South Coast Repertory Adds Lauren Gunderson's Silent Sky to Season

Silent Sky, Lauren Gunderson's new play about a real-life female astronomer whose research in the early 1900s altered everything we knew about the universe, will fill the final slot in South Coast Repertory's 2010-11 season.

The world premiere, which runs April 1 through May 1 on the Segerstrom Stage, is an SCR commission.

Silent Sky mingles science and history with a dose of feminism and romantic love. It's the story of Henrietta Leavitt, a Massachusetts pastor's daughter who leaves her home and beloved sister for a job at Harvard University's Observatory. There she maps the night sky by studying photographic plates and meets Peter Shaw, the head astronomer's apprentice, who makes her re-think her vow never to marry.

Despite her lowly position and limited access to scientific equipment, Henrietta makes an amazing discovery. But will she get the credit? Will her health give out before she gets the answers she's seeking? Will her family obligations keep her from the man she loves?

This is Gunderson's second produced commission at SCR: Her first, Emilie: Le Marquise Du Châtelet Defends Her Life at the Petite Theâtre at Cirey Tonight, also examined a real-life female scientist who never received proper credit for her ideas. In fact, Gunderson has developed a reputation as a writer of science-themed plays. She was the first-ever Playwright in Residence at the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics. Gunderson holds an MFA in Dramatic Writing from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. Some of her other works include Fire Work, Baby M, Leap, Parts They Call Deep and Exit, Pursued By a Bear, which will have a rolling three-city tour beginning in Atlanta in March. She is the recipient of the Berrilla Kerr Award for American Theatre, Young Playwright's Award, Eric Bentley New Play Award and Essential Theatre Prize.

"We're delighted to be working with Lauren again," said Producing Artistic Director David Emmes. "She has a real gift for creating vivid, theatrical worlds from historical incidents.

"Lauren finds these women who played important roles in science and reveals not just the work they did but who they were as people. She's brought them back to life as fully-formed characters whom we care about and want to follow on their journeys."

Tickets for Silent Skyare $20 to $65 and can be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or in person at the SCR box office.