october sky

This month, we check in with Aaron Thielen (Fest ’10, The Bowery Boys), Artistic Director of the Marriott Theatre outside Chicago, and his showOctober Sky, that he has written with fellow Fest Alumnus Michael Mahler (Fest ’09, How Can You Run With a Shell on Your Back?), as they prepare for the premiere this August. 

The beloved Universal Pictures film October Sky is now a new musical. It was 1957, and Sputnik lights up the October sky over the small Appalachian mining town of Coalwood, West Virginia. Homer Hickam, the teenage son of a coal miner, is determined not to end up like generations before him. Inspired by the world’s race to space, Homer and his buddies begin to light up the starry skies with their homemade rockets and dreams of glory. This rich and emotional story is for anyone who ever dreamed of something better and reached for the stars. 

October Sky was highlighted in our Songwriters Showcase at last year’s Festival.  What was the response to the show like after the showcase? 
There was an immediate attraction to not only Michael’s music, but to the title and project as a whole.  The film really resonated with so many people.  The era.  The basic American dream of reaching for the stars, and making it.  Literally!

October Sky is being presented at Marriott in conjunction with Universal Stage Productions. What has the experience been like working with Universal on their property? 

Read More