Earth Music Theater Live with Steve Thomas

Earth Music Theater Live Comes to Turners Falls May 31 with Astronaut Cady Coleman and NEPM’s Monte Belmonte

Immersive performance blends live music, space imagery, and storytelling at Shea Theater Arts Center

 

Turners Falls, MA — Earth Music Theater Live (EMTL) arrives at the Shea Theater Arts Center on Sunday, May 31 at 4 PM, bringing a powerful, immersive experience that fuses live music with stunning imagery of Earth captured by astronauts aboard the International Space Station.

Created by Northampton-based composer and guitarist Steve Thomas, EMTL is a genre-defying performance that combines cinematic soundscapes, spoken word, and astronaut perspectives to explore our planet from space—inviting audiences to reflect on the beauty, fragility, and interconnectedness of life on Earth.

The performance features a standout ensemble of Valley musicians including Chris Cheek (alto saxophone), Claire Arenius (drums and percussion), Josh Metz (acoustic bass), and Easthampton-based multi-instrumentalist Carl Clements (bansuri, flute, soprano saxophone). Together, they create dynamic, genre-spanning music that evolves in real time alongside breathtaking visual sequences from orbit.

The May 31 performance features special guest Cady Coleman, whose stories from her time aboard the International Space Station add a deeply personal and inspiring dimension to the program. Joining Coleman for a special appearance is radio host Monte Belmonte, creating a unique onstage dialogue that connects science, storytelling, and lived experience.

Following the performance, Coleman will host a book signing of her memoir, Sharing Space: An Astronaut’s Guide to Mission, Wonder, and Making Change, offering audiences an opportunity to engage more directly with her remarkable journey.

A scratch-built scale model of the International Space Station will also be on display, giving audiences an up-close look at the remarkable orbiting laboratory from where the stunning images in the performance were captured.

With support from community partners and sponsors, EMTL is committed to offering accessible, low-cost admission, ensuring that families, students, and community members throughout the region can experience this unique fusion of music, science, and storytelling.