Asolo Rep’s Ground Floor Presents Stellar Atmospheres – One Women Musical

June 23, 2023 – Sarasota

Asolo Repertory Theatre’s Ground Floor Series will present a staged reading presentation of a new musical, Stellar Atmospheres, composed by Paul Gordon, directed by Céline Rosenthal and performed by Hannah Elless. The reading will have a public presentation on Friday, June 30, at 5:00 p.m. in the Asolo Rep Rehearsal Hall.

The reading will feature select scenes of the emotional and captivating musical, Stellar Atmospheres. The show is based on the remarkable life of Cecilia Payne, a brilliant woman who discovered the composition of stars. Despite facing opposition from her male superiors in a male-dominated field, Cecilia persisted in her relentless pursuit of knowledge.

This musical, composed by Paul Gordon, features the award-winning actress and vocalist Hannah Elless and is directed by Asolo Rep’s Associate Artistic Director, Céline Rosenthal. Witness this intimate and passionate portrayal of Cecilia’s journey.

Renowned composer Gordon has previously been nominated for a Tony Award and has received multiple awards for his work in composing music and lyrics for various productions, such as Jane Eyre, Sense and Sensibility and Daddy Long Legs. Before his composing career, he was a successful pop songwriter.

Elless, a talented award-winning actress and vocalist, will portray Payne in the upcoming reading. She was last seen on the Asolo Rep’s stage in the world premiere of Knoxville. Elless has an impressive Broadway career, having starred in productions such as Bright Star and A Christmas Carol. Additionally, she has acted in films and TV shows like The Deuce and Glee.

Rosenthal is an accomplished director and Tony®-nominated producer. They founded Asolo Rep’s Ground Floor Series and have directed productions across the country, including Grand Horizons at Asolo Rep and Trayf at New Rep.

The musical takes place in the same setting as the 2022-23 Asolo Rep production of Silent Sky, the Harvard Observatory where Cecilia Payne worked at the same desk as Henrietta Leavitt. The musical continues the story of these remarkable Harvard “computers” directly after the events of Silent Sky and even includes a cameo by Annie Cannon

The presentation will take place on Friday, June 30, at 5:00 p.m. in the Asolo Rep Rehearsal Hall and is free to attend. To reserve a free ticket, please visit https://www.asolorep.org/events/detail/stellar-atmospheres