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Light Years

World Premiere Feb 6 – Mar 4, 2018
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About Performance Info Specialty Nights Sponsors Cast & Creative Reviews Social Venue
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Acclaimed folk/rock/indie band Eddie From Ohio’s Robbie Schaefer crafts a touching and funny world premiere musical portrait featuring Bobby Smith.

A master storyteller, Robbie journeys from his childhood in India to the joys and struggles of growing up, pursuing his passion and raising a family. Entwined throughout is his cherished relationship with his father—and his father’s haunted past.

Enriched with beautiful folk-rock music, inventive lyrics and Robbie’s disarming humor, Light Years is a deeply personal tale of immigration, musical gifts and the steadfast bond between father and son.

Book, Music & Lyrics by Robbie Schaefer
Choreography by Kelly Crandall d'Amboise
Directed by Eric Schaeffer

Performance Information

  • Run Time

    Running time is approximately one hour and 30 minutes, with no intermission

  • Effects Warnings

    Contains theatrical smoke, haze and a brief period of bright flashing lights.

Specialty Nights

Discussion Nights

February 27 & 28, 2018

Pride Night

February 23, 2018

Open Captioning

February 25, 2018 at 2PM

Sponsored by

Cast Members

Natascia Diaz

Natascia Diaz

Annie/Chantelle

SIGNATURE: Passion (Fosca, Helen Hayes Award), Threepenny Opera (Jenny, Helen Hayes nom.), West Side Story (Anita, Helen Hayes nom.), Kiss of the Spiderwoman (Aurora).  BROADWAY: Man of La Mancha (Antonia, u/s Aldonza), Seussical. OFF-BROADWAY: Encores! Grand Hotel (Rafaella), The Capeman (Esmeralda), Jacques Brel, tick, tick, BOOM! (Susan, LA Ovation nom.). TOUR: West Side Story (Anita, Chicago Jeff Award, St. Louis Kevin Kline Award). DC: Shakespeare Theatre: Our Town (Mrs. Gibbs); Woolly: Collective Rage (Betty #3); MetroStage: Jacques Brel (Woman 1, Helen Hayes Award), Savage In Limbo (Savage), Rooms (Monica, Helen Hayes Award, shared with Chita!). REGIONAL: San Francisco Playhouse: Sally (Follies); St. Louis Muny: On Your Feet (Gloria Fajardo, St. Louis Critics Award), Chicago (Velma, Critics nom.); Hartford Stage: Ah, Wilderness! (Lily). FILM: Every Little Step. natasciadiaz.com 
Robbie Schaefer

Robbie Schaefer

Robbie

SIGNATURE: Both Sides Now: Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen, Light Years. REGIONAL: Gulf View Drive, Actor’s Co-op Theatre Company, Los Angeles, CA. PLAYWRIGHT: Light Years, The Blue Poppy. TV/FILM: Burst The Silence (prev. Light Years). ALBUMS/RECORDINGS: Sounds Like Home, Ruby, Strange and Lovely World, In the Flesh, This Is Me (Eddie From Ohio), Quick (Eddie From Ohio), others. RADIO: SiriusXM Satellite Radio, Music Director and On-Air talent, Kids Place Live. NON-PROFIT: OneVoice, Founder and President. EDUCATION: James Madison University; Pluralistic Rabbinical Seminary.
Bobby Smith

Bobby Smith

Konnie

he/him SIGNATURE: No Place to Go, She Loves Me, Midnight at The Never Get, Assassins, Grand Hotel, Passion, Light Years, A Little Night Music, Titanic, Simply Sondheim, Company, Midwestern Gothic, Road Show, Threepenny Opera, Disney's Freaky Friday, La Cage aux Folles (Helen Hayes Award), Spin (Helen Hayes Award). BROADWAY: Crazy for You. OFF-BROADWAY: Forever Plaid, The World Goes ‘Round, Of Thee I Sing. NATIONAL TOURS: Brigadoon, The World Goes ‘Round. DC AREA: Theater J: Two Jews Walk Into a War; Studio Theatre: Fun Home, A Class Act; The Long Christmas Ride Home; Caroline, or Change; Grey Gardens; Reefer Madness; Jerry Springer: The Opera; Ford’s Theatre: Elmer Gantry, Liberty Smith, 1776, Violet; Metrostage: Girl in the Goldfish Bowl, Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris (Helen Hayes Award). AWARDS: 2018 Anderson/Hopkins award.

