Ford's Theatre Society Announces Full Casting for Lauren Gunderson's SILENT SKY

Ford's Theatre Society announced full casting and the design team for Silent Sky by Lauren Gunderson, a captivating play based on the life of trail-blazing astronomer Henrietta Leavitt. The Ford's Theatre production is directed by Seema Sueko and features Laura C. Harris (Arena Stage's The Heiress, Signature Theatre's The Flick) as Henrietta Leavitt, Nora Achrati as Annie Jump Cannon, Emily Kester as Margaret Leavitt, Jonathan David Martin as Peter Shaw and Holly Twyford as Williamina Fleming. Performances are January 24 to February 23, 2020. A media performance is scheduled for January 29, 2020 at 7:00 p.m.

Tickets for Silent Sky are now on sale and range from $22 to $72. Discounts are available for groups, senior citizens, military personnel and those younger than age 35. The production is recommended for ages 10 and older.

A decade before women gained the right to vote, Henrietta Leavitt and her fellow women "computers" transformed the science of astronomy. In the Harvard Observatory, Leavitt found 2,400 new variable stars and made important discoveries about their fluctuating brightness, enabling fellow scientists to map the Milky Way and beyond. This inspiring drama explores the determination, passion and sacrifice of the women who redefined our understanding of the cosmos.

"With Silent Sky, playwright Lauren Gunderson honors the achievements and legacy of a great but lesser-known American, Henrietta Swan Leavitt. Through the story of Henrietta, we are encouraged to nurture our curiosity and to look with wonder into the vastness of the silent sky," said director Seema Sueko. "My hope is that audiences will be intrigued to learn more about this history and science, and look at the universe in ways they've never considered before."

The Ford's Theatre 2019-2020 season is sponsored by Chevron. Silent Sky is also made possible by Lead Underwriters Lockheed Martin Corporation and Siemens Corporation, with additional support from Booz Allen Hamilton and Facebook.

THE DESIGNERS

The Silent Sky production designers include Scenic Designer Milagros Ponce de León (Ford's Into the Woods, Jefferson's Garden and Ragtime), Costume Designer Ivania Stack (Ford's Jefferson's Garden), Sound Designer Andre J. Pluess (Ford's debut), Choreographer Karma Camp (Ford's Hello, Dolly!, others), Lighting Designer Rui Rita (Ford's Into the Woods, The Wiz, Ragtime, others), Hair and Make-Up Designer Anne Nesmith (Ford's Into the Woods, Born Yesterday, Jefferson's Garden, others) and Dialects and Vocal Director Lisa Nathans (Ford's debut).

The production team also includes Production Stage Manager Brandon Prendergast and Assistant Stage Manager Julia Singer.

SPECIAL PERFORMANCES AND EVENTS

There are audio-described performances of Silent Sky February 4 at 7:30 p.m. and February 15 at 2:00 p.m. A sign-interpreted performance is February 13 at 7:30 p.m.

Beginning February 2, 2020, all performances of Silent Sky will be captioned via the GalaPro App. GalaPro is available from the App Store or Google Play and allows patrons to access captioning on demand through their phone or tablet device. Patrons set their phones to airplane mode and connect to the local GalaPro Wifi network before the performance begins. More information at https://www.fords.org/visit/accessibility/galapro-captioning.

Free First Preview: January 24, 2020, at 7:30 p.m.

Ford's Theatre Partners with TodayTix to give out free tickets for the first performance of each mainstage production in our theatrical season. Six-hundred tickets are available via the TodayTix digital lottery, beginning 10:00 a.m. ET on January 17 for the January 24 7:30 p.m. performance of Silent Sky. To enter the digital lottery, patrons must enter online or download the TodayTix app (available in Apple App Store or the Google Play Store), open it and select the "Free First Preview" performance for Silent Sky. Winners will be notified by email and push notification between 10:00 a.m. ET and 2:00 p.m. ET on the day of the first preview. Winners must confirm their winning tickets (up to two) in the TodayTix app or website within one hour of being notified. Visit www.fords.org/free for additional details.

Silent Sky Generation Abe Discount; Post-Performance Reception on February 7

Patrons ages 35 and younger can use promo code UNDER3520 to purchase discounted tickets to Tuesday-Friday performances of Silent Sky. Following the 7:30 p.m. performance on February 7, Generation Abe patrons (those 21-35) can enjoy a glass of beer or wine after the show, meet new people and see Ford's Theatre in a new light. Tickets may be purchased in advance at www.fords.org. Patrons must show ID at the Box Office once arriving at the theatre. Limit of six per person.

Silent Sky Meet and Mingle: February 16 following 2:00 p.m. performance

Following the performance of Silent Sky at Ford's Theatre, talk theatre with fellow audience members and members of the cast at nearby restaurant Succotash (915 F Street NW). Event is free. Cash bar available. Performance tickets sold separately at www.fords.org.

Ford's Theatre Society

One of the most visited sites in the nation's capital, Ford's Theatre reopened its doors in 1968, more than a hundred years after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Operated through a partnership between Ford's Theatre Society and the National Park Service, Ford's Theatre is the premier destination in the nation's capital to explore and celebrate Abraham Lincoln's ideals and leadership principles: courage, integrity, tolerance, equality and creative expression.

Ford's Theatre Society was founded under the guidance of executive producer Frankie Hewitt, who, during her 35-year tenure, established Ford's as a living, Working Theatre producing performances that highlighted the diversity of the American experience. Since the arrival of Paul R. Tetreault as Director, critics and the theatregoing public have recognized Ford's for the superior quality of its artistic programming. With works from the Tony-nominated Come From Away and the nationally acclaimed Big River, to the world premieres of Meet John Doe, The Heavens Are Hung In Black, Liberty Smith, Necessary Sacrifices, The Widow Lincoln and The Guard, Ford's Theatre is making its mark on the American theatre landscape. In the past decade, the mission of Ford's Theatre Society expanded to include education as a central pillar. This expansion led to the creation and construction of the Center for Education and Leadership, which opened in February 2012. Under the current leadership of Board of Trustees Chairman Phebe N. Novakovic and through the lens of Lincoln's leadership and legacy, Ford's today endeavors to advance Lincoln's "unfinished work" with programs and performances that cultivate empathy, encourage dialogue and bridge divides in our American life.

For more information on Ford's Theatre and the Ford's Theatre Society, please visit www.fords.org.

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