“They Promised Her the Moon” blasts off!
The moon has always lit up the night sky. It always will. Many long to see beyond this world, to stand on the moon. Back in the 1950s and 1960s, more and more wished to see space. Those who couldn’t go to the “final frontier” longed for news on it, and to see the great American astronauts, who all were men. However, one woman sought to change that.
Castro Valley High School’s spring production of “They Promised Her the Moon” is a compelling, thought-provoking drama that will leave audiences reflecting long after the final curtain call. The play, written by Laurel Ollstein, dives into the life of Jerrie Cobb, one of the first women to undergo astronaut testing as part of the Mercury 13 program, and it brings to light the struggles and triumphs of a woman determined to break barriers in the male-dominated world of space exploration.
The show cuts between dreamlike memories from our protagonist, and real life events that surrounded her life. From the moment the lights come on, you are immersed in her subconscious. The audience is \made to understand the truth of her life, her motivations, her issues, and her joys. Jerrie Cobb serves as a strikingly nuanced protagonist, and our amazing actors Nora Layne and Rose Davis bring her to life in an impressive and thought provoking way.
The show doubles as entertainment and an educational experience for the audience. It sheds light on the often overlooked subject of the female civil rights movement in individual fields, space travel being one of the hardest to reach for the talented women of the Mercury 13 astronaut program.
The tech team this year worked overtime backstage to make the show’s different aviation and space travel/training effects feel real. Two plane set pieces were constructed for the portion of the show that covers Jerrie’s origins in Aviation. The moments when the show is set in the middle of a plane flight are some of the most fun and unique scenes in the history of CVHS’ many live offerings, and anyone can tell that the actors are having a great time doing them.
Longtime friend of The Olympian Nora Layne, who has given quotes for almost every CVHS theater event the paper has covered in the last four years, reflected on performing her last show at the center for the performing arts.
“I appreciate all the opportunities that have been given to me throughout the CVHS theater program,” Layne said, “and I’ll miss my friends and the sense of community in the CFA. It will always be in my heart.”
“They Promised Her the Moon” wraps up its two week run with two 7 p.m. shows on March 21 and 22. Everyone in the cast is hoping to see more and more people in the community enjoy the show as it nears the end.
“They Promised Her the Moon” proves to be a successful show in CVHS’ repertoire of productions. The show is especially entertaining for anyone who enjoys history, space travel, or women’s empowerment as topics of discussion in entertainment. To be put into the orbit of Jerrie Cobb, and feel lifted by her highs and smashed by her lows, truly reminds people of the joy that live theater can bring. If you’re looking for a riveting rocket ride to another time and a story many have never seen before, this show will meet your expectations. Even if they’re out of this world!