Composer | Writer | Music Director | Artistic Leader
A Trip to the Moon
Book, Music, and Lyrics by Adam J. Rineer
Run Time: 90 minutes
Cast of 12+
Orchestration (7):
Keyboard 1/Conductor
Violin
Cello
Guitar 1 (electric, acoustic)
Guitar 2/Keyboard2 (electric)
Bass (upright, 5-string fretted electric, 5-string fretless electric)
Drums/Percussion (crash cym., ride cym., spiral trash cym., hi-hat, 2 toms, 2 floor toms,
snare, kick drum, triangle/miller machine, anvil, brake drum, glockenspiel, vibraphone)
Do we all have a place in the universe? If so, where is it? And what happens when the lives of a queer Victorian-era astronomer, a Lunar Goddess, and a skeptical young alien collide during one pivotal journey to the moon? Through an eclectic score that combines punk, prog rock, and 19th-century operetta, this piece—loosely inspired by George Méliès's film—explores man's desire to conquer, the fascination with space, and the breaking binaries.
History:
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2022 - Semi-Finalist, Next Stage Residency, Drama League, NYC
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2021 - Semi-Finalist, Polyphone Festival, University of the Arts, PHL
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2020 - Excerpt Presentation, MusiCoLab, PHL
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2020 - Concert Reading, The Maas Building, PHL
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2020 - Recipient, Vice Provost Arts Grant, Temple University, PHL
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2019 - Staged Reading, Temple University, PHL
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2019 - Table Reading, Simple Studios, NYC
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2019 - Workshop, Temple University, PHL
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Developed in part at the George and Joy Abbott Center for Musical Theater at Temple University, PHL
"Orbit"
January 3, 2021
Virtual Release
demo recording
Personel
Zofia Weretka — Vocals (Selene)
Adam J. Rineer — Keys
Meghan Todt Williams — Violin
Giovanna Moraga Clayton — Cello
Juan Arango — Guitars
Thomas E. Carley — Bass
Joshua Roberts — Drums
The Maas Building
January 10, 2020
Philadelphia, PA
concert reading
This project was funded by a Vice Provost for the Arts Student Grant from Temple University.
Creative Team
Directed by Jason Aguirre
Music Directed by Katie Siegmund
Assistant Directed by Megan Krause
Dramaturgy by Rachel Graf Evans
Cast
Zofia Weretka (Oscar at the Crown) — Selene
Andy Patterson — Professor Barbicane
Matthew Levy — Captian Nicholl
Charlie Bensinger — Michel Ardan
Alexa Joseph — Pandia
Caitlin Navarrete — Theia/Ensemble
Maddie Shea — Mailman/Horae/Ensemble
Nick Erholm — Astronomer #1/Ensemble
Collin Haber — Astronomer #2/Ensemble
Arielle Beane — Hesiod/Ensemble
Avery Infranco — Ersa/Ensemble
Richard Magyan — Nemea/Ensemble
Band
Adam J. Rineer — Piano
Lonnie Davis — Drums/Percussion
Temple University
August 23, 2019
Philadelphia, PA
concert reading
Creative Team
Directed by Jason Aguirre
Music Directed by Patrick Tice-Carroll
Assistant Directed by Adi Mullen
Cast
Alexa Joseph — Pandia
Imani Moss — Selene
Andy Patterson — Professor Barbicane
Richard Magyan — Captain Nicholl
Charlie Bensinger — Michel Ardan
Emily Carone — Ensemble
Xhenet Capani — Ensemble
Nicholas Erholm — Ensemble
Zoë Fox — Ensemble
Collin Haber — Ensemble
Avery Infranco — Ensemble
Marcella Smith — Ensemble
Simple Studios
June 16, 2019
New York, NY
table reading
Creative Team
Directed by Jason Aguirre
Music Directed by Patrick Tice-Carroll
Assistant Directed by Alexa Joseph
Cast
Sushma Saha (Interstate) — Pandia
Zofia Weretka (Oscar at the Crown) — Selene
Ethan Crystal (Golem Owned...Smoothie, For The Record: The Brat Pack) — Professor Barbicane
Jace 'n Ziev — Michel Ardan
Brian C. Veith — Captain Nicholl
Imani Moss — Ensemble
Emily Riedel — Ensemble
Andy Patterson — Ensemble
Adi Mullen — Ensemble
Temple University
April 17, 2019
Philadelphia, PA
workshop
Creative Team
Directed by Rose Freeman
Music Directed by Patrick Tice-Carroll
Cast
Joshua Battisti — Professor Barbicane
William Hornby (TikTok: @williamcarvedpumpkins)— Captain Nicholl
Charlie Bensinger — Michel Ardan
Nichole Mottershead — Selene
Alexa Joseph — Pandia
Samantha Rose Roberts — Selenite
Jessica Money — Selenite
Federica Andino-Vega — Pit Singer
Joy Lynn Pringle — Pit Singer
Julia Hameed — Pit Singer
Band
Patrick Tice-Carroll — Keyboard 1/Music Director
Olivia Backal-Balik — Keyboard 2
Steve Katona — Drums