Silent Sky Brings to Light Unsung Female Astronomer
COSTA MESA, Calif. (March 10, 2011) — Silent Sky, Lauren Gunderson’s play about a real-life female astronomer whose research in the early 1900s altered everything we knew about the universe, will have its world premiere on the Segerstrom Stage April 1 through May 1.
Silent Sky is an SCR commission that mingles science and history with a dose of feminism and romantic love. It’s the story of Henrietta Leavitt (Monette Magrath), a Massachusetts pastor’s daughter who leaves her home and beloved sister for a job at Harvard University’s Observatory. There she maps the night sky by studying photographic plates and meets Peter Shaw, the head astronomer’s apprentice, who makes her re-think her vow never to marry.
Despite her lowly position and limited access to scientific equipment, Henrietta makes an amazing discovery. But will she get the credit? Will her health give out before she gets the answers she’s seeking? Will her family obligations keep her from the man she loves?
“We’re delighted to be working with Lauren again,” said Producing Artistic Director David Emmes. “She has a real gift for creating vivid, theatrical worlds from historical incidents.
“Lauren finds these women who played important roles in science and reveals not just the work they did but who they were as people. She’s brought them back to life as fully-formed characters whom we care about and want to follow on their journeys.”
This is Gunderson’s second commission at SCR: Her first, Emilie, also examined a real-life female scientist who never received proper credit for her ideas. In fact, Gunderson has developed a reputation as a writer of science-themed plays. She holds an MFA in Dramatic Writing from NYU Tisch, and her play Exit, Pursued By A Bear is having a three-city rolling world premiere at Synchronicity Theatre, Crowded Fire and ArtsWest.
Silent Sky will be directed by Anne Justine D’Zmura, who earlier this season directed SCR’s Sideways Stories from Wayside School. D’Zmura is head of directing at Cal State-Long Beach and a former resident director at the Guthrie Theatre, where she directed Peer Gynt, Bert’s Folly, Billy and Dago and Poster of the Cosmos.
The cast is made up of a mix of fresh and familiar faces. Magrath is making her debut on the SCR stage. She has performed at regional theatres across the country and recently appeared on several episodes of Showtime’s “Weeds.” She is joined by two other SCR newcomers: Nick Toren (Broadway’s The Elephant Man) as Peter Shaw and Erin Cottrell (“Guiding Light”) as Henrietta’s musically talented sister, Margaret. Rounding out the cast are SCR regulars Amelia White (a Broadway veteran last seen at SCR as Mrs. Tarleton in Misalliance) and Colette Kilroy (SCR’s Safe in Hell, TV’s “The Profiler”).
The Playwrights Circle is the Honorary Producer. The Segerstrom Stage season media partner is PBS SoCal; the media partner for Silent Sky is the Orange County Business Journal.
TICKETS for Silent Sky are $20 to $66 and can be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or in person at the SCR box office.
LOCATION: South Coast Repertory is located at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa, at the Bristol Street/Avenue of the Arts exit off the San Diego (405) Freeway in the Folino Theatre Center, part of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. Parking is available off Anton Blvd. on Park Center Drive.
COMING UP: Between Us Chickens (March 25-April 3), Completeness (April 17 – May 8), Three Days of Rain (May 13 – June 12), The Emperor’s New Clothes (May 20 – June 5).
PHOTO EDITORS: Digital images of South Coast Repertory productions are available atwww.scr.org/press.
ABOUT SCR: Tony Award-winning South Coast Repertory, under the artistic direction of David Emmes and Martin Benson, is widely recognized as one of the leading professional theaters in the United States. Founded in 1964, SCR is committed to theater that illuminates the compelling personal and social issues of our time, not only on its stages but through its education and outreach programs. While its productions represent a balance of classic and modern theater, SCR is renowned for its extensive new play development program, including the Pacific Playwrights Festival. Of SCR’s more than 450 productions, 117 have been world premieres, with subsequent stagings achieving enormous success across America and around the world. SCR-developed works have garnered eight Pulitzer Prize nominations with Margaret Edson’s Wit winning the prize in 1999 and David Lindsay-Abaire’s Rabbit Hole in 2007. Located in Costa Mesa, California, in 2002 SCR opened the Folino Theater Center, an expanded three-theater complex that includes the 507-seat Segerstrom Stage, the 336-seat Julianne Argyros Stage and the 94-seat Nicholas Studio.
