A Doll's House interview on WYPR

Today, WYPR's Maryland Morning show aired an interview with A Doll's House director Tad Janes and translator Vibeke Havre.

You can listen to the interview here. You have to scroll down a bit, we're the last item under "Tuesday, November 11, 2008."

Doll's House Act I Work Thru

On Sunday night we had out first run thru of Act I. There was a lot of stopping and working specific moments - which is a really interesting part of rehearsal - trying to figure out why characters do or say certain things and discovering new things about the play. And of course the logistics of the show - the timing of entrances, when do I have this prop, when should I cross over to the fireplace, navigating the set that is being built around us, etc.

Before the run thru began, stage manager Sarah Straw (right) goes over props with Vibeke and Gené. © 2008 Joe Williams

A view from the back of the theatre. Stage managers on the left, director in the middle, translator to the right and actors on stage. © 2008 Joe Williams

Director Tad Janes gives a note. © 2008 Joe Williams

Stage manager Sarah Straw and assistant stage manager Sarah Shulman. We are the Sarah's Squared! We give line notes, track props and take notes for the designers. © 2008 Joe Williams

Julie Herber and Gené talk through a scene with Tad. © 2008 Joe Williams

This is a serious play, but there are moments of humor. Vibeke, Reiner, Jim, and Shulman react to a scene. © 2008 Joe Williams

Jim checks a line with translator Vibeke. Minor tweaks are still being made to the script. © 2008 Joe Williams

Katy Kelly at MET

Katy Kelly, author of the Lucy Rose books, returned to MET last Saturday to see our stage adaptation of Lucy Rose...Here's The Thing About Me. She brought several friends and family members, including her mother and father, who both appear as characters in the play.

Ms. Kelly (center, with the pink shoe pants), poses with her parents (standing on either side of her) and the Lucy Rose cast.

9 o'clock Pigs!

The Comedy Pigs bring their hoglarity to the 9 o'clock hour! It's late night comedy for all those little piggies who can't stay up past 10:30pm.
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And for the first time, the show will feature an opening act - the improv troupe from McDaniel College - Danger Sauce!

The Comedy Pigs: Laura Stark, Tres Dillon, Paula Pitts, James McGarvey, Keith Summers, Anne Raugh, Denny Grizzle and Allison Lepelletier

Check out more details at the Comedy Pigs website or read the Gazette story.

Doll's House Update

Together with the rest of the nation, Nora is beginning to understand that borrowing money is not such an uncomplicated matter after all. She is desperately looking for someone to bail her out, while Krogstad is struggling to keep his job at the bank. Kristine Linde has been laid off, and has come to town in search for a new job and a better life, while Dr Rank is well aware that he is dying from cancer. In the background Torvald, Nora’s husband, thinks that life is just wonderful.

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As always, there’s a lot happening at the MET. Ibsen’s “Doll’s House”, which changed the history of theatre in 1879, is getting a contemporary, American makeover. Even though the play was more shocking in 1879, it is still a very relevant piece of theatre, and it fits surprisingly well into today’s American society.

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Tad Janes, Gené Fouché, Vibeke Havre and Michelle Simms warm up with the Doll's House kids. © 2008 Joe Williams

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Why modernize, you may ask, if it’s more shocking in its original context? A Doll’s House was not written as an historical piece; on the contrary, it introduced realism to the theatre. Ibsen wanted the audience to identify with the actors, and feel that the stage was an extension of their own living room.

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So, in Ibsen’s spirit, it was decided to translate the play into modern American. As there are no modern translations of a Dolls House available, the MET asked if I wanted to translate it into modern English. This was an opportunity I could not turn down. I started working on the translation in April, and by the end of July the first edition was ready.

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Vibeke talks about a scene with Lena Janes, Sophie Stratyner and Nadya Downs. © 2008 Joe Williams

On the 15th September I came Frederick and started adapting the play to modern American together with the cast: Gené Fouché as Nora, Brian Irons as Torvald, Julie Herber as Kristine Linde, Jim Page as Nils Krogstad, Reiner Prochaska as Dr Rank, Michelle Simms as Anne Marie, and the director: Tad Janes. First of all we have Americanized the text, all the time making sure that the character’s intentions are the same as in the original.

