CEDAR RAPIDS

Mid-Prairie Virtual Academy graduate Madeline O’Donnell brought to life the character of Henrietta Leavitt on March 28-30 at the Ballentyne Auditorium in Cedar Rapids during performances of “Silent Sky,” Kirkwood Community College’s spring play. The drama tells the true story of the trailblazing 19th-century astronomer who defied societal expectations to explore the stars.

Not only did Leavitt work in a time when women were often excluded from scientific discovery, but she was also deaf, something that resonated with O’Donnell, who speaks American Sign Language (ASL). Although ASL was not widely used or officially recognized during the time Leavitt lived, it influenced O’Donnell’s development of the character and her mannerisms.

“I feel so fortunate that I get to use this language that I find so beautiful in a real performance like this,” O’Donnell told KCRG’s Catherine Blades during an interview on Everyday Iowa.

The Saturday performance was also ASL interpreted.

The inspiring drama celebrating the courage, sacrifice, and passion of women who broke barriers and made history, written by Lauren Gunderson, was also performed at exactly the right time – during Women’s History Month, something that O’Donnell also found meaningful.

“It feels so special that we get to do it during Women’s History Month,” she said. “I’m so glad that we get to end this month with such a powerful female-driven show.”

O’Donnell, who graduated Mid-Prairie in 2024, is no stranger to the stage; her credits include plays performed with Camp Creamery and the Young Footliters Youth Theatre in Coralville.