LGBTQ theater The Bent's new play,'The Lincoln Debate,' tells story of Lincoln, Speed

"The Lincoln Debate," the debut play from new Coachella Valley LGBTQ theater company The Bent, will enlighten audiences as it highlights a personal relationship that one of America's most notable leaders had early in his career.

The play, written by Terry Ray and directed by Steve Rosenbaum, takes a funny and historical dive into the relationship between Abraham Lincoln and Joshua Speed, a man he shared a bed with for four years. By presenting the facts based on letters that Lincoln wrote to Speed and information provided in biographies, "The Lincoln Debate" allows audiences to draw their own conclusions about the relationship.

The production premiered Wednesday, and will continue through the end of December.

"We don't have the letters that Speed wrote, so we have one side of the conversation, but when you put it together with context, it's really something to think about," Ray said. "I want to present the facts and let people make up their own mind to see, if it was a different time, if there's a letter under the LGBTQ umbrella that would fit Lincoln. Was he possibly gay? Was he possibly bisexual? It's a big deal if he was because we don't have that kind of role model."

Ray, who also teaches an acting class through The Actor's Lab in Palm Springs, wrote the play during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when he "couldn't write about the future" because he wasn't sure what the future would even look like. He also knew he didn't want to write a play about the pandemic itself because he thought people were "going to be sick of it" by the time the finished product was presented. The playwright was always fascinated by Lincoln, who he shares the same birthday as, so he decided it was the right time to pursue the project.

The play spans the years when Lincoln was an Illinois state representative, beginning his law career, living with Speed and just about to meet Mary Todd. Much is known about the man who would eventually become the nation's 16th president, but the play also takes time to dive into Speed's life.

Speed's father was wounded in the Revolutionary War and was awarded 7,500 acres in Kentucky, where he built a massive plantation and became one of the largest slave owners in the state, Ray said. Speed did not get along with his father, so he moved to Springfield, Illinois, and opened a dry goods store. There, he saw Lincoln hold speeches while he was campaigning, and the two eventually met. In a biography written by William Herndon, Speed explained how the two met and how they started sharing a bed, which Ray said was "really helpful" for the play.

For decades, historians have said that Lincoln and Speed were just friends and there was no physical relationship between them, Ray said. But as the play explains what their sleeping situation might have looked like, and the letters that Lincoln wrote to Speed are dissected, audiences might think otherwise.

"At the time, men had to get married, especially if you wanted to be an ambitious politician," Ray said. "There's a lot that happens, like (Lincoln) does meet Mary Todd while he's living with Speed, he does get engaged with Mary Todd while he's living with Speed, but also breaks up with (her)... then he doesn't see her for 15 months."

There were also plenty of challenges along the way. When Ray read Lincoln's letters, he thought his "language was so beautiful" and that it would be tough to write a play in that manner. As a result, he decided to tackle the show with a more modern approach. A character called The Guide moves the story along and addresses the audience directly, while four other actors play different characters throughout the show, including Lincoln and Speed's family members, partners and authors.

The cast, who are all local residents, includes Jason Reale as Abraham Lincoln, Laura Martinez as Mary Todd, Alex Price as Joshua Speed, Renee Poignard as Fanny Henning and Chip Steele as The Guide.

While Ray is proud of all that "The Lincoln Debate" presents, he is expecting to receive pushback based on the subject matter, which he has experienced before in his career.

"This will make some people angry, but I am presenting the facts and I don't say one way or the other. I let the audience decide," he said.

Ray and Rosenbaum, who have been creative partners for more than 30 years, also embarked on a new adventure this year by launching The Bent.

Following the success of Ray's show "Electricity," the longest-running play in Palm Springs, and both him and Rosenbaum moving to the desert, they wanted to get involved in the local theater scene. They looked to the Desert Rose Playhouse, an LGBTQ+ live stage production company and venue, but it closed this summer.

"We thought, there's got to be a gay theater in Palm Springs. There's just got to be," Ray said. "We didn't plan on it, but we have now launched our own nonprofit."

Ray is the managing director of The Bent, while Rosenbaum is the artistic director. The two have a number of shows they want to showcase throughout the season, but are still in the process of fundraising.

Palm Springs Cultural Center Executive Director Michael C. Green is happy to see another theater company in the Coachella Valley and to be able to provide a space for new shows to take life in front of audiences. He was "thrilled" to see how "The Lincoln Debate" has come along during rehearsals and to watch the final product on opening night, and hopes for more moments like that with other groups.

"One of our goals has always been to bring multiple theater companies into our theater three. This is our second year with Desert Ensemble Theater Company and now with The Bent," Green said. "We hope to continue collaborating with them and have them continue working with us."

"As a new theater company, it's hard ... so we've been happy to be able to be a part of helping them put it together and make it real," he continued. "When you're two people and you're trying to start a theater company and have an idea for a show and you've written something and you want to get it out there, translating that into being able to have a space and have a way to do ticketing and all of those other things, that's why it was a beautiful combination for us."

If you go

What: "The Lincoln Debate"

When: 7 p.m. Dec. 16, 21, 28, 29 and 30

Where: Palm Springs Cultural Center, 2300 E. Baristo Road, Palm Springs

Cost: $35

More info: thebent.org/

Ema Sasic covers entertainment and health in the Coachella Valley. Reach her at ema.sasic@desertsun.com or on Twitter @ema_sasic.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: New Palm Springs LGBTQ theater group debuts with 'The Lincoln Debate'