The Center Theater Company's Production of
Lauren Gunderson's Interesting Script for
Silent Sky Is Worth Seeing Twice!

Yes, this is another story about "a woman whose unconquerable spirit and bulldog determination enabled her to overcome obstacles and beat the odds ...." BUT: Having attended a performance of the Center Theater Company's Sept. 6-15 production of Lauren Gunderson's Silent Sky, I have but one regret: that I can't work a second performance into my schedule!

Director Tracy Bersley made the decision to double-cast Lauren Gunderson's play; and if the other cast turns in performances that are just as crisp and nuanced as the one that I watched on Saturday night, it promises to be a treat that, while equally delectable, will include subtle variations in tones and flavors.

The Center Theater Company's Sept. 6-15 production of Lauren Gunderson's Silent Sky is double-cast

The Play:

Henretta Swan Leavitt (1868-1921) became an astronomer before that field was open to women, and her work led to important discoveries about the universe. Initially excited by having been hired to work at Harvard College Observatory, she is soon disillusioned by the fact that her work is relegated to a desk, working as a "computer," whose job is to measure and catalog the brightness of stars as they appear in photographic plates and is denied access to the actual telescopes.

Set in the early decades of the 20th Century, Silent Sky presents an overview of Leavitt's life through a series of vignettes, from the time that she receives the offer to work at the Harvard College Observatory until her death.

In addition to our front-row seat as Leavitt does what it takes for a woman to "succeed in a man's world," we are also treated to the joys and disappointments that she meets in her personal life.

Playwright Lauren Gunderson keeps the story grounded in time by including references to such period tidbits as the work of Albert Einstein, the Women's Suffrage Movement, and (what we now refer to as) World War I.

The Center Theater Company will stage Lauren Gunderson's Silent Sky, directed by Tracy Bersley, on Sept. 6-15

The Acting:

Director Tracy Bersley has chosen and directed a cast that interacts beautifully.

Tanya Quinn has created a Henrietta Leavitt who simply exudes enthusiasm and dedication. The love between her and her sister is obvious from the get-go, and the relationships that develop between her and her co-workers follow interesting paths. But it was Quinn's performance when Leavitt reaches the "peaks and valleys" that I found most interesting.

Taylor Cashion is ideal as Henrietta's sister Margaret. Her love for her sister, her dedication to her family, and her passion for music -- all are quite apparent. Watch for this character's reactions when she meets her sister's co-workers!

Side Note: Quinn and Cashion could easily pass as sisters in the real world.

Louise Martin's Williamina Fleming is chock-full of Scottish pluck. Martin times and points the witty phrases with aplomb, making her eyes twinkle at all the appropriate moments.

Lily Vance portrays Annie Cannon as more reserved, and she is definitely a no-nonsense type. The groundwork that Vance lays in the first act paves the way for what we see in the character in the second act.

As Peter Shaw, Kevin Hunter Kesling positively nails the character's shyness, his sense of propriety, and his extreme insecurity. Also interesting is the development of Shaw's interactions with Leavitt and the other co-workers.

Keep an eye on both Kesling and Quinn during what I have chosen to call "the letter sequence." Be prepared, also, to be impressed by Tracy Bersley's directorial choices and the lighting effects as the scene moves forward.

The Center Theater Company will stage Lauren Gunderson's Silent Sky, directed by Tracy Bersley, on Sept. 6-15

The Tech:

Technical director John Bell oversees a brilliant team.

Lighting design (by Jenni Becker) includes a plethora of effects that accentuate and "spice up" poignant moments (in addition to the more subtle shifts that augment changes of mood).

Sound designer Alex Thompson deftly blends sound effects with music.

Scenic design (by Derrick Ivey), though spare, is effective and versatile.

The work of props designer Eric Jacobs, that of costume designer Chandler Vance, and that of hair-and-wig designer Elisa Acevedo contribute to the production's verisimilitude.

