On June 16, 1963, Soviet Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman to travel into space. The United States screened a group of female pilots in 1959 and 1960 for possible astronaut training but later decided to restrict astronaut qualification to men.

Story in the San Diego Union Tribune today with rehearsal photos by Howard Lipin. In Old Globe’s ‘They Promised Her the Moon,’ women’s dreams of traveling into space wind up lost in the stars

“Top theater picks in San Diego From “Cats” to …people in space.” Recommended play Laurel Ollstein’s They Promised Her the Moon.

Great shots of the theatre and banner by Lanna Joffrey and a photograph of the cast and creative team.

In 1960 the famed “Mercury Seven” trained at NASA to become the first American astronauts. But they weren’t alone. Thirteen women also underwent the same rigorous psychological and physical testing.

“Laurel was very smart to focus on just one woman, more than a movement….It’s a really important, inspiring story,” Sardelli says. “It’s a universal story, for any human being who’s just a little bit ahead of their time.”

Preview of costume design by Denitsa Blinznakova for Laurel Ollstein’s “They Promised Her the Moon” at the Old Globe.

They promised Jerrie Cobb the moon… A woman far ahead of her time.