Make your dreams heard.

Silent Sky takes place In the early twentieth century, when Henrietta Leavitt and a group of women “computers” pursued astronomical research at the Harvard Observatory under the supervision of a male scientist. Their work proved to be crucial to the development of the field. Henrietta herself had to balance her dedication to her work with the demands of her family, health challenges, and the possibility of personal relationships. The achievements and difficulties of a woman scientist in a challenging historical period combine in this thought-provoking and engaging play. Come listen to the music of the spheres!

Performing at:

Whitney and Elizabeth MacMillan Planetarium
Bell Museum
2088 Larpenteur Ave W
St Paul, MN 55113

Directions

The Bell Museum is located at the corner of Larpenteur and Cleveland Avenues on University of Minnesota’s St Paul Campus, directly across the street from Gibbs Farm. The main entrance is fully accessible from the parking lot. A drop off and pick up area is available near the building entrance, before entering through the pay stations.

Order tickets here

Bell Museum Box Office

Tickets:
$30 Adults ($25 Bell members)
$15 Students, ages 10–21 ($12 student members)

The Bell opens :30 min before showtime.

Press

“inspired… a truly immersive theater experience… magical.”

– Cherry and Spoon

 

“I know it’s only February, but I think it’s going to be hard for theater the rest of the year to top the experience I just had at Theatre Pro Rata’s production of Lauren Gunderson’s Silent Sky.  …glorious, enchanting and transcendent …  This is the kind of thing live theater is made for.  It’s why it survives.  A script this good, in the hands of a director, cast and creative team this inventive, isn’t something you see every day.”

– Single White Fringe Geek

 

“The idea that all of us are made of stars is not a new one, of course, but Theatre Pro Rata gives that idea extra oomph by staging “Silent Sky” (the title comes from Walt Whitman) in the planetarium at the Bell Museum. Director Carin Bratlie Wethern and her nimble cast adjust smartly to the timing and spatial requirements of a venue that has no backstage or exits, work that pays off handsomely.”

– Star Tribune

 

“this production under the starry planetarium dome lifts it up … to an engrossing blend of history, human striving, and stage magic.”

– Talkin’ Broadway

 

“Silent Sky‘s cast seems to have a blast … and it was a pleasure watching them have so much fun. … This production is all about the planetarium setting, which is perfect for this show.”

– Compendium

A cockroach and an Amazon walk into an apocalypse…

A super-intelligent cockroach and his feral human ward discover a robotic woman in the ruins of civilization. Together, they must put aside their differences and venture into the belly of the human settlement to find the truth about this new world.

Performing at:

The Crane Theater
2303 Kennedy St. NE #120
Minneapolis, MN 55413

Directions

Take 35W to the Stinson Blvd exit, go south to Summer Street NE and turn right. The Kennedy Building (where the theater is located) will be on your left, go just past it and turn left onto McKinley Place NE. The entrance to the parking lot will be on your left, just north of the building. Enter the theater using yellow the door that faces the parking lot.

Performance Dates

Saturday, December 7 at 7:30pm – Opening Night
Sunday, December 8 at 7:30pm – Audio Description and ASL Performance
Monday, December 9 at 7:30pm – Pay What You Can Performance
Friday, December 13 at 7:30pm
Saturday, December 14 at 7:30pm
Sunday, December 15 at 7:30pm
Friday, December 20 at 7:30pm
Saturday, December 21 at 7:30pm
Sunday, December 22 at 3:00pm

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

“Tell her to be gentle.”

This award-winning drama explores the true story of two sisters who murdered their employer and her daughter in 1930s France. What drove these two young women, who served as maids in the household, to such a desperate act? Class conflict, family dysfunction, loneliness, and love all play a role in this complex and devastating tale.

Performing at:

The Crane Theater
2303 Kennedy St. NE #120
Minneapolis, MN 55413

Directions

Take 35W to the Stinson Blvd exit, go south to Summer Street NE and turn right. The Kennedy Building (where the theater is located) will be on your left, go just past it and turn left onto McKinley Place NE. The entrance to the parking lot will be on your left, just north of the building. Enter the theater using yellow the door that faces the parking lot.

Running Time:

85 Minutes without intermission

Performance Dates

Saturday, June 1 at 7:30pm – Opening Night
Sunday, June 2 at 7:30pm **
Monday, June 3 at 7:30pm – Pay What You Can Performance
Friday, June 7 at 7:30pm
Saturday, June 8 at 7:30pm
Sunday, June 9 at 7:30pm
Friday, June 14 at 7:30pm
Saturday, June 15 at 7:30pm
Sunday, June 16 at 3:00pm

** Audio description services available for this performance

Press

“Wickedly entertaining… Almost like partnered dancers, Feld and Morgan create a sense of the sisters as a single entity, a roiling bundle of hostility that will eventually explode.”

