It is not often that we are fortunate to have Ibsen performed in Milwaukee. From our friends at Milwaukee Chamber Theatre:
MILWAUKEE CHAMBER THEATRE’S A DOLL’S HOUSE EXAMINES GENDER ROLES AND SELF-IDENTITY IN TONY-NOMINATED NEW ADAPTATION FROM AMY HERZOG
Directed by Leda Hoffmann, the timeless masterpiece will feature Milwaukee favorites Jennifer Vosters, Josh Krause, Libby Amato, Matthew Bowdren, and Kat Wodtke alongside visiting artist Anand Nagraj
MILWAUKEE, WI – December 26, 2024 – Milwaukee Chamber Theatre (MCT) continues its landmark 50th Anniversary 2024/25 Season with Henrik Ibsen’s revolutionary classic A DOLL’S HOUSE, presented in an incisive new version by acclaimed American dramatist Amy Herzog.
Directed by Leda Hoffmann, the production will run from January 24 to February 9, 2025, in the Broadway Theatre Center’s Studio Theatre. Tickets are available online at www.milwaukeechambertheatre.org or by calling the Broadway Theatre Center box office at 414-291-7800.
For only the second time in 50 years, world-changing dramatist Henrik Ibsen appears in an MCT season! His most famous play, presented here in a devastatingly compact and celebrated new adaptation, shocked audiences and ushered in a new era of theater when it premiered in 1879. Culminating in what George Bernard Shaw described as “the door slam heard ‘round the world,” its unsparing examination of gender roles, marital dynamics, and the ongoing struggles for equality and self-knowledge remains blisteringly relevant today. Variety praised award-winning dramatist Amy Herzog’s Tony-nominated bold and compact adaptation as “gravitational… a pure view of what Ibsen meant to convey.
“Amy Herzog’s adaptation of A DOLL’S HOUSE gives us an extraordinary opportunity to connect this timeless story with modern audiences in a way that feels both urgent and personal,” said MCT Artistic Director Brent Hazelton. “At its core, this play is about the courage it takes to challenge societal norms and embrace the complexity of our individual identities—conversations that remain as vital today as they were when Ibsen first sparked them. For MCT, producing this piece during our 50th Anniversary Season is not just exciting; it’s a chance to reaffirm our commitment to telling stories that ignite meaningful dialogue in our community.”
Director Leda Hoffmann returns to Milwaukee Chamber Theatre for the first time in almost a decade, after previously directing Tennessee Williams’ A LOVELY SUNDAY FOR CREVE COEUR. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel called that production “exceptionally well-acted… funny and poignant,” while OnMilwaukee’s Dave Begel described it as “four women… guided down individual and common paths under the delicate touch of Leda Hoffmann.” “Returning to Milwaukee to direct A DOLL’S HOUSE is a dream come true,” says Hoffmann. “When this play was written over 140 years ago it changed the world. Coming back to it now in a fresh, contemporary, energetic adaptation, the play feels as important as ever. What freedom exists in honestly seeing the world around us? What opportunities exist when we are able to imagine something different? I cannot wait for audiences to experience this dynamic and thrilling drive towards realization.”
The cast of A DOLL’S HOUSE is led by Milwaukee’s own Jennifer Vosters in her MCT acting debut as Nora Helmer opposite MCT favorite Josh Krause (INDECENT, GREAT EXPECTATIONS, JEEVES AT SEA). “When I first read A DOLL’S HOUSE as a senior at Brookfield East (thanks, Ms. Bustle!), the play—and the character of Nora—challenged me in ways I never forgot,” Vosters shared, “confronting me with questions about my place as a young woman in the world I was about to enter. Returning to it right here in Milwaukee feels like a full-circle moment, and the chance to tell this story with the brilliant team MCT has assembled is deeply meaningful both professionally and personally.”
The cast also includes MCT and Milwaukee favorites Kat Wodtke (MIRACLE ON SOUTH DIVISION STREET, acclaimed Milwaukee band Long Mama) as Kristine Linde and Libby Amato (MOUSETRAP, A THOUSAND WORDS) as Anne-Marie. Matthew Bowdren (Arizona Theatre Company, Hudson Valley Shakespeare) and visiting artist Anand Nagraj (Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Disney’s ALADDIN, Chicago Fire and Chicago PD) will round out the cast in their MCT debuts as Nils Krogstad and Dr. Peter Rank, respectively.
The production will be designed and created by Jimmy Balistreri (Lighting Designer), Gina Cornejo (Intimacy Follow), KaiLee Evans (Intimacy Director), Bri Humke (Assistant Stage Manager), Dani Kuepper (Stage Movement Director), Lisa Schlenker (Scenic Designer), Josh Schmidt (Sound Designer), Simone Tegge (Associate Scenic and Properties Designer), Emily Marie Wilke (Stage Manager), and Winter Olamina (Costume Designer).
