BUCYRUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—While not a meteor shower or planetary alignment, one astronomical event that will take place at Bucyrus Little Theatre is sure to leave a lasting impression on audiences in Crawford County and beyond. For one weekend only, Bucyrus Little Theatre will stage Silent Sky, a full-length play directed by Karellyn Sterling and sponsored by All Occasions Catering & Banquet Facility with support from the Warren Rupp Observatory and Astronomy Center.
The play is based on the true life story of Harvard astronomer Henrietta Leavitt, played by Beth Hartzler, in the early 1900s. Leavitt is regarded as the first person to measure the size of the universe. She and her colleagues (also historical figures), Annie Cannon, played by Kristie Chandler, and Williamina Fleming, played by Patty Schwall, were employed by Harvard as “human computers,” tasked with computing data associated with images captured by men in their department on The Great Refractor, Harvard’s prized telescope. The show also features Henrietta’s sister, Margaret Leavitt, who is portrayed by Melinda Wingate, and Peter Shaw, played by Jason Chandler.
“Anyone who has ever wondered ‘what else is out there’, or who has ever tried to find their place in the world will love Silent Sky,” said Sterling, who is making her directorial debut. “This show does an incredible job of connecting the cosmos to the human soul. It’s about space and stars, but it’s also about religion, family, tradition, love, and so much more. There is something in this show everyone can relate to, and, hopefully, walk away feeling a little inspired.”
Sterling said she was inspired to direct Silent Sky after seeing an excerpt of the show in 2023 at the Ohio Community Theatre Association’s regional competition.
“The show is striking and inspirational. I felt there was a lot of story to tell through these characters, and wanted to share that with Bucyrus,” said Sterling.
A Celebration Of Women
Set during the suffragette movement of the early 20th century, Silent Sky follows what it was like to live as a woman while working to make a name for themselves in the scientific community – all while fighting for the right to vote.
“When Henrietta arrives at the university, she learns that space is not yet a ‘women’s world,’ as the men in her department will not permit her to use the telescope or conduct her own research,” explained Sterling. “But, encouraged by her coworkers, Annie and Williamina, Henrietta persists in her research, working after hours on a project tracking cephid stars. … Along the way, she discovers love, loss, family, friendship, and herself.”
Since 1980, March has been set aside to honor women’s contributions to American history. Women’s History Month. Globally, March 8 is considered International Women’s Day, a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. Silent Sky’s four-day run will eclipse the global holiday, with two opportunities to see the production on Saturday, March 8 – a matinee beginning at 2:30 p.m. and an evening show at 7:30 p.m.
A Story Of Collaboration
In addition to the collaborative efforts happening onstage, Sterling said numerous collaborations are happening offstage to make this production a success. Sterling’s employer, All Occasions Catering & Banquet Facility in Waldo, Ohio, has stepped up to sponsor the show. Additionally, due to the show’s subject matter, Sterling said she was inspired to reach out to a local observatory to ask if they would be interested in allowing the cast to explore a real observatory and to take cast photos.
“The Warren Rupp Observatory in Bellville was really excited to help us out and to raise awareness of this show and Henrietta’s story,” she said. “We toured the observatory and took pictures. It was a very educational experience for me and for the cast.”
Sterling said the observatory has also donated the use of a star projector and printed images from NASA. When designing the show, she said her goal was to fully immerse the audience in the night sky upon entering the theatre. She has done this by using multiple projectors, including a dedicated star projector, LED strip lights, corded lights, and additional use of specialized lighting that she designed herself.
Cellist Hannah Q. S. Kiene, a member of the Marion Area Orchestra and Quintessence Strings of Marion and one of Sterling’s good friends, will also perform live cello before the show, during intermission, and during critical and emotional scenes of the show.
Finally, due to the subject matter of the show, Sterling said the theatre was approached by Julie Rexroad, a science teacher at Wynford High School and member of the Crawford Park Astronomy Club to see if there would be an opportunity to welcome her students (and their parents) to an advanced screening. After securing additional rights to the production and additional assistance from Wynford Local School District, Bucyrus Little Theatre will be able to open its doors to Rexroad’s students for a private screening of Silent Sky, which will take place during the cast’s final dress rehearsal on Thursday evening.
“Silent Sky is not just a great source of entertainment, it’s full of history and science,” said Sterling. “I’m so glad to have been able to bring so many great organizations and groups of people together with this show.”
‘It Takes A Village’
“So many people have had a hand in making this production possible,” said Sterling. “I appreciate everyone from the cast, set and costume designers, assistant director, production manager, and others, to my mom and husband. It takes a village.
“Bucyrus and the surrounding communities are filled with so much talent,” she continued. “If you haven’t gotten the chance to support local artists on stage in the past, you are missing out. Each individual in the cast brings a uniqueness to their character and is putting in a lot of work to explore their character’s attributes, including researching the historical figures. The actors bring the characters to life and have made this process so enjoyable for me as a first-time director.”
Audiences will have four chances to see Bucyrus Little Theatre’s production of Silent Sky, including two matinee performances.
- 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 7
- 2:30 p.m. Saturday, March 8
- 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 8
- 2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 9
Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for youth.
Silent Sky was written by Lauren Gunderson and produced in arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc. Visit BucyrusLittleTheatre.com for tickets or to learn more.
Listen To Karellyn Sterling Discuss The Upcoming Production Of Silent Sky
All Photos By Katie Schwall Photography.