– Chris Hewitt, Star Tribune

 

 

“The show is a bracing dose of counter-seasonal horror.”

– Jay Gabler, City Pages

“There’s a law named after me!”

Isaac Newton is one of the towering geniuses of western science: apples falling from trees, the laws of motion, the calculus. He was also a bit on the eccentric side: he stuck a needle into his tear duct to try to determine how the eye sees light, for example. Playwright Lucas Hnath takes this fact and runs with it, creating a play in which the ambitious young Newton seeks a mentor in Robert Hooke of the Royal Society. Hnath plays somewhat fast and loose with history (and lets us know he’s doing so from the outset), but still raises important questions about the search for knowledge. The story is historical, the language is contemporary, and the play should both delight audiences and give them a lot to think about.

Performing at:

Gremlin Theatre
Annex Building
550 Vandalia Street
St. Paul, MN 55114

Directions

Take I‑94 to Vandalia north to the Annex building with “Lake Monster Brewery”. Enter via the double doors next to the brewery.

Running Time:

2 Hours (with 1 Intermission)

Performance Dates

Saturday, February 2 at 7:30pm – Opening Night
Sunday, February 3 at 7:30pm
Monday, February 4 at 7:30pm – Pay What You Can Performance
Friday, February 8 at 7:30pm
Saturday, February 9 at 7:30pm
Sunday, February 10 at 7:30pm
Friday, February 15 at 7:30pm
Saturday, February 16 at 7:30pm
Sunday, February 17 at 3:00pm

** Audio description services available for this performance

Press

“The smart, funny, modern play, well written and well realized by Theatre Pro Rata, is one of those plays that will get you thinking about issues big and small.”

 

“a fascinating imagining of the inner life of one of our most famous scientists.”

-Cherry and Spoon

 

“Four delightfully crisp performances… a fascinating play written with contemporary language, rhythms and dress”

 

“Director Carin Bratlie Wethern has piercingly matched the sparring intellectual rigor of Hnath’s script with turbulent emotion—sometimes understated, sometimes overt.”

 

“a sparkling Michael Quadrozzi… Paul LaNave sizzles as Isaac… Edwin Strout’s Hooke is simply marvelous…Pro Rata’s production is rounded out by a splendid turn from Stanzi Schalter.”

-Lavender

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Pack light.

Somewhere in the universe is a place where all the roads we never chose converge and Donny Rowan is hoping to find it. He’s placed everything he owns on his front lawn, along with a sign that reads: “Here’s my life. Make an offer.” Free of his possessions and ready to travel light, Donny’s obsessive quest to find what he’s missed will take him to the edge of his universe and back.

The Crane Theater
2303 Kennedy St. NE #120
Minneapolis, MN 55413

Directions

Take 35W to the Stinson Blvd exit, go south to Summer Street NE and turn right. The Kennedy Building (where the theater is located) will be on your left, go just past it and turn left onto McKinley Place NE. The entrance to the parking lot will be on your left, just north of the building. Enter the theater using yellow the door that faces the parking lot.

Running Time:

2 Hours and 5 minutes (with 1 Intermission)

Performance Dates

Saturday, March 17 at 7:30pm – Opening Night
Sunday, March 18 at 7:30pm
Monday, March 19 at 7:30pm – Pay What You Can Performance
Friday, March 23 at 7:30pm
Saturday, March 24 at 7:30pm
Sunday, March 25 at 7:30pm
Friday, March 30 at 7:30pm
Saturday, March 31 at 7:30pm
Sunday, April 1 at 3:00pm

Press

“the truly wonderful and natural five-person cast, under director Stuart Gates, along with the deceptively simple design, bring it to life beautifully.”

 

“a lovely little gem of a play.”

-Cherry and Spoon

 

“Stuart Gates’ production[…]approaches the material with a disarming sense of ease.”

 

“Matt Wall[…]anchors the production solidly”

-Pioneer Press

 

Nikki Abramson writes a piece for Minnesota Playlist, reflecting on the impact the show had on her. She also interviews cast member Shana Eisenberg about her experience with the show.

 

City Pages features the show on its A‑List for the week.

Broadway World features the show.

This Production is sponsored by: