Opening night of Notre Dame's Theatre Department was greeted by a packed house with the production of "A Doll's House" by Henrik Ibsen.
Auditions were only a month ago, but the production, staged last night, was extremely professional, said officials. The set design and the costumes depict Christmas Eve in the late 1800's in Norwegian home of the Helmer family.
Ibsen's drama unfolds with cast members, senior Clea Klagstad as Nora Helmer, junior Zan Rosenthal as Torvald Helmer, senior Katlyn Whittenberg as Kristine Linde, senior Jimmy Massengale as terminally ill Dr. Rank, and senior David Rivero as Nils Krogstad. Also featured were senior Amanda Noblett as nurse Anne Marie, junior Laura Legg as Helen the maid, freshman Megan Cobb as Emmy Helmer, and Ellie Newell, a 5th grader from Barger Academy of Fine Arts and daughter of Chuck Newell of Notre Dame's English Department, as Ivara. Maxwell Jordan, a sophomore, plays Bob the porter and is a member of both the prop crew and the set construction crew.
The Notre Dame Theatre Department is under the direction of John Lennon, who has led the Notre Dame theatre for seven years, and has twice been selected Outstanding Teacher in Tennessee by the Governor's School for The Arts.
A Doll's House will be presented Friday and Saturday evenings, Oct. 7 and 8, at 7:30 p.m. in the David Harr Memorial Auditorium at Notre Dame High School.
Tickets are $7 general admission, and $5 for students.