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Director Tad Janes. © 2008 Joe Williams

To make the play more appropriate for today’s American society, we’ve made some changes to the original script. Dr Rank is not dying from syphilis, as this illness is no longer as widespread as it was at the end of the 19th century. And instead of having the Helmers going all the way to Italy, we have chosen a country closer to the United States. As a result, Nora’s Tarantella has been substituted with another dance. These adjustments are all aimed at making the script more relevant to an American audience. Although it may seem like we have changed a lot, we have only added a couple of sentences to the original script, changed some words and cut some parts.

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Gené (Nora) and Julie Heber (Kristine Linde) rehearse. © 2008 Joe Williams

This Saturday we started working on the scenes with the children. We have 7 kids that will alternate, performing two at a time. We started by improvising the scenes with the children, who all are excellent performers.

This far the process of adapting the piece has been an absolute joy, thanks to great teamwork and the wonderful people at the MET. It’s great to see how the play transforms into a contemporary American piece of theatre!

- Vibeke Havre, the MET’s Norwegian affiliate

Team "A Doll's House"

A Doll's House has completed the first week of rehearsal! Here's team A Doll's House, all photos taken at the first read thru on Tuesday, September 17th:

Translator Vibeke Havre. © 2008 Joe Williams

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Director and set designer Tad Janes. © 2008 Joe Williams

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Gené Fouché as Nora. © 2008 Joe Williams

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Brian Irons as Torvald. © 2008 Joe Williams

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Jim Page as Krogstad. © 2008 Joe Williams

.Reiner Prochaska as Dr. Rank. © 2008 Joe Williams
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Julie Herber as Kristine Linde. © 2008 Joe Williams
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Michelle Simms as the au pair, Anne-Marie. © 2008 Joe Williams

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Sound Designer Tom Majarov. © 2008 Joe Williams

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Costume Designer Sherry Shaner

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Stage Manager Sarah Straw. © 2008 Joe Williams

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Not pictured are Props Mistress Lorrie Tripp (the only photos of her from the read thru are of the back of her head!), lighting designer Karina Wright and Assistant Stage Manager Sarah Shulman. Also missing are the children. The roles of Nora and Torvald's children have been double cast, so we have some kids from The Ensemble School who will join us: Nadya Downs, Lena Janes, Jackie Brinkman, Sarah Deleonibus, Sophie Stratyner, Elissa Dallimore and Amber Joglar.

Why would you want to update "A Doll's House"!?!?!

From MET Producing Director Tad Janes:
Originally, the MET company decided we wanted to produce "A Doll's House" and we were just looking for the right translation. After reading some of the "older, crunchier" translations (no royalties- there!), I started to veer off into some of the more recent translations because I thought they would play better to a modern American audience.
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CUT TO: Last January, the MET had our annual winter retreat in South Carolina and we had the honor of housing a "guest artist," Vibeke Havre a theatre artist from Norway who studied in London and was working in Barcelona. During the week, MET company members and Vibeke bounced games, exercises, philosophies, and fun around and we had a very productive, enlightening, and successful retreat.
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First rehearsals for all MET shows include a potluck dinner with cast, production crew and MET friends and a first reading of the script. For A Doll's House, MET board member Dan Kuebbing and his wife Sharon graciously invited us to hold this special night at their home. We had a fabulous dinner and a wonderful time being together. At the table, clockwise from the top: Kayte Williams, Tad Janes (director), Vibeke Havre (translator), Lorrie Tripp (props), Jim Page (Krogstad) and Joe Williams (documentation). Standing behind the table is Karen Paone.

