Silent Sky
Title of Show: Silent Sky
Synopsis:
When Henrietta Leavitt begins work at the Harvard Observatory in the early 1900s, she isn’t allowed to touch a telescope or express an original idea. Instead, she joins a group of women “computers,” charting the stars for a renowned astronomer who calculates projects in “girl hours” and has no time for the women’s probing theories. As Henrietta, in her free time, attempts to measure the light and distance of stars, she must also take measure of her life on Earth, trying to balance her dedication to science with family obligations and the possibility of love. The true story of 19th-century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt explores a woman’s place in society during a time of immense scientific discoveries, when women’s ideas were dismissed until men claimed credit for them. Social progress, like scientific progress, can be hard to see when one is trapped among earthly complications; Henrietta Leavitt and her female peers believe in both, and their dedication changed the way we understand both the heavens and Earth.
Director: Stacy Stoltz
Ages Called: Casting ages 18+
AUDITIONS
Monday, May 16 (6-9 PM) @ SBCT
Tuesday, May 17 (6-9 PM) @ SBCT
Callbacks: May 18 (if needed) 6-9 PM
REHEARSAL SCHEDULE
- First Rehearsal: Monday, August 1 2022
- Rehearsals: Sunday-Thursday, 6:30-9:30 pm
- Tech Week: Saturday, September 3-7 ,2022
LIVE SHOWS
- Preview: Thursday, Sept. 8 @ 7:30pm
- Shows:
- 9, 10; 16, 17 @ 7:30pm
- 11; 18 @ 2:00pm
What to prepare
ROLES
Henrietta Leavitt: 20’s-30’s. Fiercely smart. Funny and curious. Spilling over her own traditionalism. Almost always wearing a period hearing aid.
Margaret Leavitt: 20’s-30’s. Homebody. Composer. Creative, sweet sister. Sings and possibly plays piano. (Sing hymn in side #1 acapella. “ You can find “For The Beauty of the Earth” online. If you play piano at any level you can also bring in any song to play and sing after scene work.)
Peter Shaw: 20’s-30’s. The head astronomer’s apprentice…and the man. Unintentionally condescending. Becomes curious and passionate.
Annie Jump Cannon: 40’s. Strict supervisor. Leader and friend. Terse and sure. Grows into a firebrand.
Williamina Flemming: 40’s-50’s. Smart as a whip and fun. Strong and boisterous. Came to America from Scotland in her 20’s. Noted for cataloguing thousands of stars and making many important discoveries. (Read without a dialect or if comfortable use a light Scottish.)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- Auditions will take place in the Green Room; there will be signage posted to help direct auditioners.