Milwaukee Chamber Theatre’s production of A DOLL’S HOUSE is generously supported by Executive Producers Deborah and Jamshed Patel and Mike Reavis; Producers Emily and Leopold Shircel, Chris and Judi Collins, and the Woman’s Club of Wisconsin; and Associate Producers Kelly Schlicht and Steve Weber. A DOLL’S HOUSE is produced in partnership with TEMPO, Girls Rock/Ladies Rock, Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee (HPGM), and the Cactus Club’s Cactus Plus.
Here2PlayCommunity Launch Event Join MCT for the launch of A DOLL’S HOUSE in the community on Wednesday, January 8th from 6-8pm at the Woman’s Club of Wisconsin. Here2Play sets the stage for meaningful conversations by highlighting each production’s community partners and contextualizing the play’s themes within Milwaukee. Enjoy themed hors d’oeuvres from the Woman’s Club’s celebrated kitchen, a cash bar, live local music, and sneak-peek readings from the play. A lively panel discussion featuring local leaders will explore the play’s timeless relevance, followed by an exclusive ticket discount for attendees. The event is free and open to the community! RSVP highly encouraged. Complimentary valet parking available. RSVP: HERE!!!
KEY DATES + EVENTS: Ibsen’s A DOLL’S HOUSE, in a new adaptation by Amy Herzog, will run from January 24 to February 9, 2025 at the Broadway Theatre Center’s Studio Theatre, 158 N Broadway, Milwaukee, WI 53202.
ASL Interpretation: Friday, February 7 at 7:30 PM
Preview: Friday, January 24 at 7:30 PM
Opening Night: Saturday, January 25 at 8:00 PM
Pay-What-You-Choose: Monday, January 27 at 7:30 PM (walk-up tickets available starting one hour before the show)
Talkbacks: Thursdays, January 30 and February 6, following the 7:30 PM performances
SipStudio: Saturday, February 1 (complimentary drinks and exclusive experiences for matinee and evening attendees)
PERFORMANCE AND TICKET INFORMATION Tickets can be purchased by phone at 414-291-7800 (M-Sa 12-6 pm and 2 hours prior to BTC show times) or online at www.milwaukeechambertheatre.org/a-dolls-house
Throughout the run of A DOLL’S HOUSE, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre’s 3-Play Flex Pass subscriptions will still be available for purchase. Learn more about subscriber benefits and lock in your seats for the season at www.milwaukeechambertheatre.org/shop.
ABOUT MILWAUKEE CHAMBER THEATRE Founded in 1975 by Montgomery Davis and Ruth Schudson, guided until 2020 by Michael Wright and Kirsten Finn, and now led by Brent Hazelton, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre (MCT) partners with other arts organizations, community-based organizations, and universities to produce thought-provoking productions and innovative outreach programs on an intimate, human scale, to create conversations among multicultural and multigenerational audiences that bring our community closer together. As part of its five-decade commitment to strengthening Milwaukee and Wisconsin’s local artist community, MCT provides regular employment and a stable artistic home to professional artists through a five-play subscription series, the Young Playwrights Festival (YPF), and the Montgomery Davis Play Development Series (MDPDS).
From our friends at First Stage (this one looks like a lot of fun):
TRAVEL BACK IN TIME FOR A PREHISTORIC ADVENTURE WITH FIRST STAGE!
Hatch a dinosaur egg, befriend a Triceratops and face thrilling challenges in this interactive theatrical experience for young explorers and their families.
MILWAUKEE — First Stage — one of the nation’s leading theaters for young people and families — invites all explorers to embark on a thrilling journey back to when dinosaurs roamed the Earth in THE DINOSAUR PLAY! As an audience member, you’ll be called upon to help a dinosaur egg tapping out a call for help, befriend a surly Triceratops, protect a newly formed dinosaur family, take on a Tyrannosaurus Rex, and so much more!
THE DINOSAUR PLAY runs Jan. 18 through Feb. 16, 2025, at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center’s Goodman Mainstage Hall. Tickets are available now on FirstStage.org.
“We invite our youngest audiences and their families to travel back in time for The Dinosaur Play,” said Jeff Frank, Artistic Director at First Stage. “In this participatory play, audiences in the intimate Goodman Mainstage Hall will be asked to help two hapless humans trying to come to the aid of a giant egg. Humor, danger, heart and adventure – this play has something for everyone.”
