Before there were rockets and the space shuttle, there was Henrietta Leavitt, a human “computer” whose meticulous and essential work at Harvard Observatory changed our fundamental understanding of the universe.
On October 9 and 10, the students of Benet Academy presented Silent Sky, a play which chronicles Leavitt’s life, accomplishments, and challenges. Her study of stars and the universe, along with an examination of her family and love life, are presented onstage. The play is based on true events, as Henrietta Leavitt was a real astronomer who fought against gender norms of the time to make discoveries of her own. Even though her name rarely appears in textbooks, her calculations laid the groundwork for modern astronomy.
The show was directed by Mr. Brian Wand and Ms. Erin Oechsel, with assistant directors Rose Thies and Clare Hruby. The show had a small but mighty cast, with senior Bella Leitner playing Henrietta Leavitt, junior Caitlyn Sobkowiak playing Williamina Fleming, sophomore Lilly Jackson playing Annie Cannon, junior Cara Sturm playing Margaret Leavitt, and freshman Billy Zabilka playing Peter Shaw. Not only did the show have a talented cast, but it could not have happened without an enormous backstage crew, including Jacob Salvacion, Ben Hizon, Elena Riva, Kylee Wittman, Sydney Carr, Josie Johnson, Sofia Mangelsdorf, and Ciara Reilly. The shows had a great turnout, with over 200 people attending! As Billy Zabilka put it, “I thought the Benet play was very interesting and different from a lot of other plays! It’s interesting to learn about astronomy and how Henrietta made an impact on it! I thought it was such a fun experience to participate in the Benet play because I made so many new friendships and got to learn about a new play I’ve never heard of!”
The first theatrical production of Benet’s 2025-2026 season was a wonderful success, and the Benet Theatre Association was ecstatic to have such a large audience of theater enthusiasts. This show was a great start to the school year in the Fine Arts department, with many more opportunities coming soon.
