“They Promised Her the Moon” is a play written by Laurel Ollstein. It is based on the true story and life of Geraldyn “Jerrie” Cobb. Jerrie Cobb was an Oklahoma native, prominent aviatrix, and the first woman to be tested for space flight.
“They Promised Her the Moon” is a historical account of a woman who was passionate and worked hard, but was ultimately overcome by sexism.
See ‘the Moon’
WHEN: 8 p.m. Thursday to Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday
WHERE: Weitzenhoffer Theatre, 555 Elm Ave.
PRICE: $22 for adults, $18 for seniors and $14 for students.
INFO: 405-325-4101, or visit the Fine Arts box office from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday in Catlett Music Center
As the title suggests, many people thought she would be the first woman in space, but was eventually told she — and 12 other qualified women — would not be considered for NASA’s astronaut training program because of their gender.
OU is presenting the world premiere of “They Promised Her the Moon” by Laurel Ollstein through the Faith Broome Playwright in Residence Fellowship.
It’s great and all to pay homage to past heroes, such as Jerrie Cobb. But quite frankly, this script was just boring.
Even with a solid production, I simply was not engaged in the story, and there were at least two characters who had no explanation for existence.
This is the first performance of the script, however, so there are bound to be some areas that need attention.
As a whole, the production aspect of “They Promised Her the Moon” was solid.
The costuming by costume design sophomore Melissa Perkins was well done and captured the time period.
The lighting and sound were fantastic and highly effective since they were the foundation for most of the settings.
The physical set on stage was very minimal, and there were few scenic elements — limited to four wooden crates that represented various podiums and cockpits, so the lighting and sound stepped in to represent the large aircraft.
The crew executed this very well. It was believable, and I felt that a plane was in the room.
Drama junior Lindsay Sawyer was effective in the lead role of Jerrie Cobb. Her portrayal of a young, passionate tomboy was on point.
Although she never left stage, Sawyer was able to believably transform from a child to an adult in seconds.
Drama junior Conner Wilson was a standout as a likable doctor and aeronautics enthusiast, Doctor Lovelace.
As the man responsible for the training of all astronauts, he and drama junior Kelcie Miles, who played Jackie Cochran — the money behind the training — had some great moments together.
Miles was very convincing as the figure of power calling the shots: likeable for the press, mean to everyone else and ultimately responsible for pulling the funding from Jerrie’s training.
Drama junior Riley Pierce as Harvey Cobb, Jerrie’s father, was also a standout. He portrayed a loving father with ease. He and Jerrie had some awe-worthy daughter and father moments together.
If you are interested in learning about an amazing local woman, you would enjoy this play.
Mariah Webb is a University College freshman and the assistant life & arts editor of The Daily.
Correction: In the original story the designer of “They Promised Her the Moon” was misidentified. Costume design sophomore Melissa Perkins designed costumes for the show.
