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Published January 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
June 3, 2019
Actual rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
I have had the pleasure of working with Kate Aspengren last semester in my first year seminar class. She has such a bright and cunning wit and snark unlike any person I've met before, and she is a wonderful professor. She lent me a copy of this play of hers to read over the semester break to see if I could pass it along to the play selection committee at my college to see if they'd be interested in producing it next year, And boy, was it a treat.
Kate's writing is lush in its stage directions and character moments, and I was captivated by its historical story. Mary Francis "Fran" Douglas is an aspiring pilot who becomes intrigued by tests that could help her become an astronaut. But in the early 1960's, the world is a very sexist place, and men hide behind excuses of it costing too much money to provide a space for women in the field. But armed with courage and the ghost of a black barnstormer who passed away in the 1920's, Fran takes her shot. It's a story framed by the transcript of a meeting of the Special Subcommittee on the Selection of Astronauts, which provides context into both the support and fear of putting women in the space field. There are also Cold War mentions, Fran's relationship with a man who supports her interests yet fears for her safety, plenty of laughs from several characters (hotel owner/gossip duo Ted and Dusty are the highlights of this), and a fixation on the past and dreams of what could be. It all comes together very well thanks to a nice reliance on history and strong personalities. This was a really great play, and I'll be curious to see what the committee will think of it. I'm really glad to have read it and will hold it close to my heart.
I have had the pleasure of working with Kate Aspengren last semester in my first year seminar class. She has such a bright and cunning wit and snark unlike any person I've met before, and she is a wonderful professor. She lent me a copy of this play of hers to read over the semester break to see if I could pass it along to the play selection committee at my college to see if they'd be interested in producing it next year, And boy, was it a treat.
Kate's writing is lush in its stage directions and character moments, and I was captivated by its historical story. Mary Francis "Fran" Douglas is an aspiring pilot who becomes intrigued by tests that could help her become an astronaut. But in the early 1960's, the world is a very sexist place, and men hide behind excuses of it costing too much money to provide a space for women in the field. But armed with courage and the ghost of a black barnstormer who passed away in the 1920's, Fran takes her shot. It's a story framed by the transcript of a meeting of the Special Subcommittee on the Selection of Astronauts, which provides context into both the support and fear of putting women in the space field. There are also Cold War mentions, Fran's relationship with a man who supports her interests yet fears for her safety, plenty of laughs from several characters (hotel owner/gossip duo Ted and Dusty are the highlights of this), and a fixation on the past and dreams of what could be. It all comes together very well thanks to a nice reliance on history and strong personalities. This was a really great play, and I'll be curious to see what the committee will think of it. I'm really glad to have read it and will hold it close to my heart.
Displaying 1 of 1 review