NW Missouri Times

First-year theatre students at Northwest Missouri State University will present the 35th annual First-Year Student Showcase from October 9 to 12. The production, “They Promised Her the Moon” by Laurel Ollstein, tells the story of Jerrie Cobb, who was the first woman to test for spaceflight but was denied the opportunity to travel to space because of her gender.

The performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on October 9-11 and at 2 p.m. on October 12 in the Studio Theater at the Ron Houston Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets cost $12 and can be purchased online or at the box office one hour before each show.

Billie McCoy, a senior speech and theatre education major from Raytown, Missouri, is directing this year’s showcase. McCoy said, “It’s important for Bearcats and community members to come support the program and, most importantly, to make our freshmen feel welcome. Secondly, I think it’s valuable for the community to learn about how Jerrie Cobb worked so hard but had her dreams taken away because of something she couldn’t control. It’s a powerful story to talk about, especially in this day and age.”

The event serves as an introduction for new Theatre Northwest students by giving them their first opportunity to perform on stage at Northwest Missouri State University. Phoenix Erwin, a freshman theater and music major from Elkhorn, Nebraska, plays Jerrie Cobb in the production. Erwin prepared for her role by reading Cobb’s autobiography.

“I’m really proud of myself for taking on the role of Jerrie Cobb because she’s onstage for almost the entire show,” Erwin said. “It’s been a challenge with all the lines to memorize, but it’s also pushed me into new areas of acting I haven’t explored before. It has been an exciting and rewarding experience.”

Theatre Northwest will continue its season with additional productions throughout the academic year.