‘Silent Sky’ Begins Southern Virginia’s Theatre Season

By Halie Ballstaedt

Southern Virginia University puts on it’s first play of the year, Silent Sky. Written by Lauren Gunderson, the play tells the true story of the young female astronomer, Henrietta Leavitt. She must maneuver her dreams to find her place in the male-dominated science field in the early 1900s. Leavitt discovered that outer space was filled with other galaxies besides the Milky Way, and that information has led to further discoveries of the world beyond our own.

Professor Robert Stoddard, director of the play, said that, while on the surface the play is about a girl making scientific discoveries, underneath, it’s about the expected roles of women in this time period versus their actual dreams. It’s a battle between religion and science and men and women.

The Southern Virginia actors managed to put this amazing play together in just a couple weeks. Stoddard says that one of his favorite parts of watching the play come together is the student actors that are willing to rise to the challenge of the serious material. They engage with each other and make you believe their performance. The hardest part about the play, Stoddard continued, is that nobody really knows the story, or about Leavitt. It can be hard to advertise under these circumstances and to make the story seem appealing to audiences.

Despite the seriousness of the topic, Stoddard said the play is not without its comic relief. The play was written in 2015 and so it has a more modern feel to it, which can make it more attractive to modern audiences. The play runs shorter than most plays do, and moves at a quicker pace. Stoddard also hinted at the particularly special conclusion to the play.

If you’re interested in attending, tickets will be sold in the Chandler Lobby, online, or at the window on the nights of the play. The performances will be held on September 20th, 21st, 27th, and 28th at 7:30 p.m.

For more information, make sure to check out www.svu.edu/box-office.