Kevin Maynard and Kady Patterson in Silent Sky at the Richmond Hil Barn Theatre -- July 14 through 24.
Thursday, July 14, through Sunday, July 24
Richmond Hill Barn Theatre, 600 Robinson Drive, Geneseo IL
Praised by the Chicago Tribune for its “warmhearted wit leavened with wistful regret” and “inner light of emotional honesty,” author Lauren Gunderson's astronomical drama Silent Sky enjoys a July 14 through 24 run at Geneseo's Richmond Hill Barn Theatre, with this moving play a work that, according to the Tribune, “shines with the luminous joy of re-centering women whose achievements have been too long overlooked by the telescope of history.”
A slice of history in the vein of the Oscar-nominated hit Hidden Figures, Silent Sky finds its heroine Henrietta Leavitt beginning work at the Harvard Observatory in the early 1900s, where 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.
This true story of 19th Century astronomer 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. But Henrietta Leavitt and her female peers believed in both, and their dedication changed the way we understand both the heavens and Earth, with Silent Sky described by OnStageBlog.com as “a story full of discovery, laughter, and heart” that is “stunning from start to finish.”
Directing Silent Sky is longtime Richmond Hill favorite Jennifer Kingry, whose many previous productions for the venue have included Outside Mullingar, The 39 Steps, Marvin's Room, and Vanya & Sonia & Masha & Spike. With Kingry also serving as her production's lighting designer, additional members of her creative team include stage manager Colin McConville, set builders Mike and Jim Skiles, and sound and video designer Larry Lord. And with Elizabeth Melville (the Playcrafters Barn Theatre's Rabbit Hole) making her Geneseo-theatre debut with Silent Sky, the play's five-person cast is completed by talents familiar to Richmond Hill audiences: Diane Greenwood (Blithe Spirit), Kevin Maynard (Over the Tavern), Terri Nelson (Drinking Habits), and Kady Patterson (Clue: On Stage).
Silent Sky runs at the Richmond Hill Barn Theatre July 14 through 24, with performances Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. Admission is $12, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)944-2244 and visiting RHPlayers.com.
