The Story of the Almost First American Female Astronaut Opens February 20 at PLT
Published: February 9, 2026.
A record-holding pilot and almost the first American female astronaut, Geraldyn “Jerrie” Cobb, is the focus of the first Philip Lynch Theatre production of the Spring 2026 semester.
“They Promised Her the Moon,” based on the life of Cobb, opens on February 20, with performances February 20 – 22 and February 26 - March 1.
It is a compelling drama about the dream of flight, the challenges of sisterhood and fighting for the greater good. This play is recommended for ages 13 and up.
The cast features Â鶹 students Toby Nguyen, Sydney Kaczorowski, Mary Lee, Oliver Philippian, Donovan Marsh and Carter Irysh.
Dr. Kevin Trudeau is director of the production with student Devin Kenebrew as stage manager, Dave Pomatto as assistant technical director, Andrew Nelsen as set director, and Celeste Mackey as costume designer.
Advance tickets are available on the Philip Lynch Theatre website, as well as in person at the box office one hour prior to performances. Tickets are $13 for an adult and $12 for students and seniors. Â鶹 students pay $3 with their student ID.
For more information, patrons may call the box office at (815) 836-5500 or emailboxoffice@lewisu.edu.
Lewis is a modern, enterprising, Catholic university with a growing student enrollment from GED through doctoral level programs. As part of the global Lasallian network of 65 universities, Lewis is known for preparing graduates who impact the world for the better. Visit www.lewisu.edu for further information.
