BWW Reviews: SCR Debuts Witty 'SILENT SKY'

There is something deliciously giddy about eavesdropping on chatty females in the midst of a truth circle, especially when the domineering presence of men are far removed from the conversation (or, at least, are not in ear-shot in the next room). Even more remarkable: when most of that giddiness stems from one of the women's groundbreaking, scientific discoveries, springing up an aura of female collective empowerment during an era when women aren't expected to make these kinds of academic inroads.

Such is the case when watching Lauren Gunderson's charmingly lyrical new play SILENT SKY—now enjoying a fully-staged World Premiere production at South Coast Repertory through May 1. The second Gunderson play that SCR has mounted, SILENT SKY has been commissioned after a staged-reading of the play was held at last year's Pacific Playwrights Festival. With a penchant for subtle wit and sincerely earnest dialogue—the sort of beguiling back-and-forth you'd expect from the best period wordplays on premium TV scripts—Gunderson has attempted a nicely-crafted, work-in-progress play that gives us a headstrong heroine nerd to root for from America's little-known historical margins.

Set against the interesting backdrop of flowing petticoats in a sea of celestial dots of light, the story revolves around astronomy wünderkind Henrietta Leavitt (Monette Magrath) and her pursuits in scientific enlightenment. Largely uncredited for her staggeringly important contributions to modern astronomy, the meticulously detailed—and partially hearing-impaired—Henrietta was an early pioneer in a field that allowed her to step into the periphery, but not necessarily participate at its core wholeheartedly.

We first meet her as a young woman dreaming of a life outside her New England childhood home, one funded by her Pastor father and seemingly run by her older sister Margaret (Erin Cottrell). Their argumentative banter is typical of loving, tight-knit siblings, and it becomes clear quickly that Margaret would prefer her sister to come back down from the clouds and stay grounded. Margaret more than anything wants her sister "Henry" (as she is often called) to follow her same path: plant roots, find a husband, and start her own family—things Henry herself doesn't foresee in her own future.

But Henry's passion for science—especially in the things that hover in the silent sky—is just too great to quell. Deep within her very soul, Henry knows her obvious, Radcliffe-trained intellect would best thrive in the scientific community, and, of course, her sister knows this, too. Thus, despite Margaret's repeated protests and warnings for her to stay at home, Henry excitedly accepts an opportune job offer to work under Edward Charles Pickering, the head of Harvard University's world-famous center for astronomy. This bold new venture begs the question... Is someone finally taking her seriously?

Upon her arrival at Harvard, Henry collides head-on with something she didn't see coming (but the audience does): an adorkable meet-cute with Pickering's smart, Summa Cum Laude underling Peter Shaw (Nick Toren). Neither of them accepts the other to be as intelligent as they each claim to be, but, all the while, their obvious attraction bubbles under the surface. It's your typical rom-com-ready first encounter, full of snappy, rapid-fire retorts that lovingly bludgeons the audience on the head with a foreshadowing of things to come.

And, of course, to her slight disappointment, Henry is quickly informed that her recruitment into the fold of academia is a veiled one: she has merely been hired to join "Pickering's Harem," a derogatorily-labeled collection of women whose sole purpose is to meticulously map, tag, catalog and track the multitude of stars that show up on the photographic glass plates generated by the observatory's powerful telescope. It's a thankless task, frankly, that she still happily accepts, only for the possibilities for further knowledge and, perhaps, even advancement—the latter of which is a source of initial amusement for a couple of older broads that work alongside her as "computers." The two very outspoken women—Pickering's spunky former housekeeper Williamina (Amelia White) and snappish drill sergeant Annie (Colette Kilroy)—have worked there for years and inform the wide-eyed newcomer that their sole job is to, essentially, "clean up the universe for the men." To deviate beyond the task, they conclude, seems pointless.

But, unyielding in her need to show up her mostly male superiors—as well as the two ladies next to her—that her intellect is worthy enough to play alongside the big boys, Henry forges ahead with the repetitive chore of charting the stars, hoping that her hard work will somehow earn her a chance to get up close to the big, giant telescope itself. Her notes, soon enough, reveal patterns in the data that excite everyone, including her colleagues. She begins to work late nights, removing her hearing aid so the silence improves her concentration. Henry's discovery soon earns her the respect and camaraderie of her fellow "computers" and—surprise!—the palpable, now out-in-the-open adoration of Peter. Of course, like the majority of women before her, her contributions are indeed utilized, but not necessarily credited. At the same time, as she juggles romance, career and the family she left behind, Henry struggles to find her place in the vast universe she so desperately studies.

Much like her first SCR-commissioned play Emelie, Gunderson spotlights another protagonist in SILENT SKY that represents the uncredited, but highly important contributions of smart, driven women in the male-dominated world of scientific discoveries. While watching the play, I couldn't help but see Henrietta Leavitt as a sort of turn-of-the-century kindred spirit to the fictional character Ellie Arroway, the heroine in Carl Sagan's Pulitzer-Prize winning novel Contact, herself similarly not taken seriously, but whose important discoveries are usurped by the men who rule. Little is known of the real-life Henrietta Leavitt aside from a 2005 biography written by George Johnson which became an invaluable source for Gunderson's play.

As a work of drama, SILENT SKY is quite good and can perhaps benefit from a bit more refining, particularly in terms of the play's hurried attempt to compress years of time within its brisk two-act structure. A fair amount of stage time is also spent on Henry's seemingly significant illness, but we don't get any resolution or further information from its mention. We're left to ponder—does she get even sicker as time progresses or is this just a really bad cold she suffers through that just happened to fall on the timeline being dramatized here?

Under the direction of Anne Justine D'Zmura, Gunderson's pleasantly-scripted play is effectively orchestrated, even without the bells and whistles one might expect to be boosted in a period piece about stellar cartography. The minimalist set designed by John Iacovelli—a rotating black stage flanked by stark black walls that slid in-and-out to reveal a star-filled sky—feels a bit underdone, but the thriftiness unexpectedly serves to frame the play's outstanding acting performances instead... which are clearly this show's best assets.

As Henrietta Leavitt, the luminescent Magrath has plenty of charm and witty speech choices to make for a truly likable central focus. As her celestial cohorts at the Observatory, Kilroy and White are a treat to watch, providing much of the play's funnier line readings and comical moments. Toren's take on lovestruck Peter is enjoyable, and Cottrell rounds out the cast with an interestingly nuanced performance. The cast is truly commendable.

Aside from a few awkward transitions, I fairly enjoyed SILENT SKY and found the dialogue sublime and the performances enormously engrossing. I understand Gunderson's aim to highlight both Henry's scientific prowess and her bittersweet attempt at a love life, but feel her full story is somehow shortchanged. She's certainly a character you want to root for, and so I look forward to the next progression of this wonderful first draft.

Photos from SILENT SKY by Henry DiRocco/SCR. Top: Henrietta (Monette Magrath) rises to the cosmos. Middle: Annie (Colette Kilroy) & Williamina (Amelia White) examines their instrument. Bottom: Peter (Nick Toren) & Henrietta (Monette Magrath) have a meet-cute at Harvard.

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Performances of Lauren Gunderson's SILENT SKY continue at South Coast Repertory through May 1, with Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday evening performances at 7:30 p.m., Thursday through Saturday evening performances at 8:00 p.m., and with Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m. Discounts are available for full-time students, patrons 25 years of age and under, educators, seniors and groups of 10 or more. There will be an ASL-interpreted performance on Saturday, April 30 at 2:30 p.m.

Tickets, priced from $20 to $66, can be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or by visiting the box office at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa.

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