Caltech Playreaders 73rd season: "Five Degrees Above Polaris"

Five Degrees Above Polaris: a tale of science, revolution, and love. When an astronomer from Nantucket attempts to get credit for a discovery that is rightfully hers, she is forced to oppose the dogma of the Catholic Church, confront the arrogance of Harvard's elite professors, and stave off the romantic advances of Italy's most charismatic revolutionary. Five Degrees Above Polaris is set in 1848 and is based on the true story of Maria Mitchell, an American astronomer who became the first American female professor of astronomy when she was appointed at Vassar College.

Playwright Karen Howes is an award-winning playwright who loves to write about science. Karen was last seen at Caltech when her play The Last Flight of the Mercenary was staged at the 2015 MACH 33: The Festival of New Science-Driven Plays.

Arden Thomas is the Associate Artistic Director of MACH 33: The Festival of New Science-Driven Plays at Caltech, and a theater teacher and director at Sequoyah High School in Pasadena. Arden received her PhD in Theater and Performance Studies at Stanford University, and enjoyed many exciting years as a theater director and educator in Philadelphia before moving to beautiful California.