A Doll's House, Part 2

Program:

• About the Play
• Artistic Director's Note
• Cast (listed in order of appearance)
• Production Staff
• Run Crew
• Cast Bios
• Creative Team Bios
   

About the Play

Ibsen’s original is followed by Lucas Hnath’s 2017 sequel of sorts, A Doll’s House, Part 2. Many years after Nora Helmer’s shocking departure, there’s a knock on that same door. Nora has returned. But why? And what will it mean for those she left behind? Witty, incisive, and deeply satisfying drama. “This unexpectedly rich sequel reminds us that houses tremble and sometimes fall when doors slam and that there are living people within, who may be wounded or lost.” (New York Times) This area premiere is directed by guest artist Emily N. Wells (artistic director, Human Race Theatre Company.
 

PLAYWRIGHT: Lucas Hnath

 

Originally produced on Broadway by Scott Rudin, Eli Bush, Joey Parnes, Sue Wagner, and John Johnson

Commissioned and first produced by South Coast Repertory

A Doll’s House, Part 2 benefited from a residency at New Dramatists

Time and Place: Norway, inside the Helmer house, 15 years later.

Intermission Duration: 15 minutes

Please silence all cell phones, pagers, and any other electronic devices. Texting during productions will result in removal from the theatre.

The use of any recording device (photo, sound, or video) by audience members is not permitted.

Major production support is provided by The Musical Theatre Initiative at Wright State University.
 

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Artistic Director's Note

Welcome back to Wright State Theatre! Or, if this is your first visit with us—WELCOME. 

Thank you for joining us in the Herbst Studio Theatre for our consecutive productions of Ibsen’s A Doll’s House (Feb 15-18), directed by Wright State Theatre Artistic Director Marya Spring Cordes, and Hnath’s A Doll’s House, Part 2 (Feb 22-25), directed by Human Race Theatre Company Artistic Director Emily Wells. 

As Wright State Theatre’s artistic director, I was thrilled at the prospect of our students and audience witnessing the entire Nora and Helmer family story, as it stands right now in literary history, in an exploration of episodic theatre!

If you are here tonight for A Doll’s House (what happened first), please consider joining us next weekend for A Doll’s House, Part 2 to find out what happens a decade and some years later. New decisions and new perspectives occur as only the passage of time can allow.

If you are joining us only to see the second episode (what happened next), please consider reaching into the shelves of the nearest library to dust off the original and revisit how we got here.

Enjoy both episodes.

Marya Spring Cordes
Artistic Director
 

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Cast (listed in order of appearance)

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Production Staff

PRODUCTION MANAGER/TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: Kevin Nedberg

ASSISTANT TO TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: Shay Roth

ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER: Kendra Lodewyk

PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS: Cate Lightbody, Katie Baldwin

ASSISTANT COSTUME DESIGNER: Wrynn Boucher

PRODUCTION ELECTRICIAN: Matthew P. Benjamin

ELECTRICIANS: Jennifer Dillard, Jackson Boone, Dylan Serrano, Levi Fravel, Caleb Murray, Alexander Markley

SOUND ENGINEER/AUDIO COORDINATOR: James Dunlap

HEAD CARPENTER: James Hendricks

CARPENTERS: Eli Baader, Drew Feller, Yoshi Hill, Mary Carlson, Sofia Maisano, Logan Gregory, Hannah Baker, Maggie Slauenwhite, Megan Todd, Nolan Todd, Noel Nieczyporowicz

CHARGE ARTISTS: Isa Castillon, Callie Lippincott

SCENIC ARTISTS: Lilly Buck, Juliette Trumbull

PROPERTIES ADVISOR: John Lavarnway

PROPERTIES MASTER: Anna Hunter

PROPERTIES ARTISAN: Kaitlin Teller, Phoenix Perry, Lily Brown, Lauren Crane

COSTUME SHOP MANAGER: Carly Kimmins

COSTUME SHOP ASSISTANT: Victoria “Ori” Gifford

STITCHERS: Emma Green, Lily Butt, Sean Hannah, Charlie Cute, Anthony Lombardo, Jake Jonesco, Katy Leonard
 

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Run Crew

STAGE CREW: Caleb Murray, Yoshi Hill  

LIGHT BOARD OPERATOR: Lucy Rocchio

SOUND BOARD OPERATOR: Levi Fravel

PROPERTIES CREW: Hannah Baker

WARDROBE HEAD: Lily Butt

WARDROBE: Anthony Lambardo
 

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Cast Bios

Lilly Buck (Emmy u/s) (she/her) is a sophomore musical theater major from Toledo. She is also a dance minor and works as an assistant/scenic painter in the production shop. Lilly is ecstatic to be in her first production at Wright State and hopes you enjoy the show!

Julian Goldenstein is a senior acting major, and is incredibly grateful to be performing one last show at Wright State. Julian has previously been featured on Wright State’s Mainstage in The Gondoliers (Antonio), Arcadia (Captain Brice), and Cabaret (Herr Schultz). They hope you enjoy the show! Instagram: @Julian.Goldenstein

Grace Goodwin (Nora u/s) is a sophomore musical theatre major born and raised in Mason. She recently made her Wright State debut understudying Clarice in The Liar. Other previous credits include The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Esmeralda), Beauty & the Beast (Belle), Bye Bye Birdie (Rosie Alvarez), and 42nd Street (Peggy Sawyer). She hopes you enjoy the show!

