The Northwestern College theatre department will present American playwright Lauren Gunderson’s “Silent Sky” Feb. 17, 18, 23, 24 and 25 in the Allen Black Box Theatre. The show will begin at 7:30 each of those evenings; there will also be a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday, Feb. 18.

Written in 2015 and set in the early 1900s, “Silent Sky” is the true story of astronomer Henrietta Leavitt. The play brings to life the wonder and brilliance of the night sky while exploring the perseverance and passion displayed by women in the face of adversity.

According to Molly Wiebe Faber, NWC assistant professor of theatre and director of “Silent Sky,” all of the female astronomers portrayed in the play were real people who made discoveries that changed our understanding of space.

“Audiences will be captivated by the passion and quick wit displayed by the female characters,” she says. “These women had to move mountains to prove they were capable of doing work they were overqualified to do—and they did so with humor and grit.”

Tickets for “Silent Sky” are $10 for adults, $5 for students ages 13 to 18, and free for children 12 and under. Tickets go on sale Feb. 8 and can be reserved at nwciowa.edu/tickets or by calling the box office at 712-707-7098 or emailing boxoffice@nwciowa.edu.