and nuance through the insightful lens of Karen Zacarías's writing. As a company, we strive to honor her work by deeply exploring the emotional truths of each character and bringing those lived experiences vividly to the stage. In doing so, the production becomes a space for reflection, empathy, and dialogue about the complexities of women's lives across time.

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You've worked on major films and TV shows like Sex and the City and Across the Universe as a scenic artist. How does designing for an intimate space at duCret Center of Art differ from the scale you've worked at professionally?

I've designed both large- and small-scale scenic elements throughout my professional career, and duCret offers such a versatile and flexible space that we're able to create a completely new, immersive environment for every piece we do. It's truly a wonderful space to design in. Compared to the professional productions I work on outside of duCret, it feels incredibly freeing and liberating—not having to focus so much on bottom-line concerns, but instead being able to dedicate our full attention to the art itself. It's a beautiful, intimate environment that really nurtures creativity.

Plainfield is described as having Catalyst as its only professional theater company. What has the audience reaction been like so far in early performances?

Audiences at Catalyst have been thoroughly enthralled by the diverse and Dynamic Productions we've presented so far. The feedback we've received has been overwhelmingly positive, with audiences expressing deep appreciation for the effort and passion that go into every show. They've also praised the consistently high production values we emphasize—from exceptional acting and design to innovative use of technology and compelling storytelling.

If Émilie du Châtelet and Olivia could meet for coffee, what would they talk about first?

That's such a beautiful and thoughtful idea—and you're absolutely right, they'd be completely captivated by each other.

If Émilie du Châtelet and Olivia met for coffee, I imagine the conversation would unfold like this:

Émilie would probably begin with a flood of questions—eager, brilliant, and animated—about how humanity managed to build upon the principles she had worked so hard to translate and expand on. She'd want to know how Newton's ideas evolved into Einstein's, how energy is now understood at the quantum level, and how scientists today can "see" invisible things like exoplanets and black holes. She'd be amazed that Olivia could simply "look up" data from telescopes orbiting far above the Earth, or run simulations on computers that process more calculations in a second than she could have done in a lifetime.

Olivia, in turn, would probably be in awe of Émilie's courage—her insistence on studying and publishing at a time when women were discouraged from intellectual pursuits. She'd want to know how Émilie found the strength to pursue mathematics and physics despite the obstacles, how she translated Newton's Principia, and what it felt like to think so freely in an age that demanded restraint.

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Before long, I think they'd fall into a shared rhythm—the hum of curiosity, laughter, and admiration. They might talk about how passion for knowledge transcends centuries, or how science and philosophy both ask the same question: What is the nature of the universe, and how can we understand our place in it?

What's one line from the play that's been stuck in your head during this process?

"Everything changes. But nothing is lost ever."

If you could program Catalyst's next season with unlimited resources, what would be the dream show you'd produce?

New Jersey Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. THE LITTLE MERMAID (HOWELL PAL THEATRE COMPANY)

3.2% of votes

2. SCHOOL OF ROCK (Playhouse 22)

2.9% of votes

3. HAIR (Vanguard Theater Company)

2.9% of votes

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