Luke Smith

Middle Robbie

SIGNATURE: My Fair Lady, Scandalous. BROADWAY: Significant Other. 1ST NATIONAL TOUR: Peter and the Starcatcher. OFF-BROADWAY: Roundabout: Significant Other; Barrow Street Theatre: Hit the Wall; NYMF: F*#king Hipsters; Sonnet Repertory Theater: Caucasian Chalk Circle. REGIONAL: Barrington Stage: Taking Steps, American Son; St. Louis Repertory Theatre: One Man, Two Guvnors; Walnut Street Theatre: The Buddy Holly Story. FILM: The Irishman (Martin Scorsese, 2019 release), Origins, Freedom. BAND: Awning (co-songwriter), Group Shirley House (guitarist/vocalist). EDUCATION: University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

John Sygar

Young Robbie

DC AREA: Constellation Theatre: Peter and the Starcatcher; 1st Stage: Floyd Collins; Next Stop: Assassins, Urinetown; Adventure Theatre: Garfield (Helen Hayes nomination Best Supporting Actor), Pinkalicious, Knuffle Bunny; Artcentric: Jesus Christ Superstar. EDUCATION: The Catholic University of America BM.
Kara-Tameika Watkins

Kara-Tameika Watkins

Amelia/Soma

she/her SIGNATURE: Passing Strange, Daphne’s Dive, Jesus Christ Superstar, Jelly's Last Jam, Dreamgirls, Hairspray, Sunset Boulevard, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. DC AREA: Arena Stage: Crowns, Smokey Joe’s Café; Ford's Theatre: Little Shop of Horrors, Children of Eden; Studio Theatre: Caroline, or Change; Olney Theatre: Miss You Like Hell, Carmen: An Afro-Cuban Musical, Peter Pan, Camelot; Round House Theatre: Caroline, or Change; Once on this Island; Creative Cauldron: Caroline, or Change. REGIONAL: Capital Reperto Repertory Theatre: The Honky Tonk Angels; Arts Center of North Carolina: Rock of Ages; PCLO: Hairspray; Northshore Music Theatre: Hairspray; Nevada: Hairspray, Smokey Joe’s Café. Proud Member AEA.

Creative Team

Robbie Schaefer

Robbie Schaefer

Book, Music & Lyrics by

SIGNATURE: Both Sides Now: Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen, Light Years. REGIONAL: Gulf View Drive, Actor’s Co-op Theatre Company, Los Angeles, CA. PLAYWRIGHT: Light Years, The Blue Poppy. TV/FILM: Burst The Silence (prev. Light Years). ALBUMS/RECORDINGS: Sounds Like Home, Ruby, Strange and Lovely World, In the Flesh, This Is Me (Eddie From Ohio), Quick (Eddie From Ohio), others. RADIO: SiriusXM Satellite Radio, Music Director and On-Air talent, Kids Place Live. NON-PROFIT: OneVoice, Founder and President. EDUCATION: James Madison University; Pluralistic Rabbinical Seminary.

Press Reviews

A luminous ode to family, love, and the human spirit, seeing Light Years is a must.

DCTheatreScene

Not to be missed… Light Years is the musical truth of our time

TheatreBloom

A moving and captivating work

BroadwayWorld

Intensely intimate and deeply affecting

MDTheatreGuide

A most gratifying evening

DCMetroTheaterArts

A touching story, glorified with marvelous music

TheaterMania

Signature Theatre

4200 Campbell Ave Arlington, Virginia

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