Kyle Selig :: The Stars Align in 'October Sky'

The Old Globe is hosting the West Coast premiere of "October Sky," which developed out of a love for the 1999 Universal Pictures film of the same name. Both the play and film are based on the book "Rocket Boys," by Homer Hickam, Jr., a NASA engineer who penned a heartwarming memoir about coming of age in the dawn of the space program.

Hickam grew up in a West Virginia mining town where most folks didn't dream big, especially about rockets and outer space.

Old Globe Artistic Director Barry Edelstein brought in director/choreographer Rachel Rockwell for this show. "Rachel is an artist whose work we've long admired. She's truly a perfect fit for this heartwarming and triumphant show, one we hope will leave you moved, uplifted and looking to the stars."

Speaking of stars... California boy Kyle Selig has landed the starring role as Hickam. From Huntington Beach, Kyle was the 2010 winner of the Jimmy Award, the national high school musical theatre scholarship. Selig went on to study theatre at Carnegie Mellon School of Drama and, in his junior year, made his Broadway debut as Elder Price in"The Book of Mormon" this February.

Selig was honored to audition for the role of Homer. "I was a '90s kid, so I am very familiar with the movie version of 'October Sky.' I remember first hearing about a Chicago production and thinking to myself, 'That will be a great musical.' I was surprised, after telling people that I got the role, how many people remembered and loved the film. They are excited to hear it as a musical."

In an interview with Old Globe Literary Manager and Dramaturg Danielle Mages Amato, "October Sky" composer Michael Mahler shared about the musical score. "I drew from a variety of inspirations: the stirring, sweeping Americana of Copland, the bluegrass and Appalachian folk music and the youthful sounds of the beginning of rock and roll."

The show also touts inspiring special effects featuring rocket launches and the opposition of the earth and sky. From underground coal mines to outer space, both are a place of explorers, both dangerous and both explosive. Selig notes the simile: "There is this great lyric from Homer's dad, 'I am the earth and you are the sky.' They are two dreamers. His father dreams of providing a better life for his family, and loves coal mining as much as Homer loves the sky. When Homer goes to the dark mines for the first time and the minerals shine like the stars, he realizes they really are cut from the same cloth."

Selig knew from an early age that he wanted to be on the stage. "In some ways I faced a similar risk in terms of dealing with telling your parents... Telling them you want to do this crazy job that is not stable. But my parents let me and we never had a Plan B discussion. Homer knew what he wanted to be doing, [he had] very clear dreams. The challenge is achieving them, and that's what makes it such a great story. People relate to him and the struggle of finding a way to do that."

For those who would like a little wisdom from a fast-rising star, Selig offers this: "Read everything you can get your hands on, and develop your empathy and understanding of others types of people. Take the jump. Fear comes naturally and when we overcome it, we achieve great things."

Composer Mahler also spoke to the relevance of fear and this show. "I think it's never the wrong time to remind ourselves that American heroes are those whose reach extends beyond their grasp. Particularly in such a divisive election year, it's important to tell the story of a boy who united his community. Not in fear of the Russians, the Communists, or the unknown, but in hope. Inspiring people by showing them we can discover, we can achieve and we can move the course of human history forward together."

"October Sky" runs Saturday, September 10 through Sunday, October 23 at the Old Globe Theatre. For tickets and more information, call 619.234.5623 or go to theoldglobe.org.

Join The Rage Monthly for LGBT Out Night on Thursday, October 13. For more information, go to theoldglobe. org/other-programming/out-at-the-globe