Previews: SILENT SKY at ICT Rep At Exploration Place

ICTRep (Wichita Repertory Theater) continues its 2025-26 season with SILENT SKY by Lauren Gunderson, in partnership with Exploration Place. The play opens Thursday, January 22, 2026 at 7:30 p.m. and will be performed in Exploration Place’s Dome Theater.

SILENT SKY is a poetically and imaginatively written drama based on the true story of 19th-century astronomer Henrietta Leavitt. It explores a woman’s place in society as several different women negotiate a time of immense scientific and personal discoveries. With music and math bursting forth onstage, Henrietta and her female peers change the way we understand both the heavens and Earth.

The cast features Jill Herbert as the astronomer Henrietta Leavitt. Other cast members include Baylee Braswell as Willamina Fleming, Jackson Dorris as Peter Shaw, Holland Lee Kiser as Margaret Leavitt, and Lydia Pirilli as Annie Cannon. The play is directed by ICTRep artistic director Julie Longhofer, who also serves as costume designer. Video design is by Jordan Slusher, sound design is by Kirk Longhofer, Stan Longhofer provides lighting design and technical direction, and Chelsie Penner serves as stage manager.

A unique aspect of this production will be the immersive projections created by video designer Jordan Slusher, which will be envelop the audience on the 60-foot screen that surrounds the seating in the Dome, the largest dome theater in Kansas.

Performances are Thursday, January 22 through Sunday, January 25 (one weekend only) in the Dome Theatre at Exploration Place. Curtain is at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, with a 2:00 p.m. matinee on Sunday. General admission tickets start at $35, with discounts available for seniors & veterans; ticket prices are inclusive of all taxes and fees. Tickets can be purchased through the Exploration Place website at https://exploration.org/event/silent-sky/ or at the ICTRep website at https://ictrep.org/silentsky2026.

ICTRep (Wichita Repertory Theater) is a semi-professional company that produces comedies, dramas, and thrillers. Our productions provide challenging roles and design opportunities for young actors and creatives to hone their crafts. In addition, we bring Wichita audiences together to enjoy high-quality, vibrant theatrical experiences that provide more than simply an evening’s entertainment. We want our audiences to continue to reflect on and be moved by the plays we produce, long after the “curtain falls.” Follow us on the web (https://ictrep.org), Facebook (www.facebook.com/ICTRep), Instagram (@ICTRep_Theater), and LinkedIn (@ICTRep).