Shanthany Wilkerson and Monica Jones in ‘Jet Fuel’ at Bishop Arts Theatre Center. (Photo by Keith Vinson)
Inspired by the story of Olympic runner Caster Semenya, playwright Amy Evans takes a dive into the behind the scenes world of women athletes in Jet Fuel. The world premiere opened last weekend at Bishop Arts Theatre Center and concludes its run this Sunday. While the sport was front and center, the story was a deeper essay on a woman’s agency.
Directed by Tiana Kaye Blair, Jet Fuel focuses on American runner Mel Jackson, loosely based on Semenya, who is about to compete in the 2016 Rio Olympics alongside her teammates and close friend and roommate Grace Kennedy. But controversy surrounds Jackson as testing on the athlete finds an abnormal amount of testosterone. The truth of her intersex comes to distance Mel from the public eye and even her teammates.
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In her portrayal of Jackson, Shanthany Wilkerson earnestly conveyed both strength and vulnerability. Her performance as a competitive athlete was believable, and she effectively showcased the character’s fear of being ostracized and outed. This fragility added a poignant depth to the character. In contrast, Monica Jones delivered a confident performance as Grace, providing a nice contrast to Wilkerson’s portrayal. Their chemistry as friends felt genuine, and as the story unfolded, their deeper connection became apparent.
Claire Fountain and Tayla Underwood played fellow teammates Courtney and Keisha respectively who both undergo their own obstacles. Fountain did triple duty with another character and the show’s intimacy captain. Keisha was the liveliest of the bunch and Underwood’s performance was charming with a magnetic smile. When both characters face their own challenges, the two actors were compelling in their more emotional moments.
As Russian competitor, and perhaps the bad guy of the show, Elena
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