In March, The Studio Theatre™ Tierra del Sol (806 San Marino Drive, The Villages, FL) will open the fourth and final production of its third season with the play A Doll's House; by Henrik Ibsen and translated by Christopher Hampton.
Henrik Ibsen's 1879 masterpiece about Nora and Torvald Helmer's fragile marriage was a watershed moment in both theatre and feminism. As Christmas Eve approaches and purse strings tighten; the Helmer's discover that the façade of their perfect lives will crumble with the stroke of a pen. Seemingly carefree Nora must face the consequences of her darkest secret and the lies she told to save her husband's life.
Playing the lead role of Nora Helmer is The Studio Theatre's Artistic Director Whitney Morse. In The Studio's first season, Morse starred in Next to Normal as Diana Goodman and Cathy in The Last Five Years. Angela Allyn for Chicago Stage Standard hailed, "Whitney Morse gives a tour de force performance," as Diana in Next to Normal. Libby Champion of BroadwayWorld called Morse's portrayal of Cathy in The Last Five Years at The Studio "absolutely amazing." But it was her role as Claire in Proof, which won her a BroadwayWorld Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Play (Professional) in 2017. She then wowed sold-out crowds in the inaugural Summer Song Cycle Series while performing in Songs for a New World. In The Studio Theatre's second season, Morse starred as Frankie in Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, and in Company as a delightful Amy. Over this past summer, Morse accomplished a once-in-a-lifetime acting experience in the internationally acclaimed White Rabbit Red Rabbit by Iranian writer Nassim Soleimanpour. She also performed a one-woman run of fourteen sold-out performances for Tell Me On a Sunday. Of her performance as Girl in Tell Me On a Sunday, The Daily Sun said, "Not many people would be able to enamor an audience with nothing but their singing and acting skills." Before hitting the stage in A Doll's House, Whitney will pioneer the first of many events to kick off a new Lobby Lounge Cabaret Series at The Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center in My Knocked up Life, to a sold-out crowd this November.
Playing Nora's Husband, Torvald Helmer is actor Alex Jorth. Alex was born and raised in Davenport, Iowa and currently resides in Boynton Beach, Florida. You may have seen him on The Studio Theatre's stage already this season melting audience hearts in the two-actor musical The Story of My Life. Of his portrayal as Alvin Kelby in The Story of My Life, The Daily Sun said, "Jorth delivered an outstanding performance both in vocal and acting abilities." Jorth may also be a familiar face at our venue, as he graced The Studio Theatre's stage last summer, performing in Life Could Be a Dream as Skip, produced by Victory Productions. After The Story of My Life, Jorth will be in Naples for TheatreZone's special holiday production, Home for the Holidays before kicking off the New Year in the Maltz Jupiter Theatre's production of Mamma Mia in Jupiter. Alex is a Millikin University graduate (BFA Music Theatre), and also a proud member of the Actor's Equity Association.
The cast also includes: Peter Eli Johnson (Krogstad), Alyson Johnson (Kristine Linde), Lon Ward Abrams (Dr. Rank), Patti McGuire (Anne-Marie), Sarah Lockard (U/S Nora & Kristine), Heather Ard (U/S Anne-Marie), and Roy Hamlin (U/S Dr. Rank).
The Theatre Management and Creative Teams are composed of Artistic Director Whitney Morse, Producer Jason Goedken, Director Celine Rosenthal, Stage Manager Grace Zottig, Set Designer Kenneth Constant, Lighting Designer Eric Van Tassell, Sound/AV Designer Nick Erickson, Costume Designer Rich Najuch, Production Manager Danielle Paccione, Technical Director Clayton Becker, Master Carpenter Preston Speaker, Company Manager Autumn Encarnacion, Assistant Company Manager Layna Sasser, Props Mistress/Production Assistant Amber Sacks, as well as House Manager Grace Petty.
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