NORA, Bergman's Adaption of Ibsen's A Doll's House Comes to Manhattan Opening Feb. 23

NORA, legendary film director Ingmar Bergman's adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's classic play, A Doll's House, is coming to Manhattan for the first time in its 25-year history. The show will open at the 99-seat ArcLight Theatre in New York City on Thursday, February 23, 2006 for a limited, three-week engagement of 16 performances as the inaugural play of Test Pilot Productions (www.testpilotproductions.org). It will close on Sunday, March 12.

Ibsen's controversial play, written in 1879, centers on one woman’s personal struggle for identity … and opens a door onto a real marriage facing common problems. It is more startlingly relevant today than it was over a century ago. As a result of his creation, Ibsen found himself identified as a supporter of women’s rights. The Ingmar Bergman version, originally presented in Germany in 1981, is a psychological drama that “cuts to the chase” and exposes the heart of A Doll’s House since it eliminates minor characters and keeps only what is vital to tell Nora’s story. The Pittsburgh Public Theater first produced the play in the United States, as part of the couplet “Nora-Julie” (Julie being August Strindberg’s Miss Julie).

Pamela Moller Kareman (Director) served as artistic director of New York's Acorn Productions for five years and in 1988, their production of Bedroom Farce inaugurated professional theater at The Schoolhouse in Croton Falls, New York. During her years as Director of Summer Theater there, she staged a number of special events and introduced comedians Mario Cantone, Brett Butler and Caroline Rhea, as well as writers Jules Feiffer, Sybille Pearson and Hilma Wolitzer to Northern Westchester audiences. In 1997, The Schoolhouse became a full fledged regional theater and founder Lee Pope named Moller Kareman artistic director. During her years at The Schoolhouse (called a “professional regional theater of consequence by The New York Times”), she has directed numerous plays including Elizabeth Egloff's, The Swan, Talley's Folly and Serenading Louie, by Lanford Wilson, George Furth's, Precious Sons, Beth Henley's Abundance, Tennessee Williams' Kingdom of Earth, John Guare's House of Blue Leaves, Pride's Crossing and One Shoe Off by Tina Howe, The Cave Dwellers by William Saroyan, and George Kelly's, The Show Off.

Cast

Carey Macaleer (Nora) was last seen in the Indie film, Windows. New York City and regional theater productions include The Schoolhouse Theater production’s of Baby Dance, House of Blue Leaves, Cave Dwellers and One Shoe Off, Abington Theater’s production of Daisy in the Dreamtime, 30th Street Theater’s A Hat Full of Rain, Ms Trial and an evening of Dorothy Parker plays called Compatibles. Macaleer has danced professionally with the Philadelphia Dance Theatre.

NORA reunites Carl Palmer (Torvald Helmer) and Carey Macaleer. Carl played “Al” in The Baby Dance to Carey’s “Wanda” at The Schoolhouse Theater, where he also appeared in The Show-Off. Carl’s Off-Broadway credits include The Skin Game and Uncle Tom’s Cabin (Mint), Our Town (Transport Group), the workshop production of Texas Homos (Abingdon), When We Dead Awaken in the Ibsen Series (Century Theatre), and Carl’s one-man-show, The Nature of a Fool (Theatre at Holy Cross). Film and TV credits include The Sopranos, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Special Victims Unit, Ed, Third Watch, The Pelican Brief, and As The World Turns.

John Tyrrell (Nils Krogstaad) has appeared in the Broadway productions of Equus, The Merchant and The Miser. He has also toured in the National Company of Elephant Man. The Boston Outer Critics Award nominated Tyrrell as best supporting actor for the role of Streaky in David Hane’s Raving Demon. Recent television credits include Deadline, a two-hour documentary shown on NBC.

Sarah Bennett (Mrs. Linde) has had a featured role on NBC-TV’s Law and Order. Film credits include Messengers, Room 314, and the upcoming feature film Fast Track (This is That Productions). Off–Broadway and regional theater include The Glass Menagerie (Cap 21), The Show Off (The Schoolhouse Theater) and Friday in America (Victory Gardens).