The Center Theater Company will stage Lauren Gunderson's Silent Sky, directed by Tracy Bersley, on Sept. 6-15

Nice Touches:

• The opening sequence in which we meet Henrietta and are given (through motion) the suggestion of the influences that the other characters will be exerting on her.
• Rotations of the workstations to indicate passage of time.
• The very dreamlike opening sequence of the second act.
• The period lighting fixtures overhead and the period luggage.
• The sound sequence that blends music with ocean waves.
• The appearance of stars in the lighting at the end of the first act.
• The use of "diagonals" in the blocking and the accompanying lighting at key moments.
• Margaret singing snippets of a hymn.
• Reading from Walt Whitman's "When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer."

Memorable Lines:

• "That's not standard!"
• "Don't start wearing bloomers!"
• "He'd be glad to help you with that!"
• "How do you celebrate measuring the universe?"
• "Waiting for the blind to catch up."
• "You were perfectly wrong."
• "What you do outlasts you -- sometimes."

The Center Theater Company will stage Lauren Gunderson's Silent Sky, directed by Tracy Bersley, on Sept. 6-15

From the Department of Picky-Picky:

At times, the sequences that included both music and dialogue, a bit more volume from the actors and/or less from the sound system would have made the lines more accessible.

The Bottom Line:

This script is so interesting, and every aspect of this production is so excellently well-done that I am seriously considering attending a second time (especially since I will have the opportunity to experience the work of a second cast).

If you like an uplifting story with witty dialogue, filled with moments of warmth, if you are impressed with imaginative uses of sound and light, along with accurate period costuming and props, if seeing relationships between characters form, grow, and morph is your cup of tea, catch this play before it's gone!

The Center Theater Company will stage Lauren Gunderson's Silent Sky, directed by Tracy Bersley, on Sept. 6-15

Lauren Gunderson's SILENT SKY (In Person at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13-15), directed by Tracy Bersley and starring Jenny Latimer as Henretta Swan Leavitt, Kathryn Brown as Margaret Leavitt, Kevin Hunter Kesling as Peter Shaw, Erin Kent as Annie Cannon, Stacy Sabarsky as Willamina Fleming, Tanya Quinn as Henretta Swan Leavitt, Taylor Cashion as Margaret Leavitt, Lily Vance as Annie Cannon, and Louise Martin as Willheminia Fleming (Center Theater Company at 300-G E. Main St. in Carrboro). 2024 SEASON: https://ctc.ludus.com/passes.php. PRESENTER/VENUE: https://www.centertheatercompany.com/, https://www.facebook.com/CenterTheaterCompany, and https://www.instagram.com/CenterTheaterCompany/. DIRECTIONS: https://www.mapquest.com/us/nc/durham/27707-3467/4221-garrett-rd-35.9602,-78.97545. SILENT SKY (2011 South Coast Repertory of Costa Mesa, CA Drama): https://www.dramatists.com/cgi-bin/db/single.asp?key=5234, https://www.laurengunderson.com/all-plays/silent-sky, https://newplayexchange.org/script/1988950/silent-sky, and https://silentskyplay.tumblr.com/. THE SCRIPT (excerpts): https://books.google.com/books. STUDY GUIDE (Jewel Theatre of Santa Cruz, CA): https://jeweltheatre.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/SilentSkyDramaturgicalGuide.pdf. LAUREN GUNDERSON (Atlanta, GA-born playwright, screenwriter, and short story writer): https://www.laurengunderson.com/, https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/arts-culture/lauren-gunderson-b-1982/, https://www.playscripts.com/playwrights/bios/1347, http://www.iobdb.com/CreditableEntity/27155, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4454013/, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lauren_Gunderson. NOTE: There will be astronomy led-activities, with cast members Tanya Quinn, Lily Vance, Louise Martin, Taylor Cashion, and Kevin Kesling, at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14th, at the Morehead Planetarium & Science Center at UNC-Chapel Hill. TICKETS: $30 ($15 college students and $20 children 11 and under), plus taxes and fees. Click here to buy tickets. INFORMATION: centertheatercompany@gmail.com. PLEASE DONATE TO: Center Theater Company.

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