THE LINCOLN DEBATE RETURNS TO The Bent!

The play that put The Bent on the map is back by popular demand!!

The Bent theater’s THE LINCOLN DEBATE sheds new light on the long-standing question of whether or not Abraham Lincoln was gay. The play, written by Terry Ray, takes a fresh dive into the relationship between Abraham Lincoln and Joshua Speed, a man Lincoln shared a bed with for four years and who history records as Lincoln’s “best friend.”

 Our inaugural run of THE LINCOLN DEBATE garned 7 Desert Theater League nominations including Best Comedy and Best Director, with 3 wins such as Jason Reale for Best Actor in a Comedy for his portrayal of Lincoln, and Alex Price for Best Supporting Actor as Joshua Speed.  We are very excited that both actors will be returning to the roles they originated as THE LINCOLN DEBATE closes The Bent's second season.

 
In a fresh and delightfully entertaining, funny, touching and always historically accurate way, the play draws from first source letters and diaries and examines them in juxtaposition with Lincoln’s very rocky courtship with Mary Todd, which was happening at the exact same time as the men were sharing a bed. And yes, it also reenacts what sharing a bed for four years might have been like in 1838.

“The Lincoln Debate” allows the audience to decide for themselves if there’s a letter under the LGBTQIA+ umbrella that suits our beloved 16th President.  The comment most overheard in the post-show lobby during its premiere run: “This really happened! Why haven't I heard about it before!”