You may not know her name, but Eunice Newton Foote made groundbreaking discoveries about the greenhouse effect in the 1850s. Her experiments showed that different gases, including carbon dioxide, absorb and trap heat, an early milestone in the history of climate science. And even though her findings were published in a leading scientific journal – a rarity in the days of a male-dominated field – her work remained virtually unknown until recently. Now, thanks to playwright Amanda Quaid, we have a dramatized portrait of the scientist’s life at the time she published her pioneering study, which lends its name to the title of the play.

This play is part of L.A. Theatre Works’ Relativity Series of science-themed plays. Lead funding for the Relativity Series is provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, bridging science and the arts in the modern world.

Recorded at The Invisible Studios, West Hollywood in November 2024.

Directed by Anna Lyse Erikson
Producing Director: Susan Albert Loewenberg

An L.A. Theatre Works Full-Cast Performance Featuring:
Geoffrey Arend as Elisha Foote
Tara Lynne Barr as Augusta Foote
Scott Brick as the Narrator and Joseph Henry
Jake Green as the Glazier
Monica McSwain as Mary Foote
Emily Swallow as Eunice Newton Foote

Senior Producer: Anna Lyse Erikson
Prepared for Audio by Mark Holden for The Invisible Studios, West Hollywood
Recording Engineer and Editor: Neil Wogensen
Mixing Engineer: Charles Carroll
Designed by Mark Holden and Charles Carroll for The Invisible Studios, West Hollywood
Senior Radio Producer: Ronn Lipkin
Foley Artist: Stacey Martinez



Circumstances Affecting the Heat of the Sun's Rays (Part 1)

L.A. Theatre Works records plays live in performance. We stage our shows in an audio-friendly format, so actors speak directly into microphones while we add sound effects and music to create an immersive audio experience.

We've recorded over 500 plays in this way - everything from Shakespeare and Oscar Wilde to Arthur Miller and recent Tony winners - and turn the recordings into podcasts, streaming audio, radio shows, and CD’s, so you can listen to great theater anywhere.

Because of our unique format, we attract a lot of top-name talent: our actors have included Chris Rock, Bobby Cannavale, Jane Kaczmarek, Kathleen Turner, Simon Helberg, Amber Tamblyn, Dana Delany, Stacy Keach, Jon Hamm, Matthew Rhys, Alfred Molina, Jonathan Groff...and an ever-expanding list of stars from TV, stage, and film.

Circumstances Affecting the Heat of the Sun's Rays (Part 1)

latheatreworks