MSU’s New Musical Laboratory Explores NASA’s Return to Space with ‘Discovery’

When the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds after launch in 1986, seven astronauts died, and NASA questioned whether the space shuttle program should fly again.

That question is at the heart of the new musical “Discovery,” coming to Michigan State University Sept. 24-27, 2026, as part of the MSU Department of Theatre New Musical Laboratory, which brings together professional musical theatre artists and MSU students in the development of a new musical, in collaboration with Wharton Center for Performing Arts.

Promotional graphic for “Discovery: A New American Musical” featuring a space shuttle launching against a blue sky, with credits for Alex Higgin-Houser and Dan Gibson. — The new musical “Discovery” is coming to Michigan State University Sept. 24-27, 2026, as part of the MSU Department of Theatre New Musical Laboratory.

“Working alongside the students has allowed us to experiment boldly, make meaningful changes, and uncover dimensions of ‘Discovery’ that we could not have imagined at the outset,” said Director Rod Caspers. “Their curiosity, discipline, and artistry have profoundly shaped the development of this work.”

With music by Dan Gibson and book and lyrics by Alex Higgin-Houser, “Discovery” follows Dr. Sally Ride and the NASA astronaut corps through the aftermath of the Challenger disaster and the journey back to space aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery in 1988.

“Working alongside the students has allowed us to experiment boldly, make meaningful changes, and uncover dimensions of ‘Discovery’ that we could not have imagined at the outset.”
Rod Caspers, Director

That tension between America’s capacity for profound failure and extraordinary renewal is a central message of the musical.

“Institutions failed. Trust fractured. Progress stalled. People still chose hope,” Caspers said. “Patriotism, in this context, is not blind loyalty. It is the belief that a country can reckon with its failures, recommit to its ideals, and try again.”

The “Discovery” authors wrote, “Any heroism belongs to those who performed it, and any errors are ours.”

Cast members of “Discovery: A New American Musical” sit in a circle with scripts and sheet music during a rehearsal as a pianist plays at the center of the room. — Rehearsal for “Discovery,” a production of the MSU Department of Theatre New Musical Laboratory, which brings together professional musical theatre artists and MSU students in the development of a new musical. *(Photo by Adam Yankowy)*

Work on “Discovery” began in 2019 when Gibson and Higgin-Houser wrote a 10-minute musical called “Return to Flight” while studying at New York University. That piece grew into a larger project for which they interviewed astronauts who personally experienced the aftermath of the Challenger disaster, including Mary Cleave, Pinky Nelson, Brewster Shaw, and Steve Hawley.

The show has since gone through readings and residencies, including Catwalk Artists Residency and Drama Club Camp, and is being developed with Drama Club Productions, whose Broadway credits include the Tony Award-winning “Cats: The Jellicle Ball.”

Cast members of “Discovery: A New American Musical” pose together in a rehearsal room, holding scripts and binders behind a row of chairs and music stands. — MSU student cast for “Discovery” during the first rehearsal. *(Photo by Adam Yankowy)*

Now, after years of development, “Discovery” is entering its next stage through MSU’s New Musical Laboratory. Over the course of just three weeks, the company is exploring weightlessness, gravity, time, and grief.

This marks the 13th New Musical Laboratory production and is the first production in the MSU Department of Theatre’s 2026-27 Season.

Content notice: Contains discussion of death and grief.