Silent Sky by Lauren Gunderson Directed by Karin Bowersock
Bristol Valley Theatre 151 S Main St. Naples, NY 14512 August 25th, 2017 - September 3rd, 2017
Scenic Design: Justin and Christopher Swader Costume Design: Pam Freicht Lighting Design: Mary Ellen Stebbins Sound Design and Original Music: Brandon Reed
Top of the play, I wanted to bring the audience into the world immersed and give a sense of magic and wonder. As Henrietta enters the stage, she is in the middle of a field in the evening. With her first reference of stars, she removes her hearing aid, taking us into silence as we hear single piano notes representing the stars coming alive. Lights and a rural Wisconsin environment come up as her sister emerges.
Her Research Begins
As Henrietta begins her research measuring the distance of lights and stars, she does so after work hours. Time flows from day, to night, into the next morning. Here we can hear the passage of time as a beautiful piano piece helps convey a sense of determination.
Dancing On An Ocean Liner
Henrietta during her time at the Harvard Observatory begins to fall for a man in charge of overseeing her work named Peter. One night during her after hours research, Peter and her's relationship begins to blossom. They day dream of dancing on an ocean liner together abandoning their work life, before returning back to reality.
Stargasm Symphony
By the end of Act 1, Henrietta makes a break through in her research, thanks to her sister's music. As she is demonstrating to her sister the relationship between the brightness of stars equating to the distance of low and high notes in music. The stage around her begins to glow with stars as a piano symphony by Amy Beach takes us into Intermission.
More Out There Than Us
The middle of Act 2, Henrietta finally reaches her goal of traveling the world and discussing her work with other scholars. Throughout her journey she is given letters from her family and Peter calling for her to come home. She delivers a powerful monologue on top of a beautiful soundscape and underscore.
On Top of a Hill...
By the end of the play, Henrietta has been overcome with cancer. As she passes, she delivers a final monologue of how her work would eventually be recognized. Her family, friends, and Peter pass away joining her in the afterlife thanks to war and disease. She recalls her sister's symphony from earlier finally on the radio. We are then sucked into the true sound of space before a resolving piano chord takes us into blackout.
