Producers Megan Kingery and Annie Roney have announced the development of “Particle Fever,” a new musical centered on the world of particle physics. The musical is inspired by the acclaimed 2013 documentary of the same name, directed by Mark Levinson and David Kaplan.
“Particle Fever” will feature a book by Tony Award winner David Henry Hwang, with music and lyrics composed by Bear McCreary and Zoe Sarnak. The production will be directed by Leigh Silverman, who was recently nominated for a Tony Award for her work on the Broadway musical “Suffs.”
The musical explores the high-stakes journey of scientists who discovered the Higgs boson, colloquially known as “The God Particle,” and its profound impact on our understanding of the universe.
A recent industry-only reading of “Particle Fever” took place in New York City, supported by a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, which also contributed to the original documentary film.
Hwang will be represented on Broadway this season with his play “Yellow Face,” which is bowing for the first time on the Main Stem, directed by Silverman. The two previously collaborated on Broadway’s “Chinglish” as well as the musical “Soft Power.”
Hwang is known for “M. Butterfly” and is currently writing a live-action musical feature film for Disney Studios and a biopic about Anna May Wong. McCreary is an Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning composer known for his work on projects like “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” and the TV series “The Walking Dead.” Sarnak is a recipient of a Jonathan Larson Grant; her musical “The Lonely Few” recently played Off-Broadway at MCC Theater.
Kingery was a part of the producing team of Broadway’s “Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812” as well as “Fun Home” and “Hand to God.” Roney is the co-founder and CEO of ROCO Films, the documentary production and distribution company which originally produced the film “Particle Fever.”
Future plans for the musical have yet to be announced.
