The Vanderbilt Museum’s Reichert Planetarium is launching a new interactive program, Alien Safari: The Live Show, on Saturday, July 12. The show combines science and entertainment in a one-time event at 1 p.m.
“Our planetarium transforms into a gigantic spaceship, and the quest is to find life elsewhere in the known universe,” Planetarium Director Dave Bush told South Shore Press.
The performance will take place under the 60-foot dome of the Reichert Planetarium, located on the 43-acre waterfront Vanderbilt estate at 180 Little Neck Road in Centerport.
Tickets are $16 for children (ages 2 and up), $18 for seniors and students, and $20 for adults.
While geared toward children ages 8 and up, Bush said adults are also likely to enjoy the program. He described it as a “little mini adventure,” presented live by two performers.
The show’s captain is Erin Benitez, the planetarium’s education coordinator and the scriptwriter. The pilot is astronomy educator Rachel Goralski, who also holds a theater degree from Stony Brook University. Although Benitez wrote the script, Bush described the process as collaborative.
“This is part show biz, and we’re embracing that,” he told South Shore Press. “They’re essentially theoretical performances. We really make it an adventure as well. We built a lot of humor into it. It’s funny, dramatic and humorous.”
According to Bush, Alien Safari could signal a new direction in the planetarium’s educational programming.
“This is the first time. The goal is to entertain and educate at the same time with a live performance,” he said. “This is not a sit-back passive film. We’ve got actors performing under the 360-degree dome. So, it’s an immersive event as well.”
The format encourages audience participation.
“Audience members will become astrobiologists as well, so their job is to, along with the performers, look for life elsewhere in the universe based off evidence using the ship’s scan systems and observatories,” Bush said.
Alien Safari was originally developed as a program for students in grades five through eight. Its success in that setting inspired its public debut.
“It sparks interest and curiosity, and it asks questions which we answer, but also leaves some questions unanswered,” he added. “It’s highly engaging, and it gets the minds of young people moving, thinking.”
If the event is well received, Bush said similar live programs could follow.
“This is a test to see the audience reaction,” he said. “The parents will love it too.”
Reichert Planetarium is among the most technologically advanced and largest on Long Island. For more information about Alien Safari and other programs, visit https://www.vanderbiltmuseum.org.