Understudies will never substitute for a listed performer unless an announcement is
made at the time of the performance. A performance by the understudy cast will be
on November 12 at 2 p.m.
About the Authors
Henrik Ibsen (Playwright) was a major 19th century Norwegian playwright whose influence on the theatre earned him the title
“Father of Modern Drama.” His celebrated works for the stage include Brand, Peer Gynt, Emperor and Galilean, The Pillars of Society, A Doll’s House, Ghosts,
An Enemy of the People, The Wild Duck, Rosmersholm, The Lady from the Sea, Hedda Gabbler,
The Master Builder, Little Eyolf, John Gabriel Borkman, and When We Dead Awaken. Born in 1828 in the small town of Skien, Norway, Ibsen would go on to help found
a Norwegian theatre tradition in Oslo and Bergen. Most of Ibsen’s classic plays were
written during the many years he lived abroad in Italy and Germany. The playwright
returned to Norway in his final years and passed away in 1906 at the age of 78.
AMY HERZOG (Playwright, Adaptation) Amy Herzog’s plays include Mary Jane (New York Drama Critics Circle Award, Obie Award), 4000 Miles (Pulitzer Prize finalist, Obie Award for Best New American Play), After the Revolution (New York Times Outstanding Playwright Award), Belleville (Drama Dest nominee) and The Great God Pan. She received the Benjamin H. Danks Award from the American Academy of Arts and
Letters. Amy teaches playwriting at the David Geffen School of Drama.
Please note
If we can help accommodate you during your visit, please speak with our House Manager.
Eating or drinking is not permitted in the theatre.
Please turn off all electronic devices.
The use of any recording device, either audio or video, and the taking of photographs,
either with or without flash, is strictly prohibited.
Run time:
Approximately 95 minutes – no intermission.
Content Warning:
This play includes discussions of terminal illness and suicidal ideation. We recommend
this production for ages 12 and up.
Production staff and creative team
Student Costume Assistant: Manar Basrawi
Lobby Display: Mary T. Christel and Kevin Long
Loogo Design: Megan Ohlsen
Program: Kevin Long and Cindy Roth-Wurster
Photography Club Advisor/Graphic Arts Faculty: Amanda Loch
Manager, Conference and Events Services: Daniel Miller
Performing Arts Center Technical Director: Chelsea Lynn
Scenic Painter: Lisa Giebler
Run Crew: Bradley Hooper, Emma Kim, Neda Metodiev, Hannah Miller*, Sara Puente*
Props Crew: Cheryl Golemo, Carol Golemo, Jade Lange*
Costume Crew: Manar Basrawi
Light Board Operator: Gabriela (Relli) Li*
Sound Board Operator: Deeya Patel*
Sound Designer/Composer: Marc Beth
Set Construction Crew: Sarah Agolli, Tristan Blus, Richard Bryant, Jane DeBondt, William Franz, Daniell Green,
Alyssa Maslanka, Adam Milne, Matt Sears, Reese Shino, Trent Starzynki and the students
of THE111, THE212 & THE213
From the dramaturg
Man must be pleased; but him to please Is woman's pleasure; down the gulf Of his condoled necessities She casts her best, she flings herself.
from The Angel in the House by Coventry Patemore (1854).
In 19th-century Norway, a woman like Nora Heller was expected to observe societal norms as
extolled in The Angel in the House. Her primary duties were to please her husband, manage the household and raise their
children with a glad heart and a tender touch. This archetype was normalized and celebrated
across Victorian Europe. Pressures to live up to this idealization of womanly virtue
applied most stringently to women of the growing bourgeoisie, with the population
shifting to urban areas.
Women whose husbands entered occupations linked to office work – civil service, banking,
legal, commercial, Industrial – rather than field work had a chance to move away from
farms and agrarian villages to booming factory towns and increasingly cosmopolitan
cities. These women had the opportunity to settle into a life of economic ease and
privilege. Unfortunately, they didn’t necessarily move their familial and social support
system with them. Nora is fortunate she made her move as a married woman and mother
with a servant, Anne-Marie, who was her own nursemaid and reconnects with Kristine,
a childhood schoolmate.
Some bourgeois women did enjoy a measure of economic control over household expenses
managing small transactions to purchase household goods or arrange for services, per
their husband’s discretion. Wives could not borrow money or sign financial documents
without their husbands' formal consent, which creates the central crisis Nora must
face in Ibsen’s drama.