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Soon after the retreat, the thought dawned on me: Instead of paying royalties for a translation, why not pay a translator? So, one evening at Cafe' Nola, a group of our company members sat around and discussed the feasibility of this idea. We knew Vibeke knew Norwegian, did her thesis on "A Doll's House" and was a theatre artist that we respected and one who shared our aesthetic. After some creative financing sessions, we realized that it would cost the MET about the same to bring Vibeke to the US to work on this piece as it would to pay for a translation. It would also allow the MET to "put it's stamp" on the translation and production, and open up possibilities for further productions of the script, both from the MET and from outside theatre companies. AND, it would give us a great opportunity to work with an international artist and create excitement for this 129 year old play!

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Around the table, clockwise from left: Gené Fouché (Nora), Merch McDonald, Milee McDonald, Sharon Kuebbing, Tom Majarov (sound designer) and Michelle Simms (Anne-Marie)

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But what about the "update?" Women have more rights now! It's not "shocking!"

Vibeke was really interested in the concept of updating the script to create a "modern American" version of the script. I became really interested in this concept as well! So, although the play is really about the empowerment of a woman- it's also about the family relationship and how traditional roles are changing. Some thoughts and ideas about how it might fit into 2008 would be setting it in a place like Saudi Arabia- where women do still play a much "lower status" role than men- but, we knew casting that for us would be difficult. Also, the thought of taking on the roles from "inside the trailer park" would work! But, we felt that we visited that often in last year's season.

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Jim Hochadel and Brian Irons (Torvald) chat on the Kuebbing's back porch. The view was amazing!

.But, do some women still have the "traditional role" in families these days? Are there families where the husband is an "Alpha male" and the thought of running a household without a wife terrifying? Do some women in today's society get married early, opt out of higher education, raise a family, have the "model home" yet find themselves trapped? Would a woman leave this situation?

Tom Majarov, Karen Paone, Mark Barnhart and Lorrie Tripp

.When we began to ask questions those and other questions, we find that this play can still be very accessible for a modern audience and would fit well in our current climate- not to mention issues like health care, the mortgage crisis, living beyond your means, etc.
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We settle in for the reading in the Kuebbing's comfortable living room.

How did you meet Vibeke in the first place? Actually, Vibeke was on a Rotary exchange. This is program where Rotary International brings people from other cultures to a host country for 4-5 weeks to gain an understanding of that culture. I met Vibeke through the Rotary Club of Carroll Creek. I was charged with showing her around Frederick and taking her to some the theatre venues. We hit it off because we found we had a similar background- although I grew up in West Virginia, worked in Chicago, now in Frederick; she grew up in Bergen, Norway, worked in London, and was now in Barcelona. We also both have a strong connection to ensemble based theatre.

. Gené Fouché, Julie Herber (Kristine) and Jim Page. Dan Kuebbing sits behind the couch.
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During her Rotary trip to Maryland, she kept changing her itinerary to come back to Frederick. Once to visit our ensemble Saturday morning workshops, once to see "Urinetown," and, eventually, Gene' and I would meet up with Vibeke and her partner, Richard, in Manhattan for dinner and a show some weeks later. We've kept in touch, and that year we invited her to the South Carolina retreat, but, she couldn't come. The next year she did! And that loops us back to the beginning of the story!!!

Playwright Julie Heifetz

From "A Sparrow's Song" playwright, Julie Heifetz:

As a passionate theater-goer, playwright and actor, you can imagine my joy in discovering that my new home of Frederick, Md. had its own professional theater. That said, I am enough of a theater snob that I was a bit wary of the quality of the productions I might find at the Maryland Ensemble Theatre. I should not have wasted one creative moment worrying.

Over the year and a half I've lived in Frederick, I have attended almost every production and have been thrilled to discover that the choices of scripts, the talent of company members was enough to make me very, very happy. My partner Jack and I have become volunteers, and in addition, have brought many of our weekend visitors from Philadelphia, our previous home, to see the show that has been playing. A journalist who covers theater in Philly, and a writer for opera news, and other sophisticated culture buffs, have been amazed, as I was, that our relatively small town has such a cultural opportunity as we find with the MET.

