Songs of love and science: 4th Wall sets Goddard tale to music

Richard Duckett

Worcester Telegram & Gazette

March 6, 2026Updated March 7, 2026, 11:22 a.m. ET

Worcester's Robert H. Goddard is known as the "Father of Modern Rocketry," but he also had a song in his heart.

Goddard sings several songs in "The Rocket Man: The Robert Goddard Musical," a 4th Wall Stage Company production written and composed by Stephen Murray that has its world premiere running March 27 to April 4 at the Museum of Worcester.

While doing research for the musical, Murray, a Worcester playwright, composer, performer and educator, discovered that Goddard was a choir boy and wrote at least one song himself. The song is in the musical. The rest of the songs are written by Murray.

But at its heart, "The Rocket Man" is a love story. "It's the Robert and Esther story," Murray said of Robert and his wife Esther Goddard.

'A long, long time ...'

Robert Goddard (1882-1945) died uncertain about whether his work would pave the way to the stars or even be recognized. Esther Goddard (1901-82) helped secure his legacy in part by getting over 130 patents in her husband’s name, using notes, sketches and photos she found in the house. She was also a strong advocate for her husband's work as the space age dawned.

The story of Robert Goddard is in the news right now as the centennial of the physicist, engineer, teacher and inventor's  first successful liquid-fueled rocket launch in Auburn on March 16, 1926, will be celebrated with a number of events locally, nationally and internationally.

The Museum of Worcester has an exhibition "Worcester to the Stars: The Goddard Rocket Centennial" opening March 16.

'That rocket thing coming up'

Murray is a prolific writer and composer whose works include "Nellie: The Musical," an adaptation with playwright Robby Steltz  put on in 2024 by 4th Wall at the Museum of Worcester about Nellie Bly — whose undercover reporting on the horrific conditions and abuse of women at the Insane Asylum of New York in 1887 changed the way the world looks at treatment of the mentally ill. Murray's mini-opera "Casey at the Bat," based on Worcester writer Ernest Lawrence Thayer’s famous 1888 poem of the same name, has become an annual event presented by 4th Wall at the Museum of Worcester. He's also written a number of shows for young audiences.

Murray said he was at the Museum of Worcester a couple of years ago when William D. Wallace, who retired recently after nearly 50 years as the museum's executive director, mentioned, " 'You know, we've got that rocket thing coming up.'" Barbra Guertin, managing director of 4th Wall, also gave Murray a gentle nudge in the direction of writing a show about Goddard.

The musical "required a lot of research," Murray said. "What's nice about something historical, you know how it turns out." Even if Robert and Esther didn't quite know what the orbit of their destinies would be.

"The Rocket Man" spans the late 1800s, past Goddard's death, and into the 1960s and the space program.

The show is directed and produced by Guertin and Robbin Joyce. The cast includes Ryan Sullivan, Jeanine Belcastro Went, Chris Bardizbanian, Tracy Martino, Edgardo Lopez, Jim Douglas, and Jerry Bisantz. Many of the cast members play different characters throughout the musical.

Bardizbanian, a student at Burncoat Middle School, plays the young Robert Goddard, while Sullivan, a biology teacher and Science Department Leader at  Millbury Memorial Junior/Senior High school, is the adult Robert Goddard. Belcastro Went plays Esther.

Murray has worked with several of the cast members before, including Bardizbanian in "Casey at the Bat" and Sulllivan from a WCLOC Theater Company production of the musical "Chess."

'A great opportunity'

As a science leader at Millbury High School, "he has an interesting perspective," Murray said of Sullivan. Plus, "He's a wonderful performer."

"It's a great opportunity," said Sullivan. In the era "The Rocket Man" depicts, "scientists were celebrities in a way (they are not now)."

Originally from Ithaca, New York, Sullivan has taught at Millbury public schools for several years and appears in about one show a year locally if possible. He considers himself more of a singer (tenor) than an actor, but if there is a good story, as with "The Rocket Man," that's a bonus, he said. 4th Wall approached him about the show, and he has been given time to grow into the role. Guertin asked him to grow a moustache, to look like Goddard, he said.

Murray's songs for "The Rocket Man" are in a variety of musical styles.

Murray discovered that the young Goddard was a choir boy, so one number is in that vein. Goddard related a story about being a teenager and climbing a stepladder next to a cherry tree and looking up at the sky and having a vision of space travel. Murray's song inspired by that is the hopeful "Ladder to the Sky."

The young Goddard also did scientific experiments at home, which spawns a concerned neighbors song, "What's Going On?". "One day the house did fill up with smoke," Murray said.

'On such a timeless flight'

Goddard graduated from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1908 and was briefly on the faculty. Goddard composed his own song, "Old Tech," which Murray has put in the musical. The song has a barbershop harmony style. "It's very typical of an early 29th century song," Murray noted.

