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Marriott ready to launch new 'October Sky' musical

Jeff Award-winning director Rachel Rockwell never saw herself as being particularly interested in coal-mining communities before.

Then she became involved in directing "October Sky" for the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire just months after tackling the British musical "Billy Elliot" for Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace.

"There are two coal-mining musicals in the world, it seems, and I'm doing both of them within six months of each other," Rockwell said. "I'm starting to feel like it's a second career."

But whereas Rockwell had a pre-existing script and score to work with in "Billy Elliot," she gets to help shape the material for the launch of the musical "October Sky" with composer-lyricist-actor Michael Mahler and playwright Aaron Thielen, who previously collaborated on the new Marriott musical "Hero" in 2012.

Beginning previews Aug. 19, "October Sky," adapted from the 1999 film of the same name, is based upon the memoir "Rocket Boys" by NASA scientist Homer H. Hickam Jr. It details how he and three high school friends experimented with building rockets despite community skepticism and parental disapproval in West Virginia in the 1950s. The film adaptation featured a young Jake Gyllenhaal as Homer Jr., Chris Cooper as his mining superintendent father and Laura Dern as his supportive teacher.

"I think it's such a great story about community and family," Rockwell said. "I was really excited by the potential of it."

The notion of making these characters sing came about when Chris Herzberger, a former Naperville resident and current vice president for the Live Theatricals division of Universal Pictures, approached Marriott co-artistic director Thielen about looking at properties from the studio's back catalog to transform into musicals.

"(Herzberger) knew the Marriott and he knew that one of our main focuses was developing and cultivating new works," said Thielen, proudly adding that Herzberger's parents are longtime Marriott subscribers.

"Our space is perfect for development because we don't have to worry about massive sets - we're in the round and so you focus on the story. If you can get it right in our space, you can get it right somewhere else."

"October Sky" was one Universal property that really appealed to Thielen, so he and Mahler started work on a draft in April 2013. Universal officials liked what they saw.

"I like to do my homework and research and dig into the musical styles of both the period and of the region," Mahler said. So he drew from 1950s rock, Appalachian bluegrass and composer Aaron Copland as he set about making the characters in "October Sky" sing their wants and desires.

"I personally know nothing about rocket science, I mean, I know a lot more now than I did before just working on the show," Mahler said. "But I know what it's like to have a dream that doesn't make a lot of sense to people around you and trying to do something that everyone else in your town hasn't ever tried to do."

Rockwell says the script and score for "October Sky" has been in constant flux during rehearsals, and she expects even more changes once they gauge how audiences react to the material.

"We have a longer tech process for this show than we normally do because it is a new work," said Rockwell, excited to finally get the show out of the rehearsal hall and before a paying crowd. "There's a lot of research and development that goes into these moments to see if it's going to be satisfying and executed in the most efficient, imaginative way."

Alex Weisman, left, Patrick Rooney, Nate Lewellyn and Ben Barker star in “October Sky” at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire. The world premiere musical is an adaptation of the 1999 Universal Pictures film. It plays from Wednesday, Aug. 19, to Sunday, Oct. 11. COURTESY OF AMY BOYLE PHOTOGRAPHY/MARRIOTT THEATRE
Composer/lyricist Michael Mahler, left, and book writer Aaron Thielen watch rehearsals in Buffalo Grove for “October Sky” at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire. COURTESY OF BRANDON DAHLQUIST PHOTOGRAPHY/MARRIOTT THEATRE
Rachel Rockwell directs cast members during rehearsals in Buffalo Grove for “October Sky” at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire. “October Sky” plays from Wednesday, Aug. 19, to Sunday, Oct. 11. COURTESY OF BRANDON DAHLQUIST PHOTOGRAPHY/MARRIOTT THEATRE

“October Sky”

Location: Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Drive, Lincolnshire, (847) 634-0200 or

marriotttheatre.com

Showtimes: 1 and 8 p.m. Wednesday, 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 4:30 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday; Wednesday, Aug. 19, through Sunday, Oct. 11

Tickets: $50-$55

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