TCR announces auditions for A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, adapted by Joanie Schultz, and A Doll’s House Part 2 by Lucas Hnath, to be performed live, in repertory at Theatre Cedar Rapids’ Grandon Studio, February 23rd – March 11th, 2023.
Performances take place Thu – Sun, including afternoon matinees on both Saturdays and Sundays, in a festival format. See all A Doll’s House performance dates HERE. See all A Doll’s House, Part 2 performance dates HERE.
Rehearsals will start on or about the week of January 9th, 2023. Rehearsals will typically be held 4-5 days per week, to be scheduled weeknights 6:30-10:00 and one weekend day, to be determined based on cast availability and conflicts.
ABOUT AUDITIONS
Contact Courtny Rocarek (courtny.rocarek@theatrecr.org) with questions about auditions. If you cannot attend auditions on these dates we may accept a video audition. Email for more information. A perusal copy of the A Doll’s House script is available HERE. A perusal copy of the A Doll’s House, Part 2 script is available HERE.
- Audition Dates/Time: September 18th and 19th, 2022, 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
- Fill out an audition form HERE
- You will receive you audition time(s) via email 48 hours prior to auditions. Those who sign up after that window will receive your audition time(s) as quickly as we can.
- If your audition form is submitted after 11:30am Friday, September 16th, please email Courtny Rocarek (listed above) to confirm your slot. You may still audition, however you’ll be asked to join a later audition depending on the slots still available.
- On audition day – arrive at the TCR lobby at least 10 minutes before your scheduled audition time and you will be directed to the audition space.
- Sept. 20th, 2022 Callbacks We will let you know via email if you should attend callbacks by 10:00 a.m. that morning. Callbacks will involve reading sides in arranged pairings. Not receiving a callback does not mean you haven’t been cast. All auditioners will receive an email by the end of the week.
ABOUT THE SHOWS
A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, adapted by Joanie Schultz: In 1879 Nora and Torvald Helmer have the perfect upper middle class life and family. But when an acquaintance threatens to reveal an old secret Nora must make a decision that will change everything and results in the “door slam heard around the world.” This is a 90 minute, modern adaptation of the classic Ibsen play.
A Doll’s House, Part 2 by Lucas Hnath: It’s 15 years later and Nora returns to the home she once shared with Torvald Helmer to fix a small problem that has been unresolved for many years. In a series of conversations between Nora and her estranged family we see the aftermath of Nora’s big decision in A Doll’s House and how love, loss, and social norms are impossible to escape from completely.
ROLES AVAILABLE
The creative team seeks a diverse company of adult actors. Actors of all ethnicities will be equally considered for all roles and actors of color are encouraged to audition. All roles are open. Ages listed are “stage ages” so older/younger performers will be considered.
A DOLL’S HOUSE
- Nora Helmer – female-identified, 20-30s. Wife to Torvald Helmer, mother to (2 or 3) young children. Impetuous, playful, persuasive, but also capable of great strength and courage. Devoted to Helmer; loving, indulgent playmate to her children.
- Torvald Helmer – male-identified, 30s. Husband to Nora; bank manager. Loving and indulgent, to Nora, infatuated with her beauty. Newly promoted; fastidious, patriarchal, concerned with appearances. Minimal engagement with the children, but proud of Ivar, entertained by Robert and Emmy
- Dr. Rank – male-identified, age 40-60: longtime friend of Helmer, frequent confidant for and more than a little in love with Nora. A regular house-guest. Ill health, attributed to the excesses of his father.
- Kristine Linde – female-identified, age 30s-40s. Former friend of Nora, recently returned to town after falling on hard times. Previously married, now a widow, she spent many years caring for her brothers and her ailing mother. Now she’s alone and seeking employment, asking that Nora help her secure a position in Helmer’s bank. Previously spurned Nils Krogstad.
- Nils Krogstad – male-identified,age 30-40: Clerk in Helmer’s bank, and holder of a secret loan which Nora has been paying off, unknown to Helmer. Determined to keep his position in the bank; prepared to expose Nora’s loan if he is let go. Previously pursued Mrs. Linde.
- Anne Marie – female-identified, 40-50: Nanny/governess to the Helmer children; was Nora’s nanny before that. Left her own child in care to undertake Nora’s and her children’s upbringing.
A DOLL’S HOUSE, PART 2
- Nora – female-identified, 40-50s (left her husband Torvald and children 15 years earlier) she is impetuous, persuasive, independent, strong willed, spontaneous, possesses sardonic humor, and is savvy smart. A ‘free spirit’ focused more on her own needs. She is on stage during the entire play.
- Torvald – male-identified, 40-50s, (Nora’s husband, a banker) awkwardly rigid, control is safety, reputation is important, feelings are not to be indulged in, yet he possesses strong feelings beneath a veneer of stoic constraint that some might call constipation.
