A Doll's House: Part 2 at International City Theatre

Lucas Hnath fans, rejoice! International City Theatre presents A Dolls House, Part 2, the Obie-Award winning playwrights bitingly funny, thoroughly modern, 90-minute sequel to Henrik Ibsens 1879 classic. This stand-alone continuation (no need to know the original) opens April 15 at ICTs home in the Long Beach Performing Arts Center, where performances continue through May 1. Two low-priced previews are set for April 13 and April 14. In the final scene of Ibsens groundbreaking 19th century masterwork, Nora Helmer makes the shocking decision to leave her husband and children to begin a life on her own. This climactic event, often referred to as the door slam heard around the world, symbolically marked the start of the fledgling feminist movement and instantly propelled world drama into the modern age.Hnaths play begins with a knock on that very same door 15 years later. Nora has returned, and its she who is knocking. But why is she back? And what will it mean for those she left behind? Hnaths smart comedy explores all the ways that womens roles have and havent changed in the 143 years since Ibsens play was first staged.The setup is theres a woman who left her family 15 years ago. Thats kind of the only information you need, Hnath explained in an interview. All of the things that were debated and negotiated in A Dolls House are still topics that are debated and negotiated now. So one of the first ideas that I had about A Dolls House, Part 2 is its a play about how much weve grown, and how much we havent, in terms of thinking about equality between men and women.Lucas Hnath is known for wildly original plays, including Hillary and Clinton, Dana H, The Christians, Red Speedo, Isaacs Eye, Death Tax and The Courtship of Anna Nicole Smith. He is a resident playwright at New Dramatists, and his plays have been produced or developed at Actors Theatre of Louisville, The Culture Project, Ontological-Hysteric Theater, Ensemble Studio Theatre and Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, among others. A Dolls House, Part 2 runs Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., April 15 through May 1. Two preview performances take place on Wednesday, April 13 and Thursday, April 14, both at 8 p.m. Tickets are $49 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays (except April 15, opening night, for which tickets are $55 and include a post show reception), and $52 at Sunday matinees. Low-priced tickets to previews are $37. To purchase tickets and for more information, including up-to-date Covid-19 safety protocols, call (562) 436-4610 or go to www.InternationalCityTheatre.org.