Off-Broadway credits for Tyne Firmin (Dr. Rank) include the musical, Ministry of Progress. Other shows include: The Little Shop Horrors, The Maids, Rose-Marie, The Importance of Being Ernest, as well as The Schoolhouse productions of One Shoe Off, Prides Crossing, Only Kidding! and Abundance. Independent film work includes the award-winning BootCamp and Back Story.

Behind the Scenes

Maggie Bell (Stage Manager) is an artistic director with Invisible City Theatre Company, which recently produced the world premiere of Coronado by Dennis Lehane, author of Mystic River. Other New York producing credits include: Arcadia, The Cherry Orchard, Midnight by David Epstein (Best New American Playwrights 2003, Smith & Kraus) and The Beggar's Opera - Vaclav Havel translation.

Joseph J. Egan’s (Set Designer) New York City productions include Talley’s Folly, Happy End, Once in a Lifetime, and Ghost on Fire (T. Schreiber Studio), xx:love Act (Ohio Theater) and The Small Jewelbox (American Musical Theater Opera Company). Among his regional credits: Closer Than Ever, Two Rooms, Chapter Two, Relatively Speaking, Deathtrap and The Comedy of Errors (Fleetwood Stage).

On Broadway, Kimberly Matela’s (Costume Designer) talent has been featured in The Lion King, The Phantom of the Opera, The Music Man and Saturday Night Fever, in addition to The Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Recent credits include The Pod (short film), Unholy (feature film), The Show Off (The Schoolhouse Theater), Clara’s Christmas Dream (Off Broadway) and Big Love (The Actors Studio).

David Pentz (Lighting Designer) has worked extensively throughout Westchester County as lighting designer for The Schoolhouse, The Newman Theater, Chappaqua Drama Group, Pleasantville Music Theater and Irvington Town Hall Players. Musical credits include: Tommy, Cabaret and She Loves Me. He also designed the highly acclaimed production of The Grapes of Wrath (The Newman Theater).

Matt Stine (Musical Score) has designed and composed original music for all of The Schoolhouse Theater’s productions during the last two seasons. Other credits include original music for Carcass (Diaspora Theater Company) and The Dancer Who Wore Sneakers, the latest production from the Sasha Soreff Dance Theater group, which opened at the Alvin Ailey Citicorp Theater in December 2005.

NORA is the first New York production for both Stepanie Bayliss and Melissa Javorek (Assistant Producers/Box Office Managers), both students at the School for Film and Television.

Tickets/Performance Schedule/HIV+ Men’s Fundraiser

Performances of NORA are scheduled for Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 PM, Mondays at 7 PM and Sundays at 3:00 PM at the ArcLight Theater, located on the lower level of The Church of the Blessed Sacrament, 152 West 71st Street, New York, New York. The play will run 90 minutes.

Tickets are available online at www.theatermania.com. For further ticket information, call 212-352-3101 or 866-811-4111 (toll free). Tickets can also be purchased the day of the performance at The ArcLight Theater box office, subject to availability. Additionally, following the Sunday, February 26 at 3 PM performance, audience members can participate in a “show talkback” with NORA’s cast and crew.

Ticket prices are $15, with the exception of February 25 and March 11, when special fundraisers will be held to benefit The Blessed Sacrament Transitional Residence (BSTR) for HIV+ Men. Tickets on those two Saturday nights will be $40 and, in addition to the performance, will include a post-performance VIP after party.

About Test Pilot Productions

Test Pilot Productions (www.testpilotproductions.org) was created to foster, promote and develop theatrical and cinematic works of art that culturally enrich the community. It also acts as a catalyst to raise money for other not-for-profits that serve the New York City community. Test Pilot Productions will follow NORA with additional stage productions, to be announced in 2006. For further information, call Test Pilot Productions at 212-501-2853.