- Anne Marie – female-identified, 50-60s, (housekeeper to Torvald, who raised Nora’s children when she left her marriage) hard working, strong willed, no one’s fool, a ‘dry’ sense of humor, not easily intimidated by Nora, and possesses a heart of gold.
- Emmy – female-identified, 18-early 20s, (Nora’s daughter, was 3-5 years old when her mother left) poised, intelligent, quiet determination, and underneath her graceful polite presence deep waters of emotion churn.
What to Prepare
Please prepare to read any of the following sides from the script. No monologues requested but the team will listen if you have one prepared, pending time available after reads. If you would like to audition for both shows, please prepare to read sides from both scripts, however you may not be asked to read from both at your actual audition.
A Doll’s House Sides (script available here)
- Nora and Torvald: Start on pg 1 with Torvald’s line “Is that my little squirrel…” and end on pg 2 with Torvald’s line “I love you as you are, my songbird–my squirrel–my love.”
- Nora and Kristine: Start on pg 4 with Nora’s line “I read about your husband’s passing…” and end on pg 6 with Nora’s line “I think so too! And…I also have something to be proud of.”
- Nora and Krogstad: Start on pg 11 with Krogstad’s line “Excuse me, Mrs. Helmer” and end on pg 13 with Krogstad’s line “In that your father signed this bond three days after his death.”
- Nora and Anne Marie: Start pg. 17 with Anne Marie’s line “I found the box with your Italian costume.” and end on pg 18 with Anne Marie’s line “There will be no one at the party as lovely as you, Nora.”
- Nora and Doctor Rank: Start on pg 23 with Nora’s line “Dr. Rank! I thought that was you…” and end on pg 25 with Nora’s line “No. To tell me.”
- Kristine and Krogstad: Start on page 34 with Kristine’s line “Come in. No one’s here.” and end on pg 36 with Kristine’s line “Nil’s I have faith in the real you–I can face anything together with you.”
- Torvald mini monologue: pg 39 start with “Why shouldn’t I enjoy my dearest treasure…” and end with “When I watched you dance, I was on fire, I couldn’t take it–“
- Nora and Torvald: pg 42 start with Torvald’s line “I should have seen this coming…” and end on pg 45 with Nora’s line “It’s your fault my life has been a complete waste.“
- Nora mini monologue: pg 47 start with “I don’t believe that anymore…” and go through “That can’t be right”.
A Doll’s House, Part 2 Sides (script available here)
- Nora and Anne Marie: pg 10 start with Nora’s line “The house is….” and end at pg 15 Anne Marie’s line “…put the dog down”
- Nora: pg 24 starting with “we do a lot of things that aren’t good for us…..” to pg 26 “end marriage”
- Torvald: pg. 42 top of page “you left me”. to pg 43 “I wish I didn’t take it like I took it”
- Emmy and Nora: pg. 63 Emmy’s line “Hello.” to pg 67 Emmy’s line “you just left”
- Emmy: pg. 86 ” I actually think it’s good….” to pg 87 “…..mu brothers can go on living lives without you”
- Torvald and Nora: pg. 93 Torvalds line “I went to the clerks office…” to pg. 96 “Here take it”
About the Directors
Carrie Pozdol (Director, A Doll’s House) Carrie is an actor, director, and intimacy choreographer working in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, Iowa. Carrie graduated with a BA in Theatre from Simpson College in 2000 and then spent the next decade living and working in Chicago. She has collaborated with Red Tape, TinFish, MidTangent, Gorilla Tango, Pyewacket, and Appetite Theatres and had additional training with Annoyance Theatre and Acting Studio Chicago. Since moving to Cedar Rapids, Carrie has been seen onstage with Theatre Cedar Rapids, Mirrorbox Theatre, City Circle Theatre, and the University of Iowa. Carrie also directed the Iowa premiere of Cycle Play by Megan Tabaque for Mirrorbox. Since 2020, Carrie has been training with Theatrical Intimacy Education and Intimacy Directors and Coordinators. Her work as an intimacy choreographer has been seen all over the Corridor, most recently in Dance Nation and Mamma Mia! at Theatre Cedar Rapids and Henry V Riverside Theatre.
Caroline Price (Director, A Doll’s House, Part 2) Caroline is an Associate Professor of Theatre at Cornell College. Directing credits at Cornell include As You Like It, Complete History of America, Greek, Laramie Project and It’s a Wonderful Life. Locally she has directed for Riverside Theater, Kirkwood College, and she is thrilled to be directing A Dolls House, Part 2 for TCR. She has worked regionally in Boston, New York City, and Detroit as an actor and director. Caroline holds an MFA in Acting from Wayne State University. www.carolineleaprice.com