For the Glory of the Skies: Asolo Rep Stages a Story of a Pioneering Female Astronomer

By Scott Ferguson | January 2023

---

Henrietta Swan Leavitt expanded the universe—or at least our understanding of its size and scope. Yet despite her groundbreaking discoveries, most people have never heard of her. Lauren Gunderson’s Silent Sky, a play that explores and reimagines the life and extraordinary legacy of this often-overlooked scientific pioneer, comes to Asolo Repertory Theatre January 19 through March 5.

In her day, Leavitt was not called an astronomer, but rather a “computer,” when that term referred to people who computed. After her 1892 graduation from Radcliffe College (“basically Harvard in skirts,” as she tells a male astronomer in the play) she was hired by Harvard Observatory to join other female computers who studied and cataloged the stars by looking at photographic plates of the night sky. The women were forbidden from using the facility’s Great Refractor telescope—one of the world’s largest at that time.

Despite these restrictions, as well as the challenges of Leavitt’s profound hearing loss, her meticulous research revealed the brightness and distance of stars, paving the way for other major scientific breakthroughs. Known as the period luminosity-relationship, her discovery allowed Harlow Shapley, Edwin Hubble and other astronomers to show that the Milky Way galaxy—once thought by many astronomers to be the entire universe—was actually only a very small part of it.  

The play originated in a discovery playwright Gunderson made herself. She came across a biography of Leavitt while browsing through a bookstore and was intrigued by her story. 

“I just thought it was extraordinary to hear about this woman who was so consequential and so unknown,” she explains. “It felt right for the theater because of the musicality of her mathematics and the scientific discovery she made. And I thought, ‘Oh, this wants to be a play of some sort.’ It also allowed me to write about sisterhood.” 

The music in the play includes recurring snippets of the Anglican hymn that begins, “For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies,” sung by the fictional character of Henrietta’s sister, Margaret, whose focus is family and church, in contrast with Henrietta’s all-consuming life of science. The other female characters in the play are Annie Jump Cannon and Williamina Fleming, Henrietta’s real-life colleagues at the observatory.   

“One of the wonderful things about this story is that it’s not about one smart woman, it’s about four,” Gunderson says. “That to me felt revolutionary, to have a play with so many women in it—mostly women, just one male character—and to have them all be so diverse and interesting and smart and kind and loving to each other, it felt like all the things I wanted to write about.”

The male character is Peter Shaw, apprentice to the observatory’s head astronomer and also a creation of Gunderson’s. Shaw offers the perspective of a 19^th century male, telling Leavitt during her orientation that “we bring the Girls’ Department photographic plates from the telescope.” But he is nevertheless impressed by Henrietta’s intelligence and dedication to her work. In fact, he is quite smitten with her. 

Asolo Rep’s production of Silent Sky is directed by Seema Sueko, who also directed a 2020 production of the play at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, DC.

“I’m a regional theater director and I firmly believe that each production in a region needs to be of, for and with the local community,” says Sueko. “To me it’s not just a cookie-cutter approach, ‘I’ve directed this before so I’ll do it all the same here.’ Rather, it begins with asking the theater company why they picked this play, what they think will resonate with their community. And then from that of course building the team and casting the play.”

Sueko recalls that in early discussions about the Asolo Rep production the idea arose to cast deaf or hard of hearing actors, since both Leavitt and Cannon suffered from hearing loss due to illnesses. Working with Asolo Rep’s Education & Engagement Department, Sueko contacted the Sarasota/Manatee chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America, whose members are lending their expertise to help ensure that the issues experienced by people with hearing loss are portrayed authentically on stage. Some of the performances will be followed by discussions with the audience and the creative team about the themes in the play and the obstacles faced by women and by people with disabilities. (Visit AsoloRep.org to learn more about these and other special events.)

“Lauren wrote Henrietta’s hearing aid into the play” Sueko says, “but this will actually be the first major production of Silent Sky to cast an actor who herself uses hearing aids. So we’ll be including that in the production; Lauren is open to possible script tweaks that we discover along the way. Some of (the changes) may just be behavioral opportunities that come up when you embrace that there is a hard of hearing culture (represented) on stage; we’ll discover those together in the rehearsal space with our wonderful cast.” 

Kyla Dyan, who portrays Henrietta, and Lise Bruneau (Williamina) are appearing at Asolo Rep for the first time. Suzanne Grodner (Annie) is in her 10^th season at Asolo Rep, most recently in Grand Horizons last season. Zoya Marin (Margaret) and Christian Douglass (Peter) are third-year students at the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training. Douglass made his Mertz stage debut this season in Cabaret. 