And as the “angel of the house,” a wife was central to maintaining the reputation
of her family and household. Scandal, debt or defiance of traditional morality threatened
a family's entire social and professional standing. Outward appearances and the perception
of others became incredibly crucial as people built lives in new urban communities.
Ibsen, in his A Doll’s House, explores how one such “angel in the house” steps out of the idealized role of wife
as her husband’s helpmate, darling, even muse. What happens when she opens that famous
door to first gain personal authority and then, eventually, personal fulfillment?
—Mary T. Christel, Dramaturg
About the artists
Kevin Long (Director) a 2015 Tony Award® nominee for Excellence in Theatre Education, is an award-winning Professor of Theatre
at Harper College and a nationally-recognized expert in Folio Technique. He co-authored
Bring on the Bard: Active Drama Approaches for Shakespeare’s Diverse Student Readers
with dramaturg Mary Christel. Kevin regularly presents his signature workshop, Shakespeare
Whispers into Your Ear, exploring Shakespeare’s language and theatrical artistry through
the 1623 First Folio. He teaches Folio Technique through Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s
Education Department and the Actors Training Center and presents workshops at theatres
and educational institutions nationwide. www.kevinlongdirector.com
Bill Brown (Assistant Director) has spent most of his theater years as a performer but is glad to be working on the
production side of A Doll’s House with such a talented cast. His favorite directing experience was Puccini’s Il Tabarro, where he also sang the baritone role and got to kill the tenor. He especially enjoys
performing as husband to real-life wife, Alice, in shows like Fiddler on the Roof, Enchanted April and Anna in theTropics, all directed by Kevin. Thanks to the staff, cast and crew who contributed to the
quality of this production.
Lauren M. Nichols (Set Designer), credits include designs for Writers, Drury Lane, Kentucky Opera, Milwaukee Rep,
Court, Paramount, Steppenwolf, Red Orchid, Marriott, Remy Bumppo, Peninsula Players,
Rivendell, Lifeline, Steep, Jackalope, Shattered Globe, Renaissance Theatreworks,
Victory Gardens, Village Theatre in Seattle, Metropolis, The Gift, Firebrand, Teatro
Vista, Raven and BoHo. "A Doll's House" is her 12th production with Harper College.
As an associate, she has worked on dozens of productions all over the country, including
those at Goodman, Juilliard and St. Louis Opera. A five-time nominee and Jeff Award
winner (2025). She is an adjunct professor at The Theatre School-DePaul University.
MFA Northwestern. Member USA829. www.laurenangeldesigns.com
Chelsea Lynn (Lighting Designer and Technical Director) when not serving the performing arts here at Harper, Chelsea plays with light at
several other venues. Favorite recent credits include Next to Normal and RENT (Elgin Community College), The Nutcracker (Rockford Dance Company), Annabella in July (Artists' Ensemble Theater), Urinetown (Rockford University), Proof (Harper College), Noises Off!, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and Private Lives (Metropolis Performing Arts Center) as well as numerous streaming and recording projects.
Her work includes credits with Music Theater Works, Artists Lounge Live, Chicago Academy
for the Arts and Circle Theater.
Jane DeBondt (Costume Designer) has been a professional costume designer/seamstress since 1994. She has designed and
built costumes for professional theaters and schools in and around the Chicago area
as well as Colorado. Her most recent productions have been GUYS AND DOLLS, GASLIGHT,
FROZEN, CLUE and THE ODD COUPLE. Jane is currently the resident costume designer at
Harper College. She is happy and grateful to be able to work with such a talented
production team.
Marc Beth (Sound Designer/Composer) is thrilled to provide sound and music for A Doll's House! Marc has been active in professional and academic theatre for over 25 years. He
has been sound designer for Metropolis Performing Arts Center (Young Frankenstein, Anything Goes); and projections designer for local productions and national projection services
(Into the Woods, Seussical). Marc is also a faculty member at ECC where he teaches music production. He wishes
to thank his amazing wife, Megan, for her patience and support and his four daughters,
Valerie, Leah, Evelyn and Charlotte for their smiles and hugs.
