Adams State University Theatre program opens its 2019-2020 season with the acclaimed new play “A Doll’s House, Part 2”. Tickets go on sale Monday, Sept.16, at the ASU Theatre Box Office.
In 1879, playwright Henrik Ibsen’s provocative play “A Doll’s House” ushered in the modern age of theatre. It sparked controversy when its lead character, Nora Helmer, left her husband and children as she embarked on a journey of self-discovery. With its door slam heard around the world, the play started a debate about the role of men and women in marriage and ignited a call for equal rights for women.
“A Doll’s House, Part 2”, by Lucas Hnath, is a mix of drama and comedy with a healthy dose of dark humor. As the play begins, fifteen years have passed and Nora finds herself once again being blackmailed. She returns home to ask for help from her former husband. Before Nora can get what she wants, her abandoned family has few things they want to say.
The production, directed by John H. Taylor, Ph.D., professor of theatre, is a full-length play, but done without intermission and completed in a brisk 90 minutes. “Generations of students who have studied the play and audiences who have watched it in performance have debated about what they think happened to Nora after she left her family. Part 2, written in 2017, provides answers to those questions and does so with irreverent humor and poignant emotion.”
In 2004, Taylor directed “A Doll’s House” at Adams State. “As Part 2 takes place 15 years after Nora left, I knew I had to produce the sequel this year – exactly 15 years after my earlier production. And for people wanting to see our show, familiarity with the original story is not needed to fully understand and enjoy this very entertaining play,” said Taylor.
“A Doll’s House, Part 2” is presented as part of enGENDERing Change: The ASU Gender Theatre Project. From September 27 through November 1, there will multiple events on campus including the play, a free screening of the film “On the Basis of Sex”, a lunchtime rally with ice cream, a faculty lecture, a nationally juried art exhibition, and more.
According to Taylor, Ibsen’s play “started an ongoing debate about what it means to be female and male. A hundred-forty years later, our understanding of human identity goes well beyond traditional ideas of gender and sexuality. This project examines the past, explores the present, and celebrates a future where every individual is empowered to live as their own authentic self.”
Combining the arts, education, activism, and community engagement, the ASU project affirms the continuing need to fight for gender equity, to champion an individual’s right to self-determination, and to foster the extraordinary diversity which enriches our community.
The opening night performance on September 27 will include the third annual ASU Ghost Light Project event and reception. After the play, there will be a brief ceremony with President Lovell and ASU Music Department’s 68 West to renew our university’s pledge to stand for and protect the values of inclusion, participation, and compassion as we continue our commitment to making our campus and community safe for all.
enGENDERing Change is made possible through the generous support of Leslie and Maury Lieberman.
Public performances of “A Doll’s House, Part 2” begin at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 27, 28, Oct. 4, and Oct. 5 and 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 6.
Tickets are $10 for general public, $9 for seniors and students, and free to Associated Students and Faculty with current Adams State identification. The box office number is 719-587-8499.
