THEY PROMISED HER THE MOON
It’s amazing that there is still so much recent history thathas been forgotten or even buried by the quest for progress. I grew up knowing the name Sally Ride, myelementary school participated in library research projects to name the nextshuttle being built, and even Star Trek had a female captain with CaptainJaneway on VOYAGER!. So it’s astonishing (and a bit frustrating) that stories continue to be unveiled showingthe brave, bold, and brilliant women who worked to enrich the space programonly to be sidelined in the history books. THEY PROMISED HER THE MOON, nowplaying at The Old Globe through May 12th is a lovely portrayal of ayoung woman who chose to defy the expectations of her based on her sex and shootfor the moon.
Jerrie Cobb (Morgan Hallett) is a young woman who dreams offlight from the time she was a little girl. Even at six years old she looked up to Amelia Earhart ,and her fatherHarvey (Michael Pemberton) who encouraged Jerrie’s aspirations. Jerrie’s mother Helena (Lanna Joffrey) triesto keep her daughter’s dreams more grounded; like baking a good pie so she canone day find a husband.
When Jerrie is asked to participate in the same testing the maleNASA astronauts did to show that women were also capable of space travel sheleaps at the chance and quickly outpaces them by large margins. This research is led by Dr. William RandolphLovelace (Matthew Boston) and partially funded by Jackie Cochran (Mary BethFisher) who had considerable influence, funds, and notoriety for pushing the militaryto form the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corp, and by being the first woman to breakthe sound barrier.
The first act starts with Jerrie coming in for testing in thefloating isolation tank, allowing Jerrie to reminisce about her time with her parents,learning how to fly, and working withthe handsome Jack Ford (Peter Rini) who took a chance and hired her for hisairplane ferrying business during the war.
This is an excellent cast, with many switching betweenmultiple characters as the scenes blend seamlessly into each other. Directed byGiovanna Sardelli the cast is a tight ensemble that also allows each member momentsto shine.
Hallett is excellent as the fiercely determined Jerrie, whois more at home in the sky than she is on terra firma. She seamlessly changes ages and demeanors asthe scenes transition from adulthood, to childhood, and back again. The audience feels her sincerity, her drive,and her frustration.
Fisher is a winning combination of brash, ballsy, and beautifulas Jackie Cochran. Funny and charming atone moment, and shrewd and calculating at the next, Fisher is the perfectpersona of a woman who used her status as an outstanding woman in aviation toopen doors for female pilots not to advance women, but to make sure she was thefirst one through the door.
Joffrey is very funny as Jerrie’s exasperated and thoroughlydomesticated mother, Pemberton is warm and supportive as her father, and Bostonmakes a poignant emotional impact in the second act. Rini is charming as Ford, and annoyinglyperfect and unsupportive as John Glenn. During Congressional hearings.
Playwright Laura Ollstein peppers the dialogue with actualquotes from reports and congressional hearings, painting a thorough picture ofjust what odds Jerrie and the other women of the Mercury 13 project were facingin their endeavors.
Set design by Jo Winiarski is lovely and streamlined, with acreative use of drawers for quick prop and scene changes. The period appropriate costume design by DenitsaBliznakova, the lighting by Cat Tat Starmer, and sound design by Jane Shawehelp support and build out this world.
The momentum of the first act is a bit lost during thesecond by the nature of the historical events being told. After all women didn’t go into space until decadeslater so the heartbreak seems inevitable; yet Jerrie’s journey afterwards is aninteresting way to reshape your life when things don’t go your way. As the playstates, sometimes “It’s all about timing.”
It also invites the question: how much further could we haveadvanced if we had not disqualified those based on by race, gender, or creed, butinstead given those who were qualified what they had earned?
THEY PROMISED HER THE MOON is just like Jerrie, imaginative,personal, fun, , adventurous, and at times understated but packs a punch.
THEY PROMISED HER THE MOON is playing at The Old Globethrough May 12th. For ticketand show time information go to www.theoldglobe.org