Because of the quality of this company, I am excited to have "A Sparrow's Song," a play that I have written, about to be produced by the MET. It's such fun being surrounded by professionals who want to reach for new and different experiences, and in doing so, provide much that is new to the community.

A thanks to everyone involved in the performance.
- Julie Heifetz, author of A Sparrow's Song

A Sparrow's Song

On Wedesday, April 3oth, the day before Yom Hashoah (the Holocaust Day of Remembrance), MET will present a staged reading of "A Sparrow's Song," by local playwright Julie Heifetz.

"A Sparrow's Song" is based on the true story of Janusz Korczak, a Jewish writer, physician, educator and director of a Jewish children’s orphanage in Warsaw, Poland before and during the Second World War. Dr. Korczak was beloved by the Polish people, Christians and Jews. When the Nazis came to deport the 200 Jewish children in the orphanage the soldiers recognized Dr. Korczak and offered the opportunity to have his life spared, but Korczak elected to go with his children and was murdered at Treblinka along with them.

Check out the Frederick News Post story for more details about the show and Ms. Heifetz.

The show begins at 7pm and will be followed by a panel discussion. Click here to purchase tickets

Finally Some Prom Photos!

Retro Prom 2008 was held on April 12th at the Talley Rec Center. We think it was our best Prom yet. Here are some images from the evening, taken by Jon Paul Duvall and Ali Lepelletier.

Roxi Starr (aka Susan Mele), our hostess for the evening and Mark Barnhart


Dr. Mark and Shawn Pitts (Shawn is the MET Board of Directors President)

Ensemble members Rona Mensah and Ken Poisson


Prom King Jim Hochadel and Prom Queen Helen Kerr have their first dance


James "Jiggy" McGarvey

The dance floor was packed all night!

Jon Paul Duvall.

Kayte and Joe Williams talk with MET Artistic Director Tad Janes (center)

MET Retrospective: The First Five Years

It's the MET's 10th Anniversary!
This past Saturday, March 15th, MET held a retrospective celebrating the 1st five years of MET-y goodness. We had lovely food from MET company member Lorrie Tripp, we got to see some familiar faces from years past, we watched scenes from our favorite shows from the first five years and even had some birthday cake! Thanks to everyone who came - it was a fabulous night! If you missed the fun, no worries, you can still come to the retrospective celebrating the 2nd five years of MET on May 3rd!

Tim King, who revised his Dr. Frank-n-furter (Rocky Horror Show)

and current MET company member Milee McDonald

Mingling!

Mark Joy and Ben Bowers chat about the MET

Mark Barnhart, Lorrie Tripp, Sophie Arrick and Karina Wright stay by the bar

Daniel Kuhn, Tad Janes, Kevin Corbett bring back the rap from The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged) with the help of audience member Joe Williams

Sophie Arrick, Rona Mensah, Robin Accetta, Karen Paone and Julie Herber do the "Stomp" from Skin Deep

Company member Rona Mensah cuts the birthday cake

Beach Retreat Recap #1

We're back from our annual beach retreat!
I know several people will be posting on the experience later this week. Until then, here are some thoughts from Vibeke, our guest artist from Norway:

20th January, The MET retreat-

I came all the way from Bergen, Norway to join the MET's winter retreat. I'm so glad I came! I've had such a great time, the best holiday I've had for a long time! We've played lots of games:
Cranium, Sing Star, Pictionary, Sing Star again, Guitar Hero, and more. We had two great workshops at the Holiday Inn led by Gene', Peter, and Julie, we've been for beautiful walks on the the beach every morning and night, we've been to Charleston, we've been to the IMAX, we've been to Huntington Beach, we've eaten really well- thanks to Mark and Lorrie and Southern Cooking, we've watched films, read plays, and I've been introduced to "Something Brilliant!"

I feel invigorated, inspired, relaxed, happy, and sad to leave. I suddenly remember why I'm working with theatre. I'm very impressed with MET, it's philosophy, it's people- I hope to come back! Thank you ever so much for inviting me, and being such great hosts!

With love-

Vibeke