Darlington’s fine arts department will present Henrik Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House” at the Zelle Black Box Theatre, Oct. 15-17. Evening performances of this year’s fall play will take the stage on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. A matinee performance will be offered on that Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.
The production marks the first lineup of fine arts performances under the direction of Shelley Daniel, who joined the Darlington Community as the new theatre director in July.
"Nora, the main character, loves her husband and children but sees her life as a giant cage,” said Daniel. “She is trapped by society's role for her—and can’t accept it. She's a doll, a puppet—a caged bird.
It is considered to be one of the first feminist plays ever written."
The two-hour drama tackles the timeless but heavy concepts of free will and independence, societal norms and gender roles, serving as a social commentary on the era in which it was penned.
"It challenges us as an audience to consider how society has defined women, and how society tags
any group and puts them into a box," added Daniel. "Do we stay inside or do we fly away?"
Originally written in the Norwegian language,
“A Doll’s House” is set during Christmas in 1879. The Frank McGuinness adaptation of the play will be brought to life by a cast and crew of 19 fine arts students.
"The actors are diving into some emotionally risky waters, requiring great courage and vulnerability, which is often very challenging for 16 and 17-year-olds," explained Daniel.
Ibsen’s work is intended to be thought-provoking for guests, and leaves it up to the audience to ultimately decide their feelings and views on what happens over the span of three acts.
"Half the world would say that Nora is a villain, and the other half would say she is a hero," added Daniel. "That is what I like about the play—it's gray. As the director it is my job to pose that question, not to answer it."
General admission tickets for "A Doll's House" are $7 each.
Due to the limited seating available in the Black Box Theatre, guests are strongly advised to reserve tickets ahead of time at www.darlingtonschool.org/fallplay.
Current Darlington families, faculty and staff,
Tiger Boosters and Grandparent Pass holders can reserve and purchase tickets for the performances through Friday, Oct. 2.
Tickets for the general public will be available online beginning Saturday, Oct. 3. Any tickets remaining on the day of the show can be purchased at the door before each performance. Darlington’s production of “A Doll’s House” is recommended for ages 5 years and older.
For more information about the event, contact
sdaniel@darlingtonschool.org.
Click here to view a list of the cast and crew of "A Doll's House."
