In late June 1937, people everywhere were following the progress of Amelia Earhart as she attempted to become the first woman to fly around the world. Daily reports tracked her journey across the Atlantic, from Europe to Asia and on to Australia. Then catastrophe struck. Earhart’s plane disappeared over the Pacific.

On the other side of the earth, in a small town in Wyoming, a young African-American boy who idolized Earhart picked up a faint signal on a short wave radio. For the next two days, the boy listened to a voice in the air, trying to piece together the puzzle of Earhart’s fate. He tried to make sense of the calls of distress and did what he could to save an American hero. His efforts were in vain, but he never forgot the "maiden of the sky" whose voice touched his life.

Amelia Earhart urged others to "try what has not been tried before." She believed that "failure must be a challenge to others." Voices in the Air, the newest play with music by Mad River Theater Works, weaves together the story of a boy who finds the courage to follow the advice of a great explorer and aviation pioneer with the tale of the one of the most famous women in our nation’s history. Using storytelling, music, and drama, it is a journey into the past with the power to inspire a new generation of explorers.