Stages Rep Begins DOLLHOUSE Regional Premiere Tonight

Eva Laporte directs the regional premiere of Rebecca Gilman's Dollhouse, a 2004 Goodman-commission adapted from Ibsen's A Doll's House. Set at the cusp of the economic downturn of the past decade, Gilman's Dollhouse explores the economy of a relationship in America. The play is particularly poignant in the after-math of the mortgage crisis and the continuing economic struggles in America.

The ending of the play, when Nora walked out on her family, was so shocking to Ibsen's 19th century audience that he, for a short time, changed his ending to have Nora stay with her children. He later called this change a "barbaric outrage," and returned his original ending to the play. Nora is seen by many to be a feminist hero, but Ibsen was examining the "need of every individual to find out the kind of person he or she really is and to strive to become that person," according to scholar Michael Meyer.

Director Eva Laporte says, "The audience may expect to root for a modern-day feminist hero in Nora, but they will be as surprised by the relationship in this play as Ibsen's audience was shocked in the 1890s. I am exploring the concept of the 'American Dream' and its impact on achieving a true and intimate marriage. What do we give up in order to have a lifestyle and present a picture of the family we desire?"

The play will run beside the annual Surround, a series of lectures and exhibits that examine the context of a play in Stages Repertory Theatre's season. With Dollhouse and Sondheim's Road Show, the Surround will explore the economy of the American Dream with an art exhibit, guest speakers and talk backs. For more information about the Surround schedule and events, contact Eva Laporte at elaporte@stagestheatre.com.

Dollhouse will preview tonight, April 3rd and 4th, and opens Friday April 5th, running through April 28, 2013. On Saturday April 6, 2013, Stages hosts its annual gala fundraiser, and there is no performance of either Dollhouse or Always...Patsy Cline on that evening. Patrons can purchase tickets ($21 - $45) at the box office, by phone 713.527.0123 or www.stagestheatre.com

Cast:

Norah Rachael Logue*
Terry David Matranga*
Pete Jon Egging*
Kristine Jennifer Bassett Dean
Raj Samuel John
Marta Michelle Elaine
Iris Melissa Molano**
Kids Julie Gleason, Maley Gleason, Isabella Morrison, Jackson Van Wie

Creative Team:

Director Eva Laporte
Scenic Designer Kirk Domer
Lighting Designer David Gibson
Properties Designer Jodi Bobrovsky
Sound Designer Phillip Owen
Costume Designer Andrew Cloud
Production Stage Manager Ashley Ginn
Production Assistant Zach Lewis

*Member of Actor's Equity Association
** Sam Houston State University Internship

Rebecca Gilman's plays include Spinning Into Butter, Boy Gets Girl, The Crowd You're In With, Dollhouse, A True History of the Johnstown Flood,The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Blue Surge, and The Glory of Living. Her plays have received numerous productions at regional theatres and abroad, including productions at the Goodman Theatre, The Royal Court Theatre, Lincoln Center Theatre, The Public Theater, Manhattan Theatre Club, New York Theatre Workshop, and Manhattan Class Company. She is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, The Prince Prize for Commissioning New Work, The Roger L. Stevens Award from the Kennedy Center Fund for New American Plays, The Evening Standard Award for Most Promising Playwright, and The George Devine Award. Ms. Gilman was named a finalist for the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for her play, The Glory of Living. The film adaptation of Spinning Into Butter was released in 2009, starring Sarah Jessica Parker.

Eva Laporte works in the theatre as an actor, director and teacher. A California native, she holds a degree in acting from the University of Northern Colorado, and has studied at The National Theatre Conservatory in Denver, the National Theater Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Center, the Moscow Art Theatre School and the Royal Shakespeare Company. Seen on Houston stages at Stages Repertory Theatre, Main Street Theater, Classical Theatre Company, and Texas Repertory Theatre, very favorite performances on the stage include Sonya in Uncle Vanya (Classical Theatre Company), Laura in The Glass Menagerie (Little Theater of the Rockies and Classic Theatre of San Antonio), Lucy in Mr. Marmalade (Attic Rep at Trinity), Julie Jordan in Carousel and Margy in State Fair (The Playhouse), Sally Brown in You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, Sister James Doubt and Louise in The Underpants (The Church).

As a director, Eva works nationally with new plays in development, with playwrights such as Mark Medoff, Caridad Svich, Edward Albee and Philip Edward Dawkins, and in devised work. Favorite work includes Mary Zimmerman's Metamorphoses, Brilliant Traces, POST: The Coitus Plays, Once More With Feeling: A Power Play, I Love You Because, The Dancers, and The Lysistrata Project at the Moscow Art Theatre, a performance that included American, Israeli, and Russian actors for the peace project on 03.03.03.

As an educator, she coordinates the Stages' education programs and internships, and directs the Young Actors Conservatory, a free 160-hour intensive for high school theatre artists that culminates in a devised work each summer. Eva has served as the artistic director for the Jefferson County Summer Theatre program in Denver, CO, bringing together high school students to produce original musicals, including a piece from the students at Columbine. Eva has served on the board of directors for Wordsmyth Theater Company, and is a consultant on theatre for social change with the School of Nations in Guyana. She works by day as the Director of Education and Communications at Stages Repertory Theatre.

Characterized by courage, generosity, ingenuity, and intimacy, Stages Repertory Theatre advances theatre and enlivens culture by producing new work, interpreting established work in new ways, and nurturing talent for the performing arts field. In addition to its MainStage season of plays, Stages introduces young audiences to the power and magic of live theatre through a range of additional education programs. Outreach programs such as the annual Surround encourage conversation about important ideas and issues, provide insight into other cultures and viewpoints, and help develop the next generation of citizens, artists and audiences. Now celebrating its 35th season, Stages is a member of the Fresh Arts Coalition and a constituent of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national service organization for not-for-profit theatres. Stages operates under an agreement with Actor's Equity Association (AEA), the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.

Stages Repertory Theatre is located at 3201 Allen Parkway (one block west of Waugh Dr.)
Theatre entrance on Rosine St. (Parking available on D'Amico).

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