Lisa Giebler (Construction Coordinator and Scenic Painter) is currently the Technical Director for William Street Rep and Raue Center School
of the Arts at the Raue Center for the Arts in Crystal Lake. This is her eleventh
year working with Harper College in various positions, of which her favorite is making
magic happen onstage.
Mary T. Christel (Dramaturg) taught courses in theatre, film, creative writing and world literature at Adlai E.
Stevenson High School over a thirty-three-year career. Currently, she serves as dramaturg
for productions at Harper. A Doll’s House marks her ninth production in that role. She and Kevin Long have co-authored “Bring
on the Bard: Active Drama Approaches for Shakespeare’s Diverse Student Readers”.
Adam Milne (Stage Manager) is thrilled to be part of this production. A passionate storyteller, behind the scenes,
Adam has brought precision and heart to numerous regional and community theatre projects
throughout Chicagoland, including favorites such as Evita, Shrek the Musical and Next to Normal. He thrives on collaborating with creative teams to bring stories to life and thanks
his family and friends for their constant support. He hopes that you enjoy the show!
Blue Bailey (Assistant Stage Manager) Alongside General Managing for WHCM Harper Radio and stage managing, Blue is working
towards an AV Certificate here at Harper. They want to continue being backstage and
helping from the wings. While they take care of many people during the day, they also
foster cats in their free time with Feral Feline Project. Their current kittens are
Nile, Mississippi and Seine. All are named after rivers while the two others, Rocky
and Adrian, are named after the Rocky films.
Cindy Burrows (Choreographer) is a retired High School Theatre/English teacher and a current Harper College group
fitness instructor. She is very pleased to be working with Kevin (and Mary, a former
SHS colleague) on A Doll's House.
About the cast
Alice Pisani Brown (Anne-Marie and Assistant Director)
is back at Harper College working with Kevin Long for the fifteenth time. How fortunate
to appear onstage and assist the director and assistant director! Alice works with
theater companies throughout the Chicago area but is always thrilled to return to
Harper. Favorite roles include Daisy in Driving Miss Daisy and Lottie in Enchanted April. Love to Bill and the rest of the family, especially its two newest members, Emilia
and Vivian! Thank you, Adam, Blue and the rest of the crew and production staff. Well
done to everyone involved in this thought-provoking production. #GirlGang
Alex Chrisos (u/s Doctor Rank)
is a Chicago-area actor and filmmaker currently completing his Associate of Arts at
Harper College, where he founded the Film and Theatre Club. Through the club, he taught
and collaborated with students across the arts, fostering a space for creativity and
connection. He is excited to be part of this production and to create magic alongside
this wonderful cast and crew.
Xander De la Cruz (Torvald Helmer)
is a sophomore at Harper College studying musical theatre and making his first appearance
with the Harper Ensemble Theatre Company. Other credits include Zeke Baylor and U/S
Troy Bolton in High School Musical (Schaumburg Summer Theatre), and Ted in Peter and the Starcatcher (Redtail Theatre). He thanks his friends and family for their continued love and
support through his schooling and theatre endeavors. He would also like to thank the
Harper staff who made this incredible production possible, and he hopes you enjoy
the show!
Maya Gonzalez (u/s Kristine Linde)
is a freshman at Harper College studying fine arts and is elated to make her first
appearance with the Harper Ensemble Theatre Company. Other credits include Kathryn
Schaub in Radium Girls (Schaumburg High School), Anne Boleyn in Six: Teen Edition (That’s Entertainment) and Fate in Hadestown (Schaumburg On Stage). She wants to thank her friends and family for always supporting
her, and thank the cast, crew and directors for this amazing experience.
Charlotte Graziano (Emmy)
is thrilled to be a part of A Doll’s House! Charlotte is a 6th grader whose recent credits include The Wizard of Oz (Metropolis Performing Arts Centre), The Worstest Play Ever Wrote (Metropolis School of Performing Arts) and The Addams Family (Setting the Stage). When she is not on the stage, Charlotte enjoys dancing and swimming.
She would like to thank the production team at Harper College as well as her family
and friends for their support!
Abby Nahm (Kristine Linde)
is a sophomore at Harper College studying fine arts and making her first appearance
with the Harper Ensemble Theatre Company. Other credits include Dancer/Bandstand Singer
in Swing! (HOTT Productions), Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (HOTT Productions) and Sandra Bloom (Redtail Theatre Ensemble). She is delighted
to be a part of this production! Abby thanks her friends and family for their love
and support, and all the directors, techies and costumers for their hard work.