Widely celebrated for its ability to engage and inspire audiences, THE DINOSAUR PLAY ignites a love of science and natural history. In addition to its educational value, the play fosters social-emotional learning with themes of cooperation, empathy, and teamwork – making it an unforgettable experience for all.
Audiences are invited to arrive early for engaging pre-show educational activities designed to immerse them in the experience and prepare them for their journey into the past!
The show runs approximately 45-50 minutes, with no intermission. Recommended for families with young people ages 3-9 and theater lovers of all ages.
I came to love Shakespeare while in high school. First via a PBS rendition of Hamlet and then their broadcast of the BBC’s An Age of Kings, a serial based on the history plays. Or maybe it was the other way around. But my faith in William Shakespeare abides. Of course my favorite play has changed over the years from Hamlet to Macbeth to more recently The Tempest…which brings us to this happy event…the Young Company’s presentation of The Tempest in their black box theater in the round at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center!
And just a moment, let me remind you about the Young Company. They are the older group of actors at First Stage. Generally high school age they present challenging adult oriented plays with minimal sets and costuming. There are seldom any adult actors on stage and the plays are driven by the action and the text: very very effectively. Last spring’s, An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen for example.
(left to right) Elena Marking, Josie Van Slyke, Sophia Bernhardt, and cast in THE TEMPEST. First Stage Young Company, 2024. Photo by Paul Ruffolo.
So, let’s take a look at this minimalist perspective. If you look at the photos you’ll see that our stage is a central collection of steps. These steps acted as a dais, bed, rock, threshold and all manner of things under heaven. And Costume Coordinator Michelle Verbos primarily outfitted the cast in simple and elegant items in white. All the better for Director Marcella Kearns to tell the story of the The Tempest through words and movement.
And what a lot of expressive movement and motion, something that First Stage does exceptionally well on all of their stages. Director Kearns and Fight and Movement Director James Cheatham bring out the drama and pathos that Shakespeare has provided with a very active cast. At points the motion is more dance than drama and it keeps the focus on the cast and action…if you turn away for a moment you will surely miss something grand! There can be more life to Shakespeare than you would imagine when done right…and the Young Company cast here was certainly into it.
At the center of any good The Tempest is a regal and determined Prospero. And as Prospero, Silver Anderson has a stage presence that brings out the mage and the vengeful and the loving and forgiving character traits of the character. From stirring the sea like a pot of soup into The Tempest, to playing matchmaker to Miranda and Ferdinand, to bringing reconciliation to the conflict between Prospero, his brother, Antonio, and the King of Naples, Anderson strikes the proper balance in each scene and moves easily from one pose to the next. They may be too overconfident in knowing the text however, because they sometimes spoke so fast that we had a hard time hearing what was being said.
Silver Anderson in THE TEMPEST. First Stage Young Company, 2024. Photo by Paul Ruffolo.
Abram Nelson and Alice Rivera bring the included love story to the stage as Ferdinand and Miranda…as Prospero’s magic brings them together…they instantly are lost in the moment and never wonder how this all came to pass. And Maya Thomure captures the resistant and loutish Caliban and just can’t wait to betray her enslaver, Prospero, to the drunken sailors. Even in the face of red flags that seem to suggest that they aren’t quite the ‘gentlemen’ that they appear to be.
Silver Anderson (top center), Alice Rivera (bottom left), Abram Nelson (bottom right), and cast in THE TEMPEST. First Stage Young Company, 2024. Photo by Paul Ruffolo.
The most enchanting portrayal on this stage is Josephine Van Slyke as Ariel. Whenever she is in a scene, she tends to steal it, even when she doesn’t have any speaking lines. When off to one side or another and just observing the action in front of her, Van Slyke employs any number of slight physical tics or corvid like head twists to let us know that she is a sprite and not a human presence. And throughout any of the action, she is nimble and graceful and just sweeps across the stage in some of the most dance like moves among the cast. And her confidence in the opening stage of the actual tempest, as she destroys the ship and hinders the crew in their efforts to save the day, is the most fluid fight scene that you will ever see. And then there is her voice…at once eerie, haunting, and compelling…it is no wonder that sight unseen, she is able to lure the stranded sailors to whatever purposes that Prospero has for them.
Amélie Davis-Quiroz (center) and cast in THE TEMPEST. First Stage Young Company, 2024. Photo by Paul Ruffolo.
The Tempest runs through December 15. 2024 at the Milwaukee Youth Arts Center. It runs for about two hours and includes a short intermission. Recommended for families with young people ages 13-17 and theater lovers of all ages. Additional information and ticket ordering can be found here!
And as always, Extra Credit Reading: the digital playbill. The playbill includes cast listings, etc.
