Bethel University Theatre Department presents “Silent Sky” by Lauren Gunderson. Performances of the show, directed by Derrick Null, will run November 2, 3 and 4 at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee on Nov. 4 at 1 p.m., in the Everest-Rohrer Auditorium on Bethel’s campus.
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 how we understand both the heavens and Earth.
Tickets are $17 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased below or by calling the box office at 574.807.7080.