Satellites: Bringing an astronomy archive to the stage

In 2018, Natalie Songer–a theatre maker based in Norfolk, United Kingdom, who was trained at Goldsmiths College, University of London, and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland–traveled to Arizona to utilize Special Collections materials to research her great-great uncle, Tom Gehrels. Gehrels was a professor of planetary sciences and astronomy at the University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory and the Department of Planetary Sciences from 1961 to 2011. Just a few months before his passing, in April 2011, he was honored by the university for his 50 years of service as an academic.  

Songer’s visit to Tucson and Special Collections resulted in Satellites, the play that she wrote about Gehrels and performed on stage in 2022. Satellites is described as an “an epic, bittersweet story of heritage, disappearance and space travel for the stage.” 

On December 5, at 6pm in the Special Collections Reading Room, Songer is back in Tucson to read some sections from her play and discuss how the Tom Gehrels Papers held in Special Collections influenced the making of her work. 

The event is free and open to the public. 

Questions or requests regarding disability-related accommodations should be directed to Lori Strazza Brown, strazzal@arizona.edu.

Location & visitor parking
Special Collections is located at 1510 E. University Blvd. on the southwest corner of University Blvd. / Cherry Ave., next door to the Main Library Starbucks. View the map. 

Visitor parking is available at the Cherry Garage located just east of the Main Library. See parking garage rates.

Note: The play script contains some profanity and descriptions of experiences within concentration camps.