Henrietta Swan Leavitt grasped for the stars at a time when
women were usually confined to home and hearth.  An astronomer
who revolutionized our understanding of the vastness of the
universe years before women even won the right to vote, Leavitt
is a fascinating historical figure, an unsung pioneer and a
feminist heroine. Her largely forgotten story is the crux of
Lauren Gunderson's witty new play "Silent Sky," deftly directed
by Meredith McDonough in its regional premiere through Feb. 9 at
TheatreWorks.  Gunderson ("By and By," "I and You," "Bauer") is
an up-and-coming local playwright who deserves kudos for
exploring Leavitt's legacy. She's also nimble at marrying
science and art in a highly amusing manner. But some of the
gravitas of Leavitt's narrative gets undercut by the play's
focus on themes of family and romance at the expense of
scientific adventure.  CARLA BEFERA PUBLIC RELATIONSHenrietta
Swan Leavitt (played by Elena Wright)describes one of her
theories to her boss Peter Shaw (Matt Citron), who e