Goddard went on to get his doctorate at Clark University and taught there for several years. It was there that he met Esther Christine Kisk, a secretary in the Clark president's office. Murray has Robert and Esther singing a duet on meeting. "It's kind of a fun song in the president's office at Clark."

A musical montage of Goddard's first rocket launches culminates in a fire to round out the first act. "That's how we end the first act with a big explosion," Murray said.

People made fun of Goddard after some of his failures, as reflected in Murrays song "Bob the Moon Man."

However, famed aviator Charles Lindbergh believed in him, and visited Goddard in Worcester. Lindbergh convinced the Guggenheim Foundation to support Goddard's work. With assistance of the foundation, Goddard moved to Roswell, New Mexico, where he continued his rocket experiments. 

Murray said that one story revolves around whether or not Esther Goddard served Lindbergh chocolate cake. "I decided she did and she approached it with the same discipline a scientist would," Murray said of his song, "My Chocolate Cake"

In Roswell Esther feels somewhat lonely and sings "High Lonesome," a "little country song," Murray said.

'Organized chaos'

Sullivan said that he was impressed when he saw the lyrics Murray had written for Robert Goddard's song "The Scientific Method." Murray writes "Science is organized chaos." Sullivan thought, "He knows what he's talking about," he said.

Meanwhile, Sullivan said one of the details he's been learning about Robert Goddard is that's "he's not the stereotypical uber-nerd. He was very socially capable. He rubbed elbows with the rich and famous of the time."

Esther Goddard was several years younger than Robert. She photographed many of the famous pictures depicting her husband. That's why you don't see many photographs of her, Murray noted.

Goddard was in poor health throughout his life with bouts of tuberculosis, Murray said. He was also a heavy smoker and died of throat cancer in 1945 at the age of 62. J. Robert Oppenheimer, director of the Manhattan Project's Los Alamos Laboratory, was also a heavy smoker who died of throat cancer at 62.

When he's diagnosed with cancer in he show, Goddard tells Esther, "So that's the end of my story," Sullivan said. But "Esther says 'That's not the end.' She carries his legacy."

"It's definitely a story of resilience," said Murray. From both Robert and Esther Goddard.

Esther Goddard and the Guggenheim Foundation later sued the U.S. government for $1 million for infringement of Robert Goddard's patents. According to inventionandtech.com, NASA eventually announced a $1 million settlement for rights to more than two hundred Goddard patents. Congress also posthumously awarded Goddard the Congressional Gold Medal, the nation’s highest civilian honor. In 1961 NASA dedicated the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. 

Buzz Aldrin, the second astronaut to step foot on the moon and whose father had been taught by Goddard at Clark University, gave Esther a miniature biography of Goddard that he had taken to the moon, Murray said.

'It was for me really satisfying'

"The Rocket Man" ends on a happy note for Robert and Esther. "I have them coming back together. They did it together," Murray said. "Esther finished the job Robert started. That's your happy ending. You've got to have your happy ending."

Many of the cast and crew of "The Rocket Man" recently visited the Robert and Esther Goddard House (Goddard's birthplace) on Tallawanda Drive in Worcester near Webster Square, which is now a museum and education center. They met with Charles Slatkin, founder of The Wonder Mission and owner of the house. The Wonder Mission is helping oversee Goddard rocket launch centennial activities at firstlaunchcentennial.org.

"It was really wonderful that Charles Slatkin let us come there. It was for me really satisfying," Murray said.

"As Charles Slatkin was talking I said, 'Yes, I got my facts right.' He mentioned chocolate cake. (I thought) 'Yes, I told you there was chocolate cake.'"

As for if there's a future in the stars for "The Rocket Man," Murray said "I hope so. Charles Slatkin and I have a similar vision. We want the story to be told. I would love my way of telling the story to go forward."

Sullivan isn't going to push the show on his students, but would be happy to see some of them in the audience at the Museum of Worcester. "My whole job is getting students excited about science," he said.

"The Rocket Man - The Robert Goddard Musical" - by Stephen Murray - 4th Wall Stage Company (Worcester, MA.) - REVIEW
By Kevin T. BaldwinMETRMAG Reviewer# 774-242-6724
“The dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow."  -  Robert Goddard

(Warning: The following review contains spoilers)

4th Wall Stage Company launches into spring with a delightful new musical based on a local legend in "THE ROCKET MAN - THE ROBERT GODDARD MUSICAL" now playing in Worcester.

The new musical has been created and developed by another local celebrity, musician and playwright Stephen Murray. 

For anyone who is familiar with the Robert Goddard legacy, one question might be foremost in their mind - Is this new musical by 4th Wall  accurate or does it omit certain information about its subject, Robert Hutchings Goddard (born 1882 and died 1945) in its effort to be entertaining? 

Neither being a historian nor a scientist, I cannot speak to the musical's accuracy, but I can tell you it is very much an entertaining story about an American scientist.

It is also a story about a local legend that keeps squarely to the reported/recorded facts, rather than trying to do a "deep dive" to unearth or speculate on any skeleton's that may reside in Goddard's casket...uh, closet.  

The objective here is not to assess the musical’s historical accuracy but rather assess its intent, and from where I stand its intent is obvious – 4th Wall Stage Company offers a musical that not only intends to entertain but perhaps will inspire a future scientist out there. 

So, on that level alone, this is where 4th Wall Stage Company's "ROCKET MAN" absolutely succeeds. 

As the musical begins, we meet Worcester native Goddard (Ryan Sullivan), an American physicist who grew up in the city and attended both Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Clark University. 

However, while Goddard’s local connection might be of initial interest to area audiences, it is Goddard’s contributions to science that soon soars Murray’s musical to national, global, and even universal heights in scope. 

Supported by a talented 4th Wall Ensemble portraying multiple characters, we watch as the musical biography of Goddard unfolds, with much of the first act recalling the early life of the inventor/engineer as told by actor Sullivan, who exclusively and effortlessly portrays Goddard. 

(Photo: Ensemble member Chris Bardizbanian in a moment from "THE ROCKET MAN - THE ROBERT GODDARD MUSICAL"by Stephen Murray, from4th Wall Stage Companyin Worcester, MA. now playing through April 4, 2026. Photo Credit: Frank Bartucca frbphoto.com)

Goddard is credited as “The man who ushered in the Space Age” for his creating and building of the world's first liquid-fueled rocket, successfully launched in 1926. 

However, as we witness in "ROCKET MAN," Goddard’s prior attempts - or at least as such events are depicted - those efforts weren’t always effective in getting off the ground…I mean as in literally...getting OFF the ground. 

In fact, they were routinely disastrous, if Murray’s musical is to be believed and, again, I have no reason to doubt its accuracy. 

History shows as Goddard’s work improved, though, it also broadened and evolved. 

As the reported efficiency of his solid-fueled rocket became more well-known, this thrust America into a new era of modern rocket and innovation. 

This “efficiency” also became of interest to powerful adversarial nations outside America, especially as the world boosted itself into another global conflict. 

As "ROCKET MAN" cleverly recalls, Goddard and his fellow scientists would launch as many as 34 rockets between 1926 and 1941. 

But the 4th Wall story, at least as constructed, shows the intent of Goddard’s personal interest was less in the destructive capabilities of rockets and more its potential to reach previously unachieved accelerated altitudes and speeds. 

Again, is the above all historically accurate as represented in "THE ROCKET MAN - THE ROBERT GODDARD MUSICAL?"

I don’t know as (even as old as I am) I was not there and cannot profess to know any of Goddard’s actual intent, but I certainly believe the resolve of the musical to be truthful based on what information is widely known. 

However, what is widely known is that Goddard's work as both a theorist and engineer made possible the advances and initiatives that would ultimately make spaceflight possible.

Unfortunately, as both history and "ROCKET MAN" also teaches us, (spoiler alert) Goddard would never live to see them. 

Ironically, it is in his passing that the musical quickly becomes far more interesting as the focus shifts from Robert Goddard onto his widow, Esther (delightfully portrayed by Jeanine Belcastro Went), an unrelenting force to be reckoned with in her own right. 

It was through Esther’s efforts that many of Robert's 214 patented inventions were awarded posthumously, and some became important milestones toward America achieving spaceflight. 

In fact, the argument could be made that a separate musical, one exclusively based upon Esther’s own story, might have proved just as entertaining as "ROCKET MAN."

So, why NOT a “ROCKET WOMAN” musical? 

Perhaps someday – until then, I guess we’ll all just have to keep reaching for the stars.

 In the interim, "THE ROCKET MAN - THE ROBERT GODDARD MUSICAL" is capably staged by 4th Wall Stage Company director Barbara Guertin with Stephen Murray also serving as Music Director. 

The songs are pleasing enough with a few memorable group numbers that are performed mostly tongue-in-cheek but never in a way that seems disparaging or disrespectful.   

One of the best aspects of the staging is in its minimalism with the clever usage of projected imagery, thus enhancing the storytelling. 

The imagery is not just used to reflect the main “bullet points” of the story, denoting time and place in the Goddards’ lives - it is also used to enhance the musical numbers, making them more entertaining, even fun and interactive at times.

So, everyone should have a blast seeing "THE ROCKET MAN - THE ROBERT GODDARD MUSICAL" which continues from 4th Wall Stage Company at the Worcester Historical Museum in Worcester until April 4th, 2026.   

For more information and tickets, contact 4th Wall Stage Company at # Call # 508-951-2665 or visit www.4thwallstagecompany.org