A Doll's House
A Doll's House
Synopsis: The play centers on an ordinary family—Torvald Helmer, a bank lawyer, and his wife, Nora, and their children. Torvald prides himself the principled moral center of his perfect little family. It doesn’t take long for the cracks to appear in Nora’s world. This perfect little family is threatened when the fraud that Nora had committed to obtain a loan to save her husband's life is revealed. Torvald, outraged and disgraced, abandons her in an effort to save his reputation. Nora Helmer comes to realize she must break free from her marriage to find herself. Blackmail, lies and love triangles combine to explode the Helmer household.
The Argument: When A Doll’s House premiered in 1879, it caused a sensation and sparked international controversy. Widely regarded as a revolutionary work in European theatre, it is often considered the first ‘modern’ feminist play, boldly suggesting that women deserve roles beyond the confines of marriage. Over a century later, A Doll’s House remains strikingly relevant. The play explores the inequity of gender roles, and the hypocrisy in the traditional society of Ibsen's time. Nora has sacrificed throughout her life, but what is she willing to lose to become her true self?
Tickets on sale beginning July 29, 2025.
Nora is a devoted wife and mother, but is treated like a fragile doll. Through a series of challenges, she is compelled to rethink her life in a dramatic way. Nora’s story was shocking for its time with a haunting cliffhanger.
View the biography for the synopsis of the show and how it fits into our season theme.
Fully Staged Production
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Synopsis: The play centers on an ordinary family—Torvald Helmer, a bank lawyer, and his wife, Nora, and their children. Torvald prides himself the principled moral center of his perfect little family. It doesn’t take long for the cracks to appear in Nora’s world. This perfect little family is threatened when the fraud that Nora had committed to obtain a loan to save her husband's life is revealed. Torvald, outraged and disgraced, abandons her in an effort to save his reputation. Nora Helmer comes to realize she must break free from her marriage to find herself. Blackmail, lies and love triangles combine to explode the Helmer household.
The Argument: When A Doll’s House premiered in 1879, it caused a sensation and sparked international controversy. Widely regarded as a revolutionary work in European theatre, it is often considered the first ‘modern’ feminist play, boldly suggesting that women deserve roles beyond the confines of marriage. Over a century later, A Doll’s House remains strikingly relevant. The play explores the inequity of gender roles, and the hypocrisy in the traditional society of Ibsen's time. Nora has sacrificed throughout her life, but what is she willing to lose to become her true self?