Silent Sky is just one reason why Lauren Gunderson’s plays are favorites of regional theaters. She regularly rises to the top of American Theatre magazine’s most- produced playwrights each year. For the 2022-2023 season, she is tied for first place with Lynn Nottage (the list of Gunderson’s plays includes scripts she co-wrote). 

Why is she such a popular playwright? “I write a lot,” she laughs. “Unlike Lynn Nottage, my plays haven’t been on Broadway. I’ve had some productions in New York, which I’ve loved, but I don’t live in New York and to me it’s more of a testament to the power of regional theaters like Asolo Rep. America’s a big place and a lot of regional theaters talk to each other about what they find are successful and moving to their audiences, and my place seems to be that. Regional theaters tell others, and they take note. And I think that’s why Silent Sky has been done so often. It seems to be something audiences really like. I like it. The short answer is I write for myself. If I like it, I think somebody else will.” 

Audiences will find much to like—and even marvel at—in the Asolo Rep production. The strength of the script and performances will be supported by period costumes, a breathtaking set and dramatic lighting that will transport them from the Leavitt family home in Wisconsin to the Harvard Observatory, an ocean liner gliding through the Atlantic, and a twinkling star field. In addition to director Sueko and the cast, the creative team includes Scenic Designer Milagros Ponce de Leon, Costume Designer Ivania Stack and Lighting Designer Rui Rita. Sound design and original musical compositions are by Andre Pluess. Shawn Duan is the projection designer and Michelle Hart designs the hair, wigs and makeup.

Sueko says there’s something about Silent Sky that touches on audiences’ primal curiosity about the universe, adding that women and men are deeply affected by the play. 

“There’s also the aspect of telling a story about such a pivotal human who existed, as well as the other Harvard computers,” she notes. “They were paid quite poorly and not allowed to look through the telescope. They were given plate-glass photographs to chart the stars and map the sky. And though they were not asked to make any other discoveries, they did—and it changed the world. 

“I think telling this lesser-known story is inspiring and fills in the holes of our history. And then there’s just the pure beauty and humor and love that’s in the script that Lauren Gunderson has written. It’s just so well crafted. I think it’s quite magical the way she’s written it and the journey she takes the audience on.”

Although there have been many productions of Silent Sky, Gunderson is particularly excited about this one. “Asolo Rep is such an incredible theater, a titan of regional theater,” she says. “It really is such an honor to have them do it. I know it’s going to be beautiful.” 

For more information and tickets to Silent Sky, please visit AsoloRep.org or call the box office at 941.351.8000.

---

Explore the Universe of Silent Sky

Asolo Rep is collaborating with community partners to celebrate the story of Henrietta Leavitt and her colleagues and the world of astronomy. Don’t miss the play or these special events!    

Stelliferous Night at The Bishop Museum 

Dec. 28, 6:30-8 p.m.

Silent Sky director Seema Sueko will share behind-the-scenes details. The museum’s planetarium manager will explain the science within the production, while visitors view the same sky Henrietta saw all those years ago. The evening will begin with drinks and conversation at 6:30; the program starts at 7. 
The Bishop Museum, 201 10th St W, Bradenton, 941-746-4131. 
More information is at BishopScience.org/things-to-do/stelliferous-live/

Inside Asolo Rep: Silent Sky

Jan. 20, 10:30 a.m.

A discussion about the production featuring director Seema Sueko, designers and other creative artists.

Tuesday Talkbacks

Jan. 31 and Feb. 7, following the 7 p.m. performance

The audience is invited to join a cast member and a creative team member for a moderated talkback about the show.

IllumiNation at Asolo Rep

Feb. 8, in conjunction with the 

7:30 p.m. performance

Panelists from The Bishop Museum will discuss advancements made by women in the field of astronomy. A representative of the Hearing Loss Association Sarasota-Manatee Chapter will talk about the challenges and misunderstandings faced by people with hearing loss. IllumiNation tickets include the show, a pre-show reception at 6:30 p.m. and a curated post-performance discussion.

Community Day at Asolo Rep

March 11, before the 2 p.m. matinee

Pre-show activities for all ages start at 12:30 p.m. Community partners from the Bishop Museum, the Hearing Loss Association Sarasota/Manatee Chapter, Easterseals Southwest Florida and other local nonprofits will participate. Theatre-goers can connect and create with these wonderful organizations!

For more information about these and other programs, visit AsoloRep.org.