SPACEMAN: TETHERED TO A DREAM

Spaceman takes you on an outer space journey on board the Aeneas, a spacecraft headed to mars. Manning the craft is the Aeneas’ lone passenger, astronaut Molly Jennis (played by Erin Treaday) – a confident and highly likable scientist who has become homesick in her now 7 months of solitary travel.

Photo by ClintonBPhotography

The monotony of space travel (everything is running normal) is juxtaposed with immediate panicky moments of when things could be collapsing (a blown out chip, for example) showing how mentally demanding Molly’s job really is. In an emotional moment, Molly tells us (paraphrased) “It’s so strange. I have so much time and don’t know what to do with all of it. Then suddenly, my life is in danger and another 5 seconds would save me.” From this, we begin to understand and sympathize with Molly’s struggle with staying positive and in control of her emotional state.
 
Inauspiciously, Molly’s colleagues in Houston are toxic misogynists who need her to act a certain way because of corporate interests. They require that she record herself in her craft so they can broadcast the journey and earn more funding. As one would assume, they don’t return her requests for a broadcast of televised sports – “to keep the bandwidths open for mission specific data.” That imbalance of give and take sets the tone for the environment in which Molly has to overcome.

Photo by ClintonBPhotography

​On top of this, we learn that Molly’s ex-husband died while on a similar space mission when he had gone out for a spacewalk without his tether. The chance of finding him, floating around in space haunts her in her solitude.
 
The extent of Molly’s toxic environment is contextualized when Molly dons her spacesuit which is covered in corporate sponsors’ logos. It is then that the audience is beckoned to question whether Molly is better off untethering herself from her relationship with Earth entirely and manning her mission on her own.
 
In contrast to Molly’s mission, her personal journey takes place in the depths of her psych. Treaday’s riveting performance has the audience gripping their chairs and wiping their tears as she faces every doubt she’s ever had in her expedition to the red planet.

Photo by Russ Rowland

Written by Leegrid Stevens, directed by Jacob Titus, and produced by the Loading Dock Theatre, Spaceman delves into the struggles of hope and control and how either can tether us to dreams. If you enjoy powerful theater about strong people being brought to their knees (and science, and space travel), I recommend you go see it.

​Spaceman is playing until March 9, 2019 at the Wild Project in the East Village. Tickets are $20–$30.