Before becoming a scientist, Florian Carle worked in the arts. For 12 years he was a theater actor in France before shifting to quantum science; he is now managing director at the Yale Quantum Institute.

Conversely, Vince Tycer worked in the sciences before switching to the arts. He was a computer programmer, and dabbled in physics, but then decided to pursue acting, directing and writing; he is currently an assistant professor in residence in the University of Connecticut’s Drama Department for the Performance/Acting Area.

About a year ago, the two men met and discovered their similar, if flipped, journeys. That commonality led to them to pursue a project that explores quantum theory through art — a production of the play “Copenhagen.”

Set in 1941, Copenhagen explores the enigmatic meeting between German physicist Werner Heisenberg and his Danish counterpart, Niels Bohr, amidst the backdrop of World War II. As former collaborators now on opposing sides, they grapple with the mysteries of quantum physics and the complexities of human relationships.

For 2025, in recognition of the UNESCO International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, marking the 100 year anniversary of Werner Heisenberg's Matrix Mechanics, we bring you the Tony award winning play Copenhagen, exploring the enigmatic meeting between Werner Heisenberg, Niels Bohr and his wife Margrethe. The performance at the Yale Schwarzman Center on May 29 is the culminating event of the 2025 Yale Innovation Summit.

The play is directed by Vince Tycer, Assistant Professor at the UConn Drama Department and YQI Artist-in-Residence, bringing together talent from all over the state and at all level! This production is the tireless labour of undergraduate students, graduate students, researchers, artists, and staff members from the Yale Quantum Institute, the University of Connecticut, the Yale Schwarzman Center, the Yale Innovation Summit, QuantumCT, and the International Festival of Arts & Ideas for a state wide production, presented on May 20 at Yale (event page & tickets here), and on September 4-6 at UConn (event page & tickets here).

One area of focus for Vince Tycer at UConn is connecting technology and science with theater and the arts. To that end, a little over a year ago he got involved with QuantumCT, the public-private partnership led by Yale and UConn that aims to accelerate in-state research employing quantum technologies and to position Connecticut as a leader in the field. That’s how he met Carle.

“We got to talking a bit and I was really excited about this opportunity to do a play related to quantum physics,” Tycer said. “And about science applied to morality as well. How the advances of science sometime get ahead of themselves in terms of the oversized impact they can have on humans.

“One of the beautiful things about the show is it brings these high-level concepts that seem like — unless you’re someone like Florian — they are out there in the stratosphere, and it brings it down to the human component. It’s a very human story about these three people, and family, and the impacts of the war.”