A Walk on the Moon is the moody, gorgeous tale of a young Jewish housewife coming to terms with her destiny. Alongside is her daughter’s coming of age. Their two stories juxtapose as they try to figure out their purpose in life in the midst of the socio-political turmoil of 1969.
The musical is written by Pamela Gray, also behind the 1999 film of the same name. The plot follows the film closely, but is now speckled with music. Set in the Catskills, only a few miles from the now famous site of the Woodstock music festival, the songs show us a country on the brink of changing times, and characters struggling with what those changes mean to them.
Pivotal social and political events coincide as Pearl, played by Katie Brayben, dreams of what her life could have been. Brayben’s voice is gorgeous and soaked in constant longing. Alison, played by Brigid O’Brien, is her angsty teen daughter. Both women feel stuck, and they undertake a series of rebellious acts. Alison’s rebellion is loud, while Pearl’s is more subdued. In terms of severity, Alison’s actions are mild; she has more bark than bite. Pearl’s actions hit hard, as she finds herself developing feelings for another man. Both women explore their sexuality outside the social norms set in place for women in the 1960s.
The most striking feature is the set. It’s absolutely beautiful. Even before the show starts, you can feel it. The story is laced with rising action, and the set work really draws into that. The climax at Woodstock has such incredible work that you feel you’re actually there. That’s largely due to the light projections, which supplement the show, and give us a glimpse into the actual history behind the story. They never feels jarring, and add so much.
It’s rare to see a story soaked in such history to be told from the perspective of women, and to see coverage of Vietnam and the social upheaval at home from such a personal angle. And of course, it’s lovely to see a story that covers a segment of Jewish-American history. Politics is personal: it impacts our lives and it impacts society, and A Walk on the Moon intertwines that into a journey of self-discovery and what our existence means in this world.
A WALK ON THE MOON is playing at A.C.T.’s Geary Theater now through July 1, 2018. For more information visit: www.act-sf.org
