The musical “Gravity: A Newtonian Musical” will receive industry presentations on Nov. 6 and 7 at Manhattan’s Pearl Studios. The tuner features a book by Jessia Hoffman, music by Joel Chapman and Matt Herrero and lyrics by Weston Gaylord. Directed and co-conceived by Ken Savage, “Gravity” is being produced by Nathaniel Rothrock and Film FiftySix Productions.
“Gravity” follows physics prodigy Sophie, who, upon accidentally travelling back in time to 1666, has a meet-cute with Isaac Newton that prevents him from discovering gravity. While attempting to return home, Sophie meets a slew of other historical figures of the Enlightenment, such as Edmond Halley, Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz and Margaret Cavendish.
The acting company of these presentations will include Taylor Iman Jones, Adrianna Hicks, J. Antonio Rodriguez, Sherrod T. Brown, Will Connolly, David R. Gordon, Megan Masako Haley, Dan Hoy, Belén Moyano, Bryan Munar and Kay Sibal. Casting is by Victor Vazquez of X Casting.
Book writer Hoffman previously penned the play “Sheila”; she is also a performer (appearing regularly in improvised musicals with San Francisco’s Polite Society Players) and leadership trainer. Chapman is known for his work as a music director and composer, having released the 2023 folk album “I’m Sorry It Took So Long.” Herrero is a Bay area-based composer and performer, whose résumé includes appearances in California productions of “Spring Awakening” and “Sweeney Todd.”
Lyricist Gaylord creates mixed-reality and immersive works, such as “Chained: A Victorian Nightmare,” which has received installations in both Los Angeles and New York. Savage is director of events for the classical music organization Festival Napa Valley and previously served as associate producer of innovation and strategy at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and associate producer at American Conservatory Theater.
The members of the creative team were all classmates during their time at Stanford University.
Rothrock’s producing credits include Broadway’s “Smash” and “Maybe Happy Ending,” the latter of which won the 2025 Tony Award for Best Musical. Rothrock recently launched Film FiftySix Productions, a production company encompassing film, theater and television.
Additional personnel for the reading include production stage manager William Carlton and assistant stage manager Chelsea Friday. Sharon Fallon Productions will serve as general manager, while Chapman will serve as music director.
“Gravity” was a finalist at the 2025 National Alliance for Musical Theater Festival of New Musicals and a 2025 semi-finalist and 2017 finalist in the O’Neill National Music Theatre Conference.
