Ask for the Moon at Terris Theater

 Ask for the Moon at Terris Theater

By David Pulvermacher


Follow Helene Huber and Charlotte St. Claire in their misadventures for money, love, and murder. The book and lyrics for Ask for the Moon is written and directed by Tony Award winner Darko Tresnjak, known for directing musicals such as Anastasia and A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder. 


Ask for the Moon follows Helene Huber on the first anniversary of her wealthy husband’s death. Since his passing, Helene has been selling items from his estate to establish a foundation for the arts. Helene’s dreams of her great endeavors are short-lived when her husband’s lawyer, Schroeder Studebaker, shatters them by informing Helene that her husband never legally divorced his first wife. Studebaker orders Helene to reacquire the items she has sold off so that the entire estate can be given to his first wife, who may or may not have Nazi affiliations. Unwilling to accept this betrayal from her late husband, Helene recruits Charlotte St. Claire, her husband’s former caretaker, to help terminate her husband’s legal wife. Knowing their target is celebrating her recent release from prison on the cruise ship, the Jewel of the Sea, Helene, and Charlotte disguise themselves and find the right moment to strike. 

(Photo by Diane Soboleski)


Ask for the Moon is filled with callbacks to other theater productions. Examples include a parody of “The Lonely Goatherd” from The Sound of Music and Anton Chekov’s rule of keeping promises to the audience. The references are also integrated into the music, which was written by Oran Eldor. The music itself is fun and campy, with odes to other shows. These references and use of inside comedy elevate the experience for those who know and appreciate the history of theater but may go over the heads of the average theatergoer. 

(Photo by Diane Soboleski)

Tresnjak brings flavors of A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder with similar use of farce and dark humor. From surprising deaths to secret relationships, this show will catch you off guard. Goodspeed Musicals recommends this show for audiences 15 and older due to its strong language and adult content. 


The strength of this show is its actors, who captivate the audience from start to finish. Ali Ewoldt and Luba Mason contrast each other as unlikely allies. As Charlotte and Helene, the two play foils toward one another in a comical and endearing way. Mason portrays Helene in a powerful bravado manner as Evwoldt plays Charlotte as the girl next door who may carry a few secrets. Jamison Stern morphs into multiple characters during the show. From Studebaker to Helene’s personal designer, to twin brothers performing on the cruise ship, Stern creates many of the conflicts that have the audience laughing and in shock. 


Ask for the Moon is an intriguing show. With its twists, turns, and dark humor, this show is recommended to mature audiences with an open mind. Ask for the Moon is playing at Terris Theater through August 11th. Tickets are currently sold out. For updates on availability, please go to their website at https://goodspeed.org/ or contact the box office at 860.873.8668 or at 33 North Main Street Chester, CT 06412

(Photo by Diane Soboleski)
Location: 33 N Main St, Chester, CT 06412, USA

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