Timms Centre for the Arts, University of Alberta
doll house by Henrik Ibsen
An adaptation by Beau Coleman
ualberta.ca/artshows
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doll house by Henrik Ibsen. Adapted by Beau Coleman
Cast Eleanor (Nora) Helmer..........................................................................................................Gabby Bernard Tom Helmer.......................................................................................................................... Matt Mihilewicz Dr. Roger Rank.......................................................................................................................Alex Cherovsky Christine Linde..............................................................................................................................Kiana Woo Neil Kramer............................................................................................................................... Connor Suart Creative Team Director.....................................................................................................................................Beau Coleman Assistant to the Director............................................................................................................ Philip Geller Set Designer.................................................................................................................................... Sofia Lukie Lighting Designer.................................................................................................................Reza Basirzadeh Costume Designer................................................................................................................Robert Shannon Sound Designer....................................................................................................................Matthew Skopyk Assistant to the Set Designer...........................................................................................Brianna Kolybaba Assistant to the Lighting Designer.................................................................................. Beyata Hackborn Assistant to the Lighting Designer..............................................................................................Elise Jason Vocal Coach............................................................................................................................Michael Kaplan Movement Coach.................................................................................................................. Amber Borotsik Fight Director............................................................................................................................... J.P Fournier Stage Management Stage Manager.......................................................................................................................... Izzy Bergquist Assistant Stage Manager............................................................................................................. Jake Blakely Assistant Stage Manager...........................................................................................................Linda Mullen Faculty Advisors Design Advisor......................................................................................................................Robert Shannon Stage Management Advisor.................................................................................................. John Raymond
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Production Team Production Manager......................................................................................................Gerry van Hezewyk Technical Director........................................................................................................................ Larry Clark Production Administrative Assistant........................................................................... Jonathan Durynek Wardrobe Manager..............................................................................................................Joanna Johnston Cutter................................................................................................................................................ Julie Davie Human Ecology Practicum Student........................................................................ Valentina Pireda Diaz Master Carpenter.................................................................................................................. Darrell Cooksey Scenic Carpenter................................................................................................................Barbara Hagensen Dan Menard Properties Master............................................................................................................................Jane Kline Properties Builder.................................................................................................................Jacinda Maxwell Property Graphics.................................................................................................................Kelsie Kalmerto Lighting Supervisor......................................................................................................................Jeff Osterlin Head of Lighting...................................................................................................................Noriko Marumo Lighting Technicians............................................................................................................Jacinda Maxwell Matthew Koyata Jesse Cheung Elise Jason Sarah Karpyshin Tiffany Martineau Noriko Marumo Caro Vanrensburg Sound Supervisor................................................................................................................. Matthew Skopyk Sound Assistant............................................................................................................................. Tristan Fair Running Crew Lighting Operator........................................................................................................................... Anita Diaz Sound Operator..............................................................................................................................Tristan Fair Acknowledgements: The production team would like to thank Jim Meers and the Citadel Theatre for their support.
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Contents 5 Studio Theatre Mandate • 6 Director's Notes • 7 Dramaturgical Notes 11 A Bright Room Called Day Photos • 12 Studio Theatre 2017/18 Season 13 Admin, Production, Front of House & Volunteers • 14 Donors
U of A Studio Theatre Mandate •
To provide sterling training and educational opportunities for BFA acting, technical theatre and stage management students, and MFA design, directing and MA dramaturgy students
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To provide research / creative activity opportunities for the Department of Drama’s faculty directors and designers
2017 — 2018
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To provide opportunities for connections with departments across campus through the choice of plays which have cultural, literary and historical significance
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To provide opportunities for the community at large to engage with the Department of Drama through guest artist collaboration and attendance as audience members
MID SEASON SUBSCRIPTIONS ON SALE NOW!
