Blood Moon by John Haman

An aeronaut’s wife leads a double life as the Cold-War U.S. military races to build the first base on the moon, while a controversial religious movement inspires women to subvert patriarchy. June/Marie creates her own reality as she weaves between other extraordinary women: a hardscrabble female detective; an imaginative visionary daughter; an undercover Soviet agent; and a brilliant U.S. Army captain with...
An aeronaut’s wife leads a double life as the Cold-War U.S. military races to build the first base on the moon, while a controversial religious movement inspires women to subvert patriarchy. June/Marie creates her own reality as she weaves between other extraordinary women: a hardscrabble female detective; an imaginative visionary daughter; an undercover Soviet agent; and a brilliant U.S. Army captain with unexplained physical prowess. This 90-minute alternate-reality mystery drama made the second round of consideration for the Kernodle New Play Award. 13 roles.
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Blood Moon

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Character Information

CASTING NOTE

7 MALE ROLES AND 6 FEMALE. THE ROLE OF ALY BEGINS THE PLAY AT AGE 12 AND GROWS TO AGE 17. SHE CAN BE PLAYED BY ONE ACTRESS.

SETTING

THE PLAY TAKES PLACE IN A WORLD LIKE OURS, BUT THIS IS NOT OUR WORLD. THE ACTION OCCURS FROM 1959-1964, MOSTLY IN THE AREA AROUND WASHINGTON, D.C., BUT WITH TWO SCENES TAKING PLACE UNDER THE SURFACE OF THE MOON.

  • Yates
    50s to 60s,
    Male
    U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      40s, 50s, 60s, 70s+
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male, Non-binary
  • Womble
    30s to 40s,
    Female
    INVESTIGATOR FOR D.C. POLICE. MAKING HER WAY, UNDER THE RADAR, IN A MAN'S JOB. EMPATHIC, OBSERVANT.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female, Non-binary
  • Tanner
    30s to 40s,
    Male
    INVESTIGATOR FOR D.C. POLICE. A BIT THREATENED BY WOMBLE'S TALENT.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s, 40s, 50s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male, Non-binary
  • Ray
    Late 20s to late 30s.,
    Male
    AERONAUT/ENGINEER WITH U.S. SPACE COMMAND. BOB'S BEST FRIEND.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male, Non-binary
  • Mid 40s to late 50s
    Male
    CHARISMATIC, ECCENTRIC, GERMAN OWNER OF THE PIE SHOP.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      40s, 50s, 60s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male
  • Keith Gammon
    40s to 50s,
    Male
    HEAD OF NASA
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      40s, 50s, 60s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male, Non-binary
  • June/Marie
    30s,
    Female
    MARIE, FRUSTRATED HOMEMAKER AND FORMER ACTRESS, WIFE OF AN AERONAUT. SHE LONGS FOR HER OWN IDENTITY. HER ALIAS, JUNE, IS A WAITRESS AT THE PIE SHOP WHO SLEEPS WITH MALE U.S. BUREAUCRATS FOR MONEY.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female, Non-binary
  • Gen. Delachamps
    Late 40s to early 60s,
    Male
    DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING, U.S. ARMY, THEN CHIEF OF STAFF, UNIFIED SPACE COMMAND.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      40s, 50s, 60s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male, Non-binary
  • Capt. Janet Pearson/The Woman
    20s or 30s,
    Female
    ARMY OFFICER. AN IMPRESSIVE PHYSICAL SPECIMEN, THE FIRST WOMAN IN THE REGULAR U.S. ARMY. SHE BECOMES AN AERONAUT AND A MAJOR. SHE POSSESSES AN UNCANNY PHYSICAL AND MENTAL PROWESS.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s, 40s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female, Non-binary
  • Bob Griffin
    30s to 40s,
    Male
    AERONAUT/ENGINEER WITH U.S. SPACE COMMAND.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      20s, 30s, 40s, 50s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Male, Non-binary
  • Aly Griffin
    12 and 17,
    Female
    DAUGHTER OF BOB AND MARIE. SEEN IN THE FIRST ACT AS 12 YEARS OLD, THEN AS 17 IN THE SECOND ACT. SHE IS COMING TO TERMS WITH A GIFT OF "VISION"
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      Child, Teens
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female, Non-binary
  • Adherent/Robin
    30s to 50s,
    Female
    THE ADHERENT IS AN UNSEEN CHARACTER, A PRIESTESS IN THE LUNA RELIGION WHO IS HEARD SPEAKING TO OTHER WOMEN AT A RELIGIOUS SERVICE. ROBIN, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS A FRIEND OF MARIE'S WHO SHE MEETS AT AN AUDITION. ROBIN IS SECRETLY A SOVIET SPY. THEY ARE DISTINCT CHARACTERS WHO ARE DOUBLED BY ONE ACTRESS.
    Can be played by:
    • Age: 
      30s, 40s, 50s
    • Race/Ethnicity: 
      Any race/ethnicity
    • Gender: 
      Female, Non-binary

Development History

  • Workshop
    ,
    Convergences Theatre Collective, New York City, N.Y.
    ,
    2019
  • Reading
    ,
    Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Little Rock, Arkansas
    ,
    2018

Awards

Semi-Finalist
,
Kernodle New Play Award
,
University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Department of Theatre
,
2019