During its 47th Season in 2024-25, Newnan Theatre Company will host a world premiere of a new musical. Written by Landon Ashworth, To The Moon, begins before World War II and carries audiences through the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing as told (and sung) by American presidents, Russian dictators, scientists like Wernher von Braun, the mathematicians made famous in Hidden Figures, and the astronauts themselves.
In preparation for the play’s debut, NTC is opening a “table read” to the public on August 1, 2023, at 7pm at Newnan Theatre Company’s Mainstage at 24 1st Avenue in Newnan.
Ashworth holds a PhD in astrophysics and has studied space, America’s “space race,” and NASA for most of his adult life. Also an accomplished TV writer, actor and director, Ashworth wrote To The Moon as a musical to tell a story that Americans, and indeed most of the world, are in danger of forgetting.
Local actors familiar to NTC audiences will read the script in character on NTC’s Mainstage, and the songs will be professional recordings made by the playwright, who will also be in attendance.
Tickets are $10 and include a box of popcorn and one soft drink.
About the Writer
Landon Ashworth PhD
Landon Ashworth's love of outer space began at a young age as his great uncle, four-star General Truman Landon, was a test pilot and along with Eisenhower, helped start the Air Force. Fascinated with aeronautics, Landon attended Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and became an accomplished jet pilot, with hopes of becoming an astronaut. Sadly, NASA continued to move the goal line for civilian jet pilots thus a career in space was never in the cards. Landon wrote To The Moon to celebrate the dedication of the 400,000 men and women who sacrificed their time, money, and lives to accomplish something that was larger than anyone could have imagined. To honor the note given to him by the Collins family, Landon ensured that the musical would be historically accurate. The lead historian at NASA gave the book and lyrics his seal of approval. With almost a decade of research under his belt, there are no facts about the entire space race history that went undiscovered. Relentless fact checking went into To the Moon. The only request Kate Collins, the daughter of Michael Collins made to Landon, was to get the facts right and to not make an Apollo 11 Musical full of fictitious events to make the story more compelling. Landon honored that note, which took an additional 11 months of rewrites to let the true story shine. Landon is an award winning writer and director, and a working actor in film and television.
About the Composer
Jason Pelsey
Jason Pelsey is a masterful pianist known for his epic original compositions and inspired remixes of jazz and contemporary pop pieces.
He is a coveted SOLO-ACT at many venues in Los Angeles including, Villa Carlotta, Calamigos Guest Ranch in Malibu, Chateau Marmont, Yamashiro, and The Beverly Hills Hotel. As composer, his music won Best Soundtrack at the Miami International Film Festival. In 2018, Little Black Lie won awards at the Madrid International Film Festival. In 2020, Jason's work premiered on The Bold & The Beautiful. He has worked under the direction of Bev Land and Tabrez Noorani, as well as in collaboration with Composer John Nordstrom.