“Sally Ride” Is A New Opera About Queer Love…In Space!

Well, sort of.

Not surprisingly, SALLY RIDE is about…astronaut and physicist Sally Ride who in 1983 became the first American woman and the third woman to fly in space. AND, though we didn’t come to know this publicly until after she passed away in 2012, the first KNOWN LGBTQ person to have flown in space. Now her life story has become an opera created by composer Dana Kaufman and librettist Aiden K. Feltkamp and being presented locally here in Seattle by the Lowbrow Opera Collective at Theatre Off Jackson for three weekends starting May 29th.

Tam O’Shaughnessy, Sally’s partner of 27 years, was a consultant on this new work which explores many aspects from Ride’s incredible life not only as a scientist and ground breaking astronaut, but also her private life which included her first marriage to a man, then her very closeted life with Tam and finally her battle with the cancer which took her life in 2012.

Tickets at https://lowbrowoc.org/sally-ride-2026

Sally Ride

May 29 – June 13

Sally Ride follows the real-life story of the first American woman and the first LGBTQ+ person to go to space. Narrated by her life partner, Tam O’Shaughnessy, who consulted on the creation of this work, this world-premier explores the thrills, disappointments, humor, and secrets of Ride’s life, taking the audience on a journey of personal exploration and triumph..

Written by composer Dana Kaufman and librettist Aiden K. Feltkamp. Directed by Eliza K. Woodyard..

Content Advisory – this show contains themes of cancer, death and homophobia.

This event is all ages