Jarrett Thomas Passaglia (Doctor Rank and u/s Nils Krogstad)
is making his return performance to the Harper Ensemble Theatre Company. Jarrett brought
the stage to life as Eddie Pazinski in Over the Tavern and Earth Spirit in The Tempest. Currently employed at Harper in the maintenance department and just wrapping up
a performance with the Woodstock Shakespeare Players. He is excited to be working
with this incredible cast and crew. He is dedicating this performance to his late
father, and thanks all his friends and family for coming to support him.
Emily Rose (Nora Helmer)
is a senior at Harper College, studying Theatre Education. She is thrilled to be part
of her second production with the Harper Ensemble Theatre Company. Recent credits
include Zoe/Cathy/TJ & U/S Sharpay in High School Musical, Scuttle in The Little Mermaid, Pearl in The SpongeBob Musical and Guys and Dolls at Harper College. Offstage, Emily is a princess performer, wig stylist and enthusiastic
hobby collector. She would like to thank the cast, crew and production team for their
hard work on bringing this show to life. She would also like to thank her family,
friends and boyfriend, John, for their endless love and support. Enjoy the show!
Enzo Rotteveel (Nils Krogstad)
is a sophomore at Harper College, is making his third appearance with the Harper Ensemble
Theatre Company. Previously in The Odd Couple and Guys and Dolls. He is a recipient of the Mary Jo Willis Theatre Scholarship. Enzo is excited and
thankful for the opportunity and wants to thank everyone who has supported him.
Kai Scordas (u/s Nora Helmer)
is a freshman at Harper College. This production marks Kai’s first performance with
the Harper Ensemble Theatre Company. With a passion for performance and a dedication
to developing their craft, Kai is excited to take this important step into the professional
theatre community. Through their studies and performance experience, Kai continues
to build their skills as an emerging theatre artist.
Miles Wendt (Ivar)
is a 7th grader and is so excited to join this cast in his first performance with
the Harper Ensemble Theatre Company. Previous credits include A Christmas Carol, Mary Poppins in Concert, and Music Man in Concert (Metropolis), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Big Noise Theater) as well as many youth theater roles. He trains with Cory Goodrich
(voice), Tina Finch (acting) and Eleanor Ekovich (dance) at Metropolis SOPA. Outside
of theater, he enjoys playing piano, concert and jazz band (trombone), choir and Science
Olympiad. He would like to thank his family and agents at Talent X Alexander.
Staff
Dean of Liberal Arts: Dr. Jaime Riewerts
Harper College Foundation Chief Advancement Officer: Heather E. Zoldak
Manager, Conference and Events Services: Daniel Miller
Performing Arts Center Technical Director: Chelsea Lynn
Lab Theatre Technical Director: Tom French
Auxiliary Events Technical Director: Rachel Hemm
The Saints Coordinator: Diane Adamsky
Event Operations Manager/Box Office Manager: TBD
Performing Arts Center Technicians: Sarah Agolli, Tristan Blus, Richard Bryant, Amy Cole, Jane DeBondt, Bill Franz, Tom
French, Daniel Green, Tim Jacobi, Chad Kurka, Alyssa Maslanka, Kurt Meinhardt, Adam
Milne, Matt Sears, Reese Shino, Trent Starzynaski
Chair Communication Arts Department: Margaret Bilos
Division Operations Manager: Marguerita Whitby
Director of Marketing Services: Mike Barzacchini
Manager of Community Relations: Amie Granger
Outreach Specialist: Paige Coe
Supporting The Arts and Harper’s Theatre Productions through the Willis Angel Fund
Large-scale musicals and plays are expensive to produce. The cost of everything involved
is staggering. While musicals are often more popular than non-musical productions,
the revenue earned through ticket sales has not kept pace with the ever-growing cost
to produce these shows.
Named after Mary Jo Willis, the founder of our theatre department who also generously
donated funds to become our first angel, we have created the Willis Angel Fund to
help support the work of our theatre department.
Your donation helps our students and our community experience the art of theatre.
It is through the theatre that we can connect with each other and see things from
new perspectives. On the wings of our angels, like you, it’s possible for Harper College’s
Theatre Department to continue its mission to create high-caliber, challenging theatre
for so many to learn from and enjoy.
