Henrietta Leavitt: A Visionary Astronomer Shrouded in Obscurity
 

“Of all that is buried in the deepest darkness of space. Dark except for billions and billions of exceptions.

I am one who delves into those exceptions.”

The universe is a vast, uncharted territory. Astronomer Henrietta Leavitt dreamed of reaching that infinite space and explored it tirelessly.

In the early 19th century, before the advent of women's suffrage, she stood up to unjust discrimination to make a groundbreaking discovery. Her inspiring journey takes us through countless question marks to an exclamation mark. As we follow Henrietta, profound questions about the meaning of human existence emerge. This winter, join us on this wondrous voyage through space and find your own shining start. 

A Mesmerizing Stage Accompanied by Beautiful Piano Melodies

The delicate mise-en-scène captures the vast grandeur of the universe, as mellow, starry piano melodies fill the theater.

The sky is bathed in soft purple hues and the night sparkles with twinkling stars.

Now is the time to welcome a unique moment and embrace the serene silence with all your senses!

Silent Sky: NTCK’s Grand Finale for 2024! Perfect Ending to the Year!

American playwright Lauren Gunderson, celebrated for vividly bringing real-life stories to the stage, is being introduced to Korean audiences for the first time.

With director Kim Min-jeong at the helm—renowned for her nuanced approach that explores the values of timely, relevant stories and raises profound questions—this production features an exceptional cast.

Ahn Eun-jin, returning to the stage after seven years, anchors the piece with her refined performance, joined by the vibrant charm of Hong Seo-young, the quiet charisma of Jung Hwan, the distinctive flair of Park Ji-a, and NTCK season member Cho Seung-yeon, reinventing herself once again on stage.

Synopsis
In the early 1900s, astronomer Henrietta Leavitt seizes a long-awaited opportunity to work at the Harvard Observatory. She is eager to use the Great Refractor but is informed by her colleague, Peter Shaw, that her role as a human computer will be limited to logging the stars photographed by the men of the department. Undeterred, Henrietta initiates her own research, studying and recording the changes in Cepheid stars. She forms close bonds with Annie Cannon, the creator of the stellar classification system, and Williamina Fleming, an expert in measuring the variable brightness of stars, and continues her work with their guidance and support. Inspired by her sister Margaret’s music, Henrietta observes a similarity between star brightness and musical scales, ultimately becoming the first to discover a method for measuring the distance to far-off galaxies based on the brightness of variable stars.

Written by Lauren Gunderson
Lauren Gunderson is an American playwright, screenwriter, and short story author. Born in Atlanta, she is currently based in San Francisco, United States. Gunderson’s works focus heavily on female figures in history, science, and literature, with an emphasis on empowerment, women’s voices, passion, and wit. One of the most active playwrights today, Gunderson has been recognized as America’s most-produced living playwright three times, including in 2022 and 2023.

Major Works

<The Catastrophist> 
<The Half-Life of Marie Curie> 
<I and You>
<The book of Will> 
<The Taming> 
<Emilie: La Marquise Du Chatelet Defends Her Life Tonight>  

Awards
2018 Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award <The Book of Will>
2016 Lanford Wilson Award
2016 The Otis Guernsey New Voices Award
2014  Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award <I and You> 

Adapted & directed by Kim Min-jeong
Kim Min-jeong is a director celebrated for her refined, sophisticated style as she seamlessly moves between plays and musicals. With a keen eye for textual analysis and a strong sense of theatrical imagery and form, she carefully considers how to tell each story in a way that resonates with today’s audiences, crafting densely layered productions. While primarily a director, Kim also explores writing and design, actively expanding her creative reach. She collaborates closely with artists who share her commitment to telling stories with authenticity and passion, bringing remarkable works to the stage.

Major Works
Plays
<A Doll’s House Part 2>, <Venus in Fur>, <Heisenberg>, <Love Letters>, <8 Round: Reflections on Kim Myeong-soon>, <Pier Without a Husband>, <The Critic>, <NeNeNe>, <The Day the Clock Stopped>, <The Hat and Shoes>, <Paper Tropical Fish>

Musicals
<The Tale, April Fools>, <Bungee Jumping of Their Own>, <Myeongdong Romance>, <Memories of Matsuko>, <See What I Wanna See>, <Farinelli>, <Sweet, Come to me Stealthily>, <The Sorrows of Young Werther>, <Hedwig and the Angry Inch>, <Trace U>, <Vanishing>, <52 Blue>

Opera/Classical
<Beethoven’s Secret Notebook>, <Winterreise>, <Dito in Wonderland>, <Classic Generation> <The Elixir of Love>, <The Marriage of Figaro>

Dance
<Poetry>, <Sorrowful and Unfamiliar>, <Eve of the Sajik Daeje Ceremony>

Awards
2021 Seoul Children’s Theater Award – Audience Choice <NeNeNe>
2015 The Musical Awards – Best Original Musical of the Year <Farinelli>  
2010 The 4th Musical Awards – Best Foreign Musical <Spring Awakening>
2006 Arts Council Korea – Arts Award of the Year in Theater <The Day the Clock Stopped>