season
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MAR 13– MAR 25, 2018
APR 05– APR 13, 2018
$20 Previews/Matinees, $25 Students/Seniors, $35 Adults. Buy now at www.northernlighttheatre.com or call 780-471-1586
director's notes
“As she made the beds, shopped for groceries … she was afraid to ask even of herself the silent question — 'Is this all?” Betty Friedan The Feminine Mystique (1963) Shortly after making the decision to direct Ibsen’s A Doll’s House as part of the 201718 Studio Theatre season, the year 1957 appeared in my mind; much like a neon sign hovering over a downtown American city street late at night. The second image that surfaced shortly thereafter was Betty Friedan’s The Feminist Mystique, which upon its publication, became a sensation in the United States and a cornerstone of second wave feminism. Even though the book’s publication date was 1963, the survey upon which it was based was conducted in 1957, as part of Friedan’s fifteenth reunion of her undergraduate class (Smith College, Class of 1952). What Friedan’s 1957 survey and five years of follow-up research across America uncovered was what she termed ‘the problem 6
that has no name’; namely housewives’ sense of isolation, unhappiness and lack of fulfillment in their lives. It was these two elements, the year 1957 and Freidan's The Feminist Mystique, that I wanted to place front and centre in this production. After rereading many translations and adaptations of A Doll’s House, I decided to write my own adaptation of the script, so that the dialogue would more closely align with the sentence structure and vocabulary used in television shows of the period, especially those promoting the fantasy of idealized 'happy homes' of 1950's America. This midcentury modern ‘take’ on the play became the foundation for the overall production and design concept of a 'frame within a frame within a frame.' It is my hope that our production of Ibsen’s ground-breaking 19th century play will offer you, our audience, the opportunity to view this classic play through a new lens. - Beau Coleman
Dramaturgical notes by Max Rubin Betty Friedan and The Feminine Mystique. psychologist Erik Erikson. As her interest in politics deepened, she chose to leave her academic life and worked variously as a reporter, a psychologist, a researcher, a freelance writer and as a housewife. At the reunion, Friedman surveyed her classmates regarding their happiness. Her findings proved intriguing and her ensuing book, The Feminine Mystique (published in 1963), proved to be a cornerstone of the second wave of Feminism of the 1960s and 1970s.
"The problem that has no name — which is simply the fact that American women are kept from growing to their full human capacities — is taking a far greater toll on the physical and mental health of our country than any known disease." Betty Friedan. The Feminine Mystique. When Betty Friedan attended Smith college’s 15-year reunion in 1957, she had lived a wide and varied life. She had graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a psychology major before spending a year at Berkeley studying with renowned developmental
She discovered something very simple: many women were desperately unhappy with their roles as housewives. Despite having attained the trappings and symbols of happiness – as defined by the culture of the day – they felt incomplete, frustrated and angry. Having been sold the notion by a culture of consumerism that, for a woman, the pinnacle of fulfilment was to be a dutiful wife and mother – and nothing more – many examined their lives, considered their lost potential and asked Is that all?
Betty Friedan
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dramaturgical notes Although numbers had been in decline since the 1930s, many women in the 1950s had degrees or enough education to feel that it was being wasted in purely domestic lives; their intellects dulled by monotony. Frieden suggested that women seek to fulfill themselves personally and intellectually, that in so doing, change could be brought about by challenging existing ideas of femininity. Her book resonated deeply with millions of women and is widely considered one of the most influential social documents of the last century.
Henrik Ibsen
Born in Skien, Norway in 1828, Henrik Ibsen has come to be regarded as one of the world’s great dramatists and as the father of realistic drama. After Shakespeare, his plays are performed today more than those of any other playwright. After a troubled childhood marked by financial struggle and an austere family life, Ibsen found early success. Although his attempts to enter a university were unsuccessful, by the age of 23 he was manager of a theatre in Bergen. It was here that his early plays were first staged to a mixed reception. Working on almost 150 productions over seven years, Ibsen received a crash-course in directing, producing and writing for the theatre. He became Director of The Christiana Theatre (Oslo) in 1858 and married Suzanne Thorenson the same year. In 1864, disenchanted with Norway, he left for Sorrento in Italy and would not return to Norway for 27 years.
Henrik Ibsen
"A woman cannot be herself in modern society . . . an exclusively male society, with laws made by men and with prosecutors and judges who assess feminine conduct from a masculine standpoint." Henrik Ibsen. Notes for a Modern Tragedy. 8
He found considerable success with his early plays Brand and Peer Gynt but achieved international notoriety with The Pillars of Society, A Doll’s House and Ghosts. These exquisitely crafted plays were a broadside attack on the hypocrisy and corruption of society. He left no stone unturned and directed his dramatic gaze across the whole political and social spectrum. Although he has been lauded as a pioneer of feminism, he himself denied it, viewing his plays as being for the benefit of all – for society as a whole. His later plays, such as Hedda Gabler or The Master Builder, were more introspective and personal, focusing more on individual characters and their motivations than on wider society.
A Doll's House Ibsen based the character of Nora on the life of Laura Kieler - a writer he knew personally. Kieler had written a novel called Brand`s Daughters: a Picture of Life – a sequel to his play Brand. The two became acquainted in 1870. A few years later, Kieler’s husband developed tuberculosis, and in order to finance the necessary recuperative trip abroad, Kieler forged the signature on a legal document. When her husband discovered what had happened, he divorced her, she lost custody of her children and was committed to a mental asylum. Ibsen wrote the play while she was incarcerated and was deeply disturbed by his friend’s predicament. Kieler was reunited with her family two years later and went on to publish several successful novels. She was never at ease with her reputation as the real Nora.