Fact Sheet
Silent Sky by Lauren Gunderson directed by Anne Justine D’Zmura
CREATIVE TEAM: John Iacovelli (set design), David Kay Mickelsen (costume design), York Kennedy (lighting design), Lewis Flinn (original music), and Chrissy Church (stage manager).
CAST: Monette Magrath (Henrietta), Nick Toren (Peter), Colette Kilroy (Annie), Erin Cottrell (Margaret) and Amelia White (Williamina).
HONORARY PRODUCER: The Playwrights Circle
SEGERSTROM STAGE MEDIA PARTNER: PBS SoCal
SYNOPSIS: She stared at the heavens, and what she saw there changed the course of astronomy. But when Henrietta Leavitt arrives at the Harvard Observatory in the early 1900s, she isn’t allowed to touch a telescope or even express an idea. Instead, she joins a group of women “computers,” charting the stars for an astronomer who calculates projects in “girl hours” and has no time for Henrietta’s probing theories. But as she measures the light of distant stars, she must also take the measure of her life on Earth, answer questions of love, family and the hope of heaven in this exquisite new play—an homage to the beauty of the Earth and the glory of the skies.
TICKETS: $20-$55 previews, $28-$66 regular performances.
BOX OFFICE WINDOW HOURS: 10 a.m. to showtime Tuesdays through Saturdays, noon to showtime Sundays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays and non-performance days. American Express, VISA and MasterCard accepted. (714) 708-5555.
LOCATION: Folino Theatre Center, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa CA 92626. One block east of South Coast Plaza at the Bristol Street/Avenue of the Arts exit off the San Diego (405) Freeway.
PHOTOS: Digital images of South Coast Repertory productions are available at www.scr.org/press.
PRESS CONTACTS: Soyia Ellison 714-708-5561 soyia@scr.org Madeline Porter 714-708-5562 mad@scr.org
RUNS: April 1 – May 1, 2011 PREVIEWS: April 1 FRI at 8 p.m. April 2 SAT at 8 p.m. April 3 SUN at 7:30 p.m. April 5 TUE at 7:30 p.m. April 6 WED at 7:30 p.m. April 7 THU at 8 p.m. OPENING NIGHT: April 8 FRI at 8 pm REGULAR PERFORMANCES: April 9 SAT at 2:30 p.m. April 9 SAT at 8 p.m.(Press Night) April 10 SUN at 2:30 p.m. April 10 SUN at 7:30 p.m. April 12 TUE at 7:30 p.m. April 13 WED at 7:30 p.m. (Post-Show Discussion) April 14 THU at 8 p.m. April 15 FRI at 8 p.m. April 16 SAT at 2:30 p.m. (Inside the Season) April 16 SAT at 8 p.m. April 17 SUN at 2:30 p.m. April 17 SUN at 7:30 p.m. April 19 TUE at 7:30 p.m. (Post-Show Discussion) April 20 WED at 7:30 p.m. April 21 THU at 8 p.m. April 22 FRI at 8 p.m. April 23 SAT at 2:30 p.m. April 23 SAT at 8 p.m. April 24 SUN at 2:30 p.m. April 24 SUN at 7:30 p.m. April 26 TUE at 7:30 p.m. April 27 WED at 7:30 p.m. April 28 THU at 8 p.m. April 29 FRI at 8 p.m. April 30 SAT at 2:30 p.m. (ASL-Interpreted) April 30 SAT at 8 p.m. May 1 SUN at 2:30 p.m.
POST-SHOW DISCUSSIONS Wednesday, April 13 and Tuesday, April 19 Discuss the play with members of the cast following the performance. Free.
INSIDE THE SEASON Saturday, April 16, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. A 2-hour comprehensive seminar featuring creative personnel from the current production. Tickets: $12.
