Northwestern College’s theatre department will present “Defying Gravity” Feb. 13, 14, 19, 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m., with a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, Feb. 14. Performances will take place in the Allen Black Box Theatre.
Written by Jane Anderson, “Defying Gravity” is set against the backdrop of the 1986 Challenger space shuttle disaster. Interweaving fact and fiction, past and present, the play explores the stories of the people surrounding the tragedy and how personal and collective experiences of loss shape resilience, memory and hope.
The story unfolds through multiple lenses, including the teacher selected to travel aboard the shuttle, her daughter left behind, bystanders grappling with shock, and artist Claude Monet, whose impressionistic worldview shapes how audiences see and experience the story. Together, these characters explore the pains and joys of human connection and disconnection.
Drew Schmidt, the play’s director and associate professor of theatre at Northwestern, has been drawn to the script for several years. “I find it to be a heart-wrenchingly hopeful play,” he says. “We believe that theatre should help people examine themselves, wrestle with their emotions and come out the other side more whole and holy. At its best, theatre is a sanctifying work where God makes us new by listening to someone else’s story.”
Starring in the production is Northwestern acting faculty member Molly Wiebe Faber as Elizabeth, with Rebecca De Haan serving as Elizabeth’s understudy. Other cast members include Charlee Olson as the teacher, Mackenna Thurman as Monet, Dana Sorenson as Betty, Simon Maggert as Ed, Mackenzie Russell as Donna and Micah De Young as C.B.
The production will feature impressionistic projections inspired by Monet’s artwork, along with nostalgic costume and prop elements from the mid-1980s. The theatre lobby will also include educational displays on Monet, the Challenger explosion, and Christa McAuliffe, the teacher who was aboard the shuttle.
Tickets for “Defying Gravity” are $10 for adults and $5 for students and go on sale Jan. 30. They can be reserved at nwciowa.edu/tickets, by calling the box office at 712-707-7098, or by emailing boxoffice@nwciowa.edu.
