BHS Drama’s fall production is Silent Sky, written by acclaimed playwright Lauren Gunderson. The play is inspired by the true story of astronomer Henrietta Leavitt and the women “computers” who worked at the Harvard Observatory in the early 1900s. Gunderson has said she was inspired to write the play after learning about Leavitt’s life and the remarkable group of women whose work helped transform our understanding of the universe.

Silent Sky follows Henrietta as she studies the stars while navigating a world that often limits women’s opportunities and dismisses their ideas. Along the way, the story explores ambition, family, friendship, love, and the excitement of scientific discovery.

At its heart, the play celebrates curiosity, perseverance, and the people whose contributions can change the world even when recognition comes much later. With humor, emotion, and a little cosmic wonder, Silent Sky offers a story that reaches far beyond the observatory.