Visiting Artist Dr. Jennifer Goff is directing the play “Silent Sky,” which will be performed November 21, 22, 23 at 7 pm and November 23 and 23 at 2 p.m at Eastern Michigan University’s Legacy Theatre.
The play is the true story of a female astronomer, Henrietta Leavitt, and her amazing scientific contributions to the Harvard Observatory as a “human computer” in the early 1900s; It also delves into her personal challenges.
Jennifer Goff is at EMU this semester as a part-time Lecturer while on sabbatical from her position as the Chair of the Theatre program at Center College in Danville, Kentucky. Goff is an actor, director, playwright, dramaturge, scholar, educator and improviser. Her work specializes in feminist theatre, theatre by women and comedy by women.
“’Silent Sky’ was chosen by the EMU Theatre season selection committee, and I was extremely lucky that my sabbatical aligned with this amazing opportunity,” Goff said.
Goff co-teaches a class called ‘Science on Stage’ at Centre College, where she has been teaching ‘Silent Sky’ for years.
“Having the opportunity to dive into the play and bring it fully to production is an absolutely incredible experience both as an artist and a professor,” Goff said.
Goff said that the playwright, Lauren Gunderson, “has written a number of plays specifically aimed at centering the lives and contributions of women who have been overlooked by the patriarchal bias of science history.”
These female scientists featured in the play employed some trailblazing work.
“The woman at the center of this play — Henrietta Leavitt — did work in the field of astronomy that led directly to our ability to measure distances in space,” Goff said. “It’s hard for us now to imagine a time when we didn’t conceive of The Milky Way as just one of billions of galaxies, but the ideas that she put into the world were absolutely transformational at their time.”
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This play is important because the science stories of women are not frequently told.
“It’s so exciting to get to see the achievements of this woman, as well as the two historical women who worked beside her, in this play,” Goff said. “We don’t always hear ‘science history’ and think ‘wow – that’s a great idea for a play!’ But Gunderson has done an incredible job of telling this story in a way that is funny and romantic and inspiring, and I think it’s amazing to see such a pivotal and yet widely under-appreciated moment in science history brought to the stage.”
The play production has historical significance as well. Henrietta Leavitt’s findings on the brightness of pulsating stars helped astronomers measure distance in space. Ultimately, her work contributed towards launching satellites, landing on the moon and our overall understanding of the universe.
“Leavitt and her colleagues (Williamina Fleming and Annie Jump Cannon) were women who were doing groundbreaking work at a time when women were not seen as capable of that kind of discovery and innovation,” Goff said. “Calling attention to their contributions not only highlights their remarkable work, but I hope it also inspires audience members to wonder who else might have been left out…and maybe to go see for themselves!”
Goff has worked with the production team to create a compelling show.
“We are building a world that is rich in sights and sounds, allowing us to present small, personal, intimate moments one second, and explore the vastness of the cosmos the next,” Goff said. “There is a lot of theatricality built into this script, and I think we’re doing a good job of finding ways to enjoy and express these beautiful moments.”
According to Goff, this will be a “fast-paced, creative and joyful evening” for audiences.
“They will see energetic performances, hear and see designs by faculty and students that launch the world of the play into a bold and engaging level,” Goff said. “I like to think that, at the end of the night, they will feel just a little more connected to a piece of history, to our community, and maybe even to the cosmos!”
Even if you are not a typical theatergoer, this play may reflect some of your greatest interests.
“I love plays like this, because ‘Silent Sky’ really demonstrates why theatre is such an exciting art form,” Goff said. “Most plays aren’t about theatre – they’re about all the other things! They’re about science and history and family and love… there is always something at the theatre for everyone. I would love to see people who maybe have thought before, ‘theatre’s not for me’ come to this show and see their passion for astronomy or their passion for women’s rights or their passion for music reflected on the stage. And maybe one or two of those people will come back again to see what else we have in common!”
Donna Marie Iadipaolo is a writer, journalist, and State of Michigan certified teacher, since 1990. She has written for national publications like The Village Voice, Ear Magazine of New Music, Insurance & Technology, and TheStreet.
She is now writing locally for many publications, including Current Magazine, Ann Arbor Family, and the Ann Arbor Independent. Her undergraduate degree is from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she graduated with an honors bachelor’s degree and three teacher certificate majors: mathematics, social sciences, English. She also earned three graduate degrees in Master of Science, Master of Arts, and Education Specialist Degree.
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