Silent Sky

Lauren Gunderson tells the story of the an amateur astronomer who transcended her post as a Harvard "computer" (data entry clerk) to make significant observations of the universe. In Silent Sky, Gunderson retrieves from intellectual history's dustbin the figure of Henrietta Leavitt (1868-1921), a woman who would later influence the works of men like Edward Hubble and many more. Gunderson writes Leavitt as a spunky lass undeterred by deafness and prejudice even though the hearing disability suggested the in the title of the play has no evident part of her struggle. The main adversary of the show seems to be Leavitt herself. Fighting to find her humanity in the world and at times even her dreams. Gunderson does well to give credit to her other female colleagues Willamina Flemming and Annie Cannon. This design should feel period in some ways but we should really feel vacant and stars being the focus like Leavitt's mind since this play is actually her reflecting back on her life. I have chosen Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night Over the Rhone as my inspiration piece. For obvious reasons the stars stand out as a focal point much like they were the focal point in Leavitt's life. The strong contrast of light and dark coupled with a minimal palette is quite appealing for this production. The design should be minimal. Suggested spaces of an office space, the ocean, and the observatory. The set and properties should be not be the focal point and no spectacular in the show. We want the audience to be leaving in quiet contemplation of a not so well known American heroine.