After four years of Houghton College’s only official college theatrical productions being musical theater and lyric theater, the college is putting on a dramatic play directed by a professional director. Over three performances from February 5th to 7th, Houghton students will present Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll House in the Rosemary Tysinger Auditorium at Houghton Academy.
The idea to organize an official college play originated in a discussion between faculty in the English, Writing, and Communications departments last year. Together, the faculty members wrote a proposal to use revenue from the Van Gordon Chair–the endowed chair shared by their departments–to hire a professional director and provide resources needed for a play. Once the proposal was approved, they advertised for a professional director, and ultimately hired Kevin Leary.
Leary is a professional actor and director who has performed in four national musical theater tours, and has directed several shows at the Lancaster Opera House. He is currently employed by the University of Buffalo as the assistant to the director in their arts management program, but saw Houghton as an outside opportunity.
“I knew that they were looking for something in a Christian context,” said Leary of applying for the position. “I don’t think that only means Jesus plays. It’s more about the social dynamic of plays, which could be a foray into a wider discussion about themes in a Christian context that the play has already dealt with. Theater exists for social justice and for the concerns of larger society in general.”
Leary and Houghton faculty members worked to choose a play that reflected these values, and would also challenge students. The play they chose, Ibsen’s A Doll House, was originally published and performed in 1879 in Norway. It follows the character of Nora Helmer – a woman who grew up depending entirely on her father, and now depends upon her husband, Torvald. The action centers on the fallout after another character discovers that Nora once engaged in fraud without Torvald’s knowledge in order to save his life. The play’s exploration of gender roles was considered revolutionary at the time, and remains a staple in the study of modern and contemporary drama.
“It’s a classic play, and one of my personal favorites,” said Douglas Gaerte, professor and chair of the Communications department, who was involved in the decision. “The ending is ambiguous enough that I think it can inspire some interesting discussion.”
Leary held auditions following Thanksgiving break, and assembled a cast that features four female and three male students. He also held interviews for a creative team of students, which includes a production assistant and marketing director, a dramaturge, an assistant director, and a stage manager. Once all of these roles were filled, he held three rehearsals the week before finals, and then officially began rehearsals at the start of the spring semester. While the majority of the cast has had little theater experience, Leary has worked diligently with them to develop their characters in an honest way.
“Kevin hasn’t been pandering to us because we’re inexperienced,” said junior Jakin Rintelman, who plays the character of Krogstad. “He’s been making sure that we’re on the ball and that we’re doing our best. He tells us to really live as the characters rather than simply pretend to be them.”
Assistant director Colleen Shannon, a junior with past theater experience, also praised Leary’s directing style as collaborative and challenging.
“He brings a professional, yet completely open and welcoming atmosphere,” she said. “He’s all about discovering those golden moments that are compelling. He really brings the best out of people.”
Students involved with the play have also expressed that this experience has been a valuable learning experience for them, whether or not they plan to go into theater as a profession.
“I’m learning how to utilize criticism to further my role as an actor, and how to listen to people around me effectively,” said junior Ava Bergen, who plays Mrs. Linde in the show.
With only four weeks of rehearsals, the cast and creative team of A Doll House have devoted a significant amount of time to creating a production not only for Houghton community members, but also for an audience that extends farther away. According to Leary, the team hopes to reach people as far as Geneseo and Olean. He believes it is an important play for this community to see, not just because it is a source of entertainment – which it is – but also because of its message.
“It’s such a pertinent story,” said Leary. “A hundred years later we’re still dealing with women’s rights and minority rights in a male-dominated white society.”
A Doll House runs at Houghton Academy February 5th and 6th at 7:30 p.m., and February 7th at 2:00 p.m. Tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for children, students, and seniors.