Jane Anderson’s play “Defying Gravity” is a tribute to teacher/astronoaut Christa McAuliff, who died in the 1986 Challenger space shuttle disaster.

Director Karen Byrnes had an innovative vision for the play, adding multi-media elements and effects. With a giant white Cyc behind the actors, Hillbarn Theatre was the perfect venue.

When Karen called me to ask if I could shoot something that would make it look as if Christa floats in from outer space at the end of the play, I jumped at the chance. I took an afternoon/evening and I hung the green screen, lit the scene, shot it, and did the sound design. Then it was off to editing. About half way through, I realized that Christa was blowing bubbles! Oh wow, now I had to create CGI bubbles. That was new for me, but a wonderful learning experience.

When you see the piece (above) that was shown at the end as the finale, you’ll see that “...it is not a sad tale, but rather an inspiring and hopeful one with a message, delivered in one way or another by all of the characters, that our pursuit of the heavens is an attempt, in part to understand ourselves.”  Hillbarn Theatre, Pat Craig

You guessed it... not a dry eye in the house.