Citadel Theatre to tell the story of unsung heroine astronomer Henrietta Leavitt in play ‘Silent Sky’
“Space, the Final Frontier.” That opening line of narration for the TV series “Star Trek” is well-known, but we might never have been able to imagine the idea of a vast universe containing many different worlds if not for the work of the astronomer Henrietta Leavitt, who was unknown to the public when she charted the stars in the early decades of the 20th Century and remains little known today. While working at the Harvard College Observatory, she discovered a means of measuring the vast distances from the Earth to remote galaxies, leading to a greater understanding of the size and the nature of the universe. In recognition of March as National Women’s Month, Citadel Theatre will bring the story of this amazing woman to local audiences with their production of the play “Silent Sky,” which will play at their theater at 300 S. Waukegan Road in Lake Forest, from Feb. 14 through March 17.
“Silent Sky” was written by Lauren Gunderson, who has been the most frequently produced playwright in America three times since 2015 and has written several plays about women who have been unsung heroes of science. Citadel’s production of “Silent Sky” will be directed by Beth Wolf, who directed their 2021 production of “Outside Mullingar,” which earned Jeff Award nominations for Best Production (Mid-size) and Best Direction of Play for Wolf.
That Henrietta Leavitt was given little credit for her work in her day is likely due to the sexism of the time. She was one of several women hired as “human computers” to look at photographs of the stars taken through the observatory’s telescope and measure the fluctuation of the stars in brightness and size. The women were hired for this job because it was believed women were best suited for this sort of tedious work. The women were not allowed to look through the telescope; only men were given that privilege. Even with that disadvantage, Leavitt and her colleagues made amazing discoveries that were not only significant on their own but led to further advances, such as Edwin Hubbell’s discovery of additional galaxies and the conclusion that the universe is expanding. As the women were considered to be something like clerical workers, they were not given scientific credit by their superiors at the Harvard Observatory.
Gunderson’s play not only dramatizes Leavitt’s workplace challenges but captures the personal lives of Leavitt and her co-workers with warmth and humor as well. Gunderson shows how Henrietta’s relationships suffer from her dedication to her work. Her sister Margaret, her love interest and co-worker Peter Shaw, and her colleagues Annie Cannon and Williamina Fleming, all find themselves pushed aside as Henrietta remains engrossed in her research. The play is a poignant tale of a woman’s dedication to the stars, and the human touch that makes life under the vast sky beautiful and timeless. To show the beauty and vast expanses of the universe, Citadel will again employ a bank of 80 LED panels provided by Pangea Technology to display projections designed by Chris Owens.
“I’m so thrilled to be back at Citadel and it feels like such a privilege to share this story with audiences,” Director Wolf said. “Despite the play being set over a century ago, the women we see onstage feel like incredibly modern women. The historical characters of Leavitt, Cannon and Fleming, as well as the fictional character of Henrietta’s sister Margaret, all face challenges and choices around career and family that still resonate today. Gunderson’s play shines a light on the contributions of these incredible scientists while also telling a beautiful story about the choices we make, the passions we pursue, and the ways those shape our lives.”
“Silent Sky” will play Citadel Theatre from Feb. 14 through March 17. Citadel Theatre is in residence in the West Campus of the Lake Forest School District at 300 S. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest. Further information and ticketing is available on the company’s website at citadeltheatre.org or by phone at (847) 735-8554, ext. 1.