While A Doll’s House and many of Ibsen’s other works retain the external features of the well-made play, he developed the form to provide his dramas with far more weight and seriousness. He conducted searing debates on current social issues through the dialogue spoken by his characters, dragging difficult and contentious subjects into the light. These plays are sometimes referred to as problem plays because instead of a resolution, the story is left open-ended, requiring active discussion by the audience.
Prolific playwright Eugène Scribe’s development of the well-made play helped to shape conceptions of popular drama through much of the 19th century. The form is characterised by complex, carefullyconstructed plotting, dramatic irony, a full dénouement and a clear climax, sometimes at the cost of character development. Often the plot would hang upon a coincidence, mistaken identity or a letter being delivered into the wrong hands.
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dramaturgical notes
Royal Theatre
First Performance The first performance of A Doll’s House was at The Royal Theatre, Copenhagen in December 1879. It caused a sensation and while the run was sold out and quickly commissioned internationally, critical opinion was divided. While most critics acknowledged the quality of the performances and the production, they viewed the ideas of the play very differently: It is our own life, our own daily life, which here is brought onto the stage and condemned! We have not, in dramatic or poetic form, seen a better, more powerful contribution to the question of female emancipation! The Social Democrat. 23 December 1879. I ask openly: is there a mother among thousands of mothers, a wife among thousands of wives, who would act as Nora acts, who would leave husband and children and home so she herself first and foremost can become "a human being"? And I answer most decidedly: No, absolutely not! M.V. Brun. The People’s Paper. 24 December 1879. Predictions are always silly, but I still dare to predict that "A Doll’s House" will not become a box-office success. It is too serious. Edvard Brandes. Abroad and at Home. 4th of January 1880. The idea that a woman would or could consider making a decision that placed her own interests before that of her duty caused a visceral response in Norway and around the world. Of course the same debate continues to rage around our modern lives and politics. 10
a bright room called day photos by Ed Ellis Studio Theatre, October 12-21, 2017
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Studio Theatre 2017/18 Season A BRIGHT ROOM CALLED DAY
by Tony Kushner October 12 - 21, 2017
DOLL HOUSE
by Henrik Ibsen, in a new adaptation by Beau Coleman November 30 - December 9, 2017
THE LOWER DEPTHS
by Maxim Gorky, Freely adapted by David Kennedy February 8 - 17, 2018
THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL
by Richard Brinsley Sheridan March 29 - April 7, 2018
EXIT THE KING
by Eugene Ionesco May 17 - 26, 2018
Subscription order forms available at the box office and online at www.ualberta.ca/arts/shows/ theatre-listings
WE’LL WALK YOU HOME. IS PROUD TO HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE PRODUCTION OF THIS GUIDE Project Manager Joanne Layh Creative & Design Charlie Biddiscombe
SEPT/OCT: MON - FRI:
7PM - 12:45AM SUNDAYS: 7PM - 10:45PM
NOV/DEC: MON
- FRI: 6PM - 12:45AM 6PM - 10:45PM
SUNDAYS:
780-4-WALK-ME www.safewalk.ca
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© 2017 Postvue Publishing All Rights Reserved, Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without the written consent of the publisher. To have your guide or promotional product produced, contact Joanne at joanne@vueweekly.com or 780.426.1996 Postvue Publishing #200, 11230 119 St. • Edmonton, AB. • T5G 2X3 Ph: 780.426.1996
Administrative Staff
Production Staff
Kathleen Weiss Chair, Department of Drama Julie Brown Assistant Chair, Administration David Prestley Theatre Administrator / Events Coordinator Liz Ludwig Graduate Advisor / Executive Assistant Connie Golden Undergraduate Advisor Helen Baggaley Office Coordinator Jonathan Durynek Box Office Coordinator
Gerry Van Hezewyk Production Manager Larry Clark Technical Director, Timms Centre Matthew Skopyk Sound Supervisor Jeff Osterlin Lighting Supervisor Don MacKenzie Technical Director, Studios Darrell Cooksey Master Carpenter Jane Kline Properties Master Joanna Johnston Wardrobe Manager Karen Kucher FAB Costumer Julie Davie Cutter Jonathan Durynek Production Administrative Assistant
With assistance from Faculty of Arts staff: TJ Jans Fine Arts Communications Lead Erik Einsiedel Communications Associate
Front of House Bonita Akai, Danielle Dugan, Terri Gingras, Julianna Hunt, Konstantine Kurelias, Laura Norton, Ian Ross, Barb Samoil-Selk, Candice Stollery, Jake Tkaczyk
Volunteers Katie Austin, Bernard Bannach, Debbie Beaver, Susan Box, Hridya Chaudhary, Joan Damkjar, Victoria deJong, Jonathan Durynek, Tristan Fair, Thom Friesen, Duncan Gillespie, Pooja Happy, Mary Ingraham, Randa Kachkar, Don Lavigne, Kevin Liang, Sareeta Lopez, Jair Lugo, Tom and Gillian McGovern, Marlene Maylj, Jennifer Morely, Christina Nguyen, Alice Petruk, David Prestley, Amir Shah, Gerri Slanley, Levon Vokins, Jaime Whiting
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Donors Heartfelt thanks to the individuals, foundations and organizations listed below for recognizing the importance of the arts by directly investing in the Department of Drama’s innovation and leadership in theatre training and performance. A round of applause to our supporters!