Taylor Greny is so honored to be performing her last Mainstage show at Wright State, and her Herbst debut. Most recently she played Cliton in The Liar, and she looks forward to playing Natalie in Next To Normal in the Jubilee Directing Lab. These four years have flown by, and I couldn't have done it without the support of my friends and family. Thank you!

Emma Kopec is a sophomore musical theatre major and thrilled to be working on this show. A three-year attendant at Interlochen Arts Camp, Emma won the Maddy Summer Artist Award for musical theatre in 2021. Emma’s favorite credits: Janet (Drowsy Chaperone), Charlotte (Cinderella), and Carrie (Carrie). Thanks to Emily, the cast, and crew!

Joshua Serrano (Torvald understudy) (he/him) is ecstatic to be a part of his first show at Wright State! He is a freshman musical theatre major taking in all that this amazing school has to offer. Thank you to his family who inspires all that he is and does.

Juliette Marcella Trumbull is ecstatic to be ap art of another brilliant production at Wright State. They are a sophomore acting major previously involved in The Liar (Philiste U/S) and as the assistant stage manager for On The Town and Cabaret. They want to thank the entire team and hope you enjoy!

Alexis L. Wentworth (Nora Helmer) (She/Her) is a junior acting major from Atlanta. She is beyond thrilled to be bringing this role to life in her first Wright State Theatre production. Previous collegiate credits include: director of Dog Sees God (Wright State Jubilee Directing Lab), Bessie in The Drowning Girls (Samford University), Jonas Slonaker/ Zubaida Ula in The Laramie Project (Samford University), etc. She extends her upmost gratitude to Emily Wells, the entire cast and crew of A Doll’s House Part 2, her family, and of course apartment 3B for their endlessly support. She hopes you enjoy!
 

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Creative Team Bios

Emily N. Wells (director) is an award-winning theatre director, creative producer, and educator with over 25 years of experience, including a significant emphasis on new plays and musicals. She joined The Human Race Theatre Company as its fourth artistic director in 2022, and directed Grounded to kick off her first season, and the world premiere of This is Tom Jones! In 2023. Emily also directed the recent Houston Grand Opera world premiere of Another City, a new opera that tells the true stories of unhoused Houstonians and those who aid them, composed by Jeremy Howard Beck to a libretto by Stephanie Fleischmann. This winter, she will direct A Doll’s House, Part 2 at Wright State and serves on the advisory board for the Sinclair Community College Department of Fine and Performing Arts. Other directing credits include Rice University, Gulfshore Playhouse, Circuit Playhouse, and Theatreworks/USA, among others. Emily holds an Master of Fine Arts in directing from the University of Memphis, a Bachelor of Arts in theatre from Washington University in St. Louis, and is an SDC and AEA member. In her early career, Emily stage managed on and off Broadway, regionally and on national tours. She is proud to call Dayton home.

James Dunlap (sound designer) is the audio coordinator and resident sound designer for Wright State Theatre. James has been involved with sound system/sound production design, music composition, and live-event audio for over 20 years. He has worked with hundreds of national touring acts and local productions. Recent sound design credits include A Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Sister Act, Mother Courage and Her Children, Grapes of Wrath, Chicago, Pride and Prejudice, Les Misérables, The Magic Fire, Oklahoma!, Spring Awakening, Phantom of the Opera, Rent, and Hairspray.

Anna Hunter (scenic designer) (she/her) is a senior design technology student from northern Colorado studying prop art, scenic design, and stage management in addition to a minor in German. Previous Wright State credits include Cabaret (prop manager), Kelly the Destroyer... (scenic designer), ArtsGala '22 and '23 (associate producer), and Sister Act (stage manager).

Zoe Still (costume designer), a graduate of the Wright State design and technology program, has returned to Dayton to teach costume design at Wright State. Her most recent work was for the Human Race Theatre as costume designer for Who’s Holiday. She also designed Wright State productions of The Addams Family, Lend Me a Tenor, and The Liar. Before returning to Wright State, she joined Papermoon Opera Productions as costume designer and charge artist. She also worked on Barber of Seville at Amarillo Opera she co-designed costumes for Don Giovanni at Pensacola Opera.

Zach Wuest (lighting designer) is a design/tech student at Wright State with a concentration in lighting design. Previously he has worked on Wright State’s dance concerts (lighting designer), By the Bog of Cats (production electrician), The Liar (production electrician) and Kelly the Destroyer vs. The Springfield Cobras (lighting designer). He was also recently involved in Dayton Playhouse’s production of  Is There Life After High School (lighting designer and light board operator). He hopes you enjoy A Dolls House!

Phoenix Perry is a sophomore theatre design and technology major (stage management focus). Her previous credit at Wright State is in Kelly the Destroyer as the stage manager. When not in the theatre, Phoenix is on the women’s bowling team and enjoys spending time with her friends.

Katie Baldwin (production assistant) (She/Her) is a freshmen acting major and is super excited to be involved in her first show at Wright State. Thank you to everyone in the cast and crew for such a memorable experience. She hopes you enjoy the show!!

Kendra Lodewyk is grateful to be a part of this production as an assistant stage manager. She is a senior musical theater major from Bay City, Michigan. Kendra was last seen on the Festival Playhouse stage as Sally Bowles in Cabaret. Enjoy the show and these amazing artists!

Cate Lightbody (she/they) is a junior musical theatre major from Walpole, Massachusetts. Previous shows at Wright State include Kelly the Destroyer (Rikki) and Sister Act (swing). She is so excited to be assisting in the creation of this project!
 

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