South Huntsville Neighbors, May 2024

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
Space Monkeys The Story of Baker and Able
By Emily Rodrick Marketing Fantasy Playhouse
Sometimes inspiration comes from two monkeys on Jefferson
Street, and that’s exactly what happened to Fantasy Playhouse
Children’s Theater & Academy’s (FPCTA) Artistic Director,
Stephen Tyler Davis.
One day when getting reacquainted with Huntsville, he asked his
good friend and FPCTA super-volunteer, Joanna White, “What are those two
monkeys hanging from the 106 Jefferson in downtown Huntsville?” White was
shocked that Davis had grown up in Huntsville and was unaware of the history
of the two brave Monkeynauts who were the 昀椀 rst Americans to complete a successful
mission into outer space - Baker & Able!
A quick history of Baker & Able: Baker, a 1lb squirrel monkey, and Able, a rhesus
monkey, were the 昀椀 rst American primates to complete a successful mission
into outer space. Able, unfortunately, passed due to surgery complications after
her return to Earth.
Miss Baker would become somewhat of a celebrity after her return to Earth. After
a brief stint in Florida, Miss Baker moved to Huntsville, AL at the US Space
& Rocket Center where she would settle until her passing in 1984. A memorial
for Miss Baker is located at the US Space & Rocket Center. Families still leave
bananas on her memorial in honor of her and Able.
With FPCTA’s 63rd season encompassing the theme of ‘Brave Stories, Brave
Spaces,’ Davis knew that telling the story of these famous Monkeynauts would
be the perfect ending to the season. During the writing process, Davis consulted
with community members who were close to Miss Baker and the US Space &
Rocket Center to get a 昀椀 rst-hand account of who Miss Baker was and what her
legacy meant to Rocket City. Using 昀椀 rsthand accounts, historical texts, and personal
touches, Davis created what would be the last production of FPCTA’s 63rd
season, Space Monkeys! The Adventures of Baker & Able - a love letter to the
Rocket City that highlights just what can be accomplished when you set your
sights on the moon and beyond.
This fresh new script is fun, the history is true, and the cast is huge! There are
over 50 actors cast, but when Miss Baker’s origin story calls for 26 squirrel
monkeys, you’ve got to have 26 squirrel monkeys! Other roles include hilarious
interpretations of real-life historical characters like fellow Monkeynaut Ham &
George. George is Miss Baker’s betrothed monkey husband who lived with her
in Huntsville for many years.
Space Monkeys is told through the eyes of SPAMO, a 昀椀 ctional secret
space society created by the Huntsville kids of today. Every full
moon they convene in their treehouse for space missions and this
month, they seek to induct a new member. A slight problem though,
the new inductee has never heard of America’s famous Space Monkeys!
Blast off into space with the SPAMO kids as they retell the
story of Baker & Able through moments in history, music, dance,
lasers, special effects, and animated projections!
Join FPCTA this May for a story that will bring all generations of
Huntsville together! Space Monkeys is one weekend only, May
9-12, 2024 performed at the Von Braun Center Playhouse.
Sensory Friendly Performance is on Saturday, May 11th @10AM.
Tickets are on sale now at FantasyPlayhouse.org
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