“What better place to stage a play about astronomy than in a planetarium?” said Erin Manning, vice president of marketing for Exploration Place, via email. The planetarium features the largest dome theater in Kansas, with surround sound and a 60-foot concave screen.

Local scenic designer Jordan Slusher, whose recent gigs include Opera Kansas’ “Staggerwing” and Music Theatre Wichita’s “Something Rotten!” created projections for the show. 

Lauren Gunderson’s “Silent Sky” explores a woman’s place in society as several different women negotiate a time of enormous scientific discovery. The cast features Jill Herbert as Leavitt. Baylee Braswell, Jackson Dorris, Holland Lee Kiser, and Lydia Pirilli also share the stage, and Julie Longhofer directs.

“The sky and its movement will be present throughout the show,” said Stan Longhofer, managing director for ICTRep, in an email. “The script notes, ‘The star field from the Northern Hemisphere should be almost ever-present; even if the stage lights disappear, the stars shine and cradle the set.’ We couldn’t think of a more dramatic way of doing this than in the Dome Theater. In our production, the stars will cradle the audience.”

This is the first time live theater will be staged in the dome, Manning said, though music ensembles have played there. 

Curtain time for “Silent Sky” is 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday. General admission tickets are $35, with discounts available for seniors and veterans.

Learn more on the ICTRep website and purchase tickets through Exploration Place.

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