Baha & Sharon Abu-Laban Geoffrey & Janet Allcock Vera Apletree Robert & Linda Ascah Diana M. Bacon William & Carole Barton Lindsay Bell William & Kathleen Betteridge Julia Boberg Marco Katz & M Elizabeth Boone Rick Bowes Leon B. Boychuk-Hunter Joseph Piccolo & Julie Brown Adolf & Kathleen Buse Rachel Christopher Brent Christopherson Sharon Conrad Kevin & Lorna Crockett Richard & Karen Davies Brian J. Deedrick Ian Dymock & Dorothy Fabijan Andrew Ede & Lesley Cormack Jim and Sheila Edwards Family Fund at the Edmonton Community Foundation Jim & Joan Eliuk Richard Leaker & Sandra Foy Mike & Anne Giles Ronald & Sheila Gooding Derek & Mary Griffiths
Kelly Handerek Bohdan & Elaine Harasymiw Christopher R. Head Stephen Heatley Steven Hilton Elizabeth K. Hobbs Pavel & Sylva Jelen Joan Johnston Margaret Keene Robert Longworth & Linda Crawford Amin Malak Lawrence & Nicole Mallet Louise Mallory John & Peggy Marko Gordon & Norma McIntosh Heleen & Rod McLeod Larry Prochner & Barbara McPherson Andrew & Anna Mioduchowski Roderick & June Morgan Elizabeth A. Moulton Peter & Elaine Mueller Steven Nicely Ruth Nishioka Audrey O'Brien Terrance Rowswell O'Connor Award Fund at the Edmonton Community Foundation
Dale Olausen Jack & Esther Ondrack Barbara Baer Pillay Ronald W. Pollock Charles Roberts James & Judith Robinson Patricia F. Rocco Bente Roed Valerie Sarty Alan & Ramona Sather Alison Scott-Prelorentzos Albin Shanley Solberg & Shirley Sigurdson Phillip Silver Betty Lou Sloan Thomas Usher Gilda L.F. Valli Margaret Van Dyke Henriette Van Hees Sonia Varela Alan & Lorraine Welch Lorris & Mary Williams Susan S. Wong Jerry & Debbie Yee Various Anonymous Donors
This list includes those who donated to various Drama funds from August 1, 2016 to August 31, 2017. Apologies for inadvertent omissions or errors. Contact 780-492-2271 for corrections.
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WHAT’S ON at UALBERTA? 2017/18
Special Flex Pass Ticket Offer: 3 Student tickets for only $30!
at the t i m m s c e n t r e for the a r t s
The Lower Depths
The School For Scandal
Exit The King
Feb 8 – 17
Mar 29 - Apr 7
May 17 – 26
by Maxim Gorky
University of Alberta | Department of Music
2017/18
by Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Bach’s Christmas Oratorio Winspear Centre
Sunday, Dec 3 @ 3 PM Violinissimo III Convocation Hall
Saturday, Jan 13 @ 7 30 PM
by Eugene Ionesco
Turning Points: Chamber Music for Mixed Chamber Ensembles
Convocation Hall
Sunday, Jan 21 @ 3 PM See uab.ca/shows for full concert lineup.
Water/Bodies: Selected Works By Liz Ingram Meghan Pohlod: On Being Without Admission to FAB Gallery is always free!
Nov 21 - Dec 9 Opening Reception: Thursday, Nov 23 from 7 - 10 PM See uab.ca/shows for full gallery exhibition list.
For tickets and details on all Fine Arts events: uab.ca/shows