‘SPACE' looks back at the history of women in aviation

Boston Globe

30-01-2025

The world premiere of 'SPACE,' at
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'Catalyst Collaborative began as a natural extension of the work of Underground Railway Theater,' says Debra Wise, founder and co-chair of the Catalyst Collaborative board. 'We were always seeking out people in other disciplines to work with, but it was so moving to learn how interested scientists are in the discipline of theater, and vice versa.'
Over the two decades of Catalyst Collaborative, more than 800 scientists and artists have participated in conversations and readings held in community organizations and schools.
By bringing these two disciplines together — both of whom 'sit in the middle of a problem looking for solutions,' Wise says — 'We were able to present, not just plays about science but engage audiences in conversations about the ideas of these plays.'
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Bringing 'SPACE' to the stage, say Feldman and Lury, involved conversations with an estimated 200 people over its years of development, all of whom contributed to the creators' efforts to connect a complex idea about the battle for the soul of space to a tangible and urgent journey for specific individuals.
"S P A C E" playwright L M Feldman.
Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff
'The bedrock of the play is the historical figures,' says Feldman, 'and we blend archival text, including Congressional testimony, with personal stories. For me, the biggest challenge was making sure there was enough personal detail to anchor the big ideas. But that's a lot like life, where big things are happening even in intimate spaces.'
'The beauty and magic of theater,' says Lury, 'is that multiple threads can happen at the same time. We ask the audience to imagine something together, to create a world that is both playful and transcendent.'
Seven female actors double in roles, playing members of the 'Vanguard,' pioneering women from the 1920 to the 2020s who defied expectations in their determination to reach their goals, as well as members of the Mercury 13. One actor plays all the male roles.
"S P A C E" director Larissa Lury.
Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff
'The play doesn't want literalism,' says Lury, 'so the set is spacious and spare. By doubling the roles, we want the two characters from different eras to 'speak' to each other, and we are asking the audience to remember what this actor did as the other character.'
With the kind of sweep and drive their storytelling requires, Feldman and Lury say they drew on their backgrounds as acrobats. The play is divided into 'movements' rather than 'acts.'
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'Movement is essential,' says Lury, 'because it helps connect us across time, space, and situations.'
At the same time, she says, each of the characters need to be distinct, and so some movements help provide more details about their lives. For example, since one of the Mercury 8 was the mother of eight children, she is seen folding kids' laundry, anchoring her stellar ambitions with everyday responsibilities.
'This is a rhythmic play,' says Feldman. 'The rhythm carries information. We think of it as an orchestral piece, in which all of the instruments come together in sweeping choral moments, and then there are other sections where individual instruments stand out.'
At the heart of their story, however, both Feldman and Lury agree the characters are driven by a deep sense of longing, and hope for what is possible.
SPACE
Presented by Central Square Theater, as part of the Brit d'Arbeloff Women in Science and Catalyst Collaborative@MIT production. Jan. 30-Feb. 23. Tickets start at: $25. 617-576-9278 x1.