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The Lion's Roar

The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

    ‘A Doll’s House’ portrays controversial issues

    Southeastern theater opened the 2013-2014 season with a classic  drama tackling gender roles and human equality in Henrik Ibsen’s “A Doll’s House.”
    Set in 1899 in a small Norwegian town, the production was broken into three acts: Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the day after Christmas. Each act centered on the character development of Nora Helmer, a sheltered housewife with a secret. The show was held Oct. 15 through Oct. 18 in Vonnie Borden Theatre.
    “I think the theme is still very relevant because women’s rights are still an issue. There are still jobs where women don’t get paid as well as men,” said Chad Winters, director and theater instructor. “We always try to put a classical piece in our season. ‘A Doll’s House’ is taught in our Intro to Theater class. It’s never the same when you read it; it’s a whole new experience.”
    Bringing in nearly a full house for its opening night, the performance received a standing ovation and invoked inspirational thought.
    “The fact that she left him, in the day when women really weren’t allowed much power or rule over a household, was a pretty powerful statement,” said Aaron Pfeil, a senior kinesiology major. “It shows not just for women, but for everyone, that you’re not stuck where you’re at even though you’ve been that way for years and you’ve been taught that your whole life. You can change whenever you want.”
    Nora secretly risks breaking the law and her own dignity to save her husband, Torvald Helmer, while playing the role of his “little songbird” in their picture-perfect household. After eight years of following his lead and corrections, Nora discovers her sheltered existence and her need for independence.
    Having chosen a more familiar play, Winters worked to recreate the production in a way that would entertain those who already knew the plot.  
    “I think they brought the house down,” said Kayla Wilson, a sophomore English major who read the play during her freshman year at Southeastern. “It was 10 times better watching it then reading it. The ending was definitely my favorite part with all of the emotion.”
    After three months of preparation, Winters discussed the immediate shift in attitude when the actors suddenly have an audience.
    “Having an audience brought it more to life. It was a really spot on performance tonight,” said Winters. “I think the actors did excellent, and when they came out they were energized and excited about what they were doing. They were in the moment.”
    Despite a prolonged cell phone interruption in the audience, MJ Ricks, a student who played the role of Torvald, felt the show’s premiere was “stellar.”
    “I consider myself a little inexperienced because this really is my first big role. It’s been a journey, and I’m glad to have been able to work with this amazing cast,” said Ricks. “Olivia is an excellent actress; I don’t understand how she can do school and memorize all of those lines.”
    Olivia Matte, a student who starred in the role of Nora, described her preparation for each performance.
    “Most of my work is research, and doing it over and over and over again, and thinking about all the different ways I could portray a certain emotion. We call it ‘moment-to-moment,’ and we kind of let it flow,” said Matte. “Once the costume is on and I walk into the lights, I sort of empty myself of myself and become Nora.”
    Matthew Green, set designer, and Mignon Charvet, costume designer, worked to produce a Victorian Era atmosphere.
    “Mignon did such a good job with the costumes,” said Matte. “She handmade all of the costumes for us. The green dress I want to keep.”
    Supporting characters include Ms. Linde, Nora’s childhood friend played by Jaimee Rome, and Nils Krogstad, a lawyer played by Chris Dalton.
    “A Doll’s House went out literally with a bang,” said Seth Walker, sophomore biology major. “They had a little comedy, a little sexiness, some drama; everything that could make a play great was in there.”
    The emotional finale in the performance brought into question the real meaning of marriage and love. In a post-performance interview, Ricks discussed his reaction to his character’s viewpoint.
    “There’s a line in the play when I say, ‘No man sacrifices his integrity for the one he loves.’ We should be the opposite of that,” said Ricks. “Every man should love their wife, and if you love your wife so much, you should be able to sacrifice your integrity for her, because that’s what marriage and true love is all about.”
    “A Doll’s House” was held as a part of Fanfare, an annual festival of the arts, humanities and social sciences. For a full schedule of Fanfare events and more information visit columbiatheatre.org or contact the Department of Fine and Performing Arts at 985-549-2184.

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