Seeking Video Auditions for "Silent Sky"
SILENT SKY
BY LAUREN GUNDERSON
DIRECTED BY KATE MEYERS
APRIL 2022
Bainbridge Performing Arts is accepting video audition submissions for our April production of Silent Sky by Lauren Gunderson, Directed by Kate Meyers.
DETAILS
Performances will be April 7, 8, 9, 15 & 16 at 7:30PM, and April 10 & 17 at 3:00PM at our new temporary home in Theaters 3 of Bainbridge Cinemas, within walking distance of BPA and the ferry. At least one of our performances will also be livestreamed.
Callbacks will be held in person on Tuesday, February 15 at 6:30PM at Theater 3.
Rehearsals will begin late February, will be a mix of remote and in-person, and will be three to four days a week. A more complete rehearsal schedule will be provided at callbacks. Ferry passes will be provided for our Seattle-area cast members for rehearsals and performances.
REQUIREMENTS
Please see synopsis and character list below.
Submit a video of your 1 to 2 minute monologue.
Contemporary monologues strongly preferred, please no tragic or classical, and please no accents other than your own.
Fill out the audition form below, then submit your video audition, a headshot, & resume using this Dropbox link.
Performers must be fully COVID 19 vaccinated.
If you are not able to submit a video or have questions, please contact Deirdre Hadlock dhadlock@bainbridgeperformingarts.org
Please submit your audition form and materials by end of day, February 12th.
BPA is committed to access, opportunity, and representation in all its projects, and we greatly look forward to performers of any and all genders, races, and body types at auditions.
SYNOPSIS
Silent Sky tells the true story of Henrietta Leavitt, the astronomer ahead of her time. It is 1900, and Henrietta has the opportunity to work at Harvard University as a human computer mapping the stars but receiving no scientific credit. When Henrietta arrives, she is eager to use Harvard’s telescope - the Great Refractor - but is told that she will not be able to do any sort of astronomical discovery as she will only log the stars photographed by the men of the department. However, Henrietta will not be dissuaded, and begins the process of recording the changes in Cepheid stars - a scientific discovery that has profound and lasting impact on the field of astronomy. During her inquiry, Henrietta’s relationships strain under her obsessive work ethic; her sister Margaret, her love interest Peter Shaw, and her colleagues Annie Cannon and Williamina Fleming all find themselves pushed aside in favor of a great cosmic mystery. Silent Sky is the poignant tale of a woman’s dedication to the stars, and the human touch that makes life under the vast sky beautiful and timeless.
CHARACTERS
Henrietta Leavitt: (F), 30's- Raised in Wisconsin, the daughter of a minister, and hired as a Harvard College Observatory “computer,” Henrietta is a non-traditional early 1900s woman. She aspires to work as an astronomer. She is passionate about her work and feels compelled to find answers to her questions about the universe. (Historical figure)
Margaret Leavitt: (F), 30s- Must play the piano. Henrietta’s younger sister and a gifted musician. She stays at home and is a traditional early 1900s woman. She is married and has a child. She is concerned about Henrietta’s ambition, as it goes against the traditional norms for women at the time; however, she is supportive of her sister and celebrates her accomplishments. (Fictional character)
Peter Shaw: (M), 30s- An astronomy fellow at Harvard. In contrast to Henrietta, he is not passionate about astronomy, although he enjoys the work. He wanted to be an actor. He falls in love with Henrietta. (Fictional character)
Annie Cannon: (F), 40s- Henrietta’s co-worker, she has made important scientific discoveries of her own and is a suffragette. (Historical figure)
Williamina Fleming: (F), 50s- Scottish (will have an accent) A former housekeeper for Dr. Pickering, head of the Harvard College Observatory, she was hired because Dr. Pickering felt she would do better than the men he had working for him. She is smart and quick-witted. (Historical figure)