Asolo Repertory Theatre proudly continues its 60th season with Lucas Hnath's 2017 Broadway hit A Doll's House, Part 2. Helmed by longtime Asolo Rep favorite Peter Amster, this hilariously imagined sequel to the Ibsen classic previews January 16 and 17, opens January 18 and runs through March 31.

It was the door slam heard around the world: Nora Helmer did the unthinkable when she abandoned her husband, Torvald, and children to put her own happiness first. A Doll's House, Part 2 picks up 15 years later in the Helmer home where, in some ways, time has stood still. Nora, who has a successful career and exciting life of her own, returns to her former home in need of help from the man she walked away from. A Doll’s House, Part 2 is a poignant look at the ways women's roles in and out of the home have and have not changed.

"The brilliant Peter Amster has a way of making every comedy a fresh, fun surprise for our audiences," says Asolo Rep producing artistic director Michael Donald Edwards. "I am thrilled for our audiences to see his extraordinary vision for A Doll's House, Part 2; which is not only one of the smartest comedies that I’ve seen in years but also a compelling look at the evolution of gender roles and stereotypes."

At Asolo Rep, Peter Amster's productions are a highlight each season, including Born Yesterday (2017) and You Can't Take it With You (2013), which were both praised by the Wall Street Journal. His other work at the theater includes Morning After Grace, The Matchmaker, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Fallen Angels and more. His work has also been seen at Steppenwolf, the Goodman, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, ACT, Syracuse Stage, Geva Theatre and Indiana Repertory Theatre.  

"We are fascinated by Nora because the epiphany she has at the end of Ibsen’s original is so trenchant and volcanic," says Amster. "Ibsen’s A Doll’s House is a domestic comic drama up until the moment that Torvald reacts to the revelation of Nora’s forgery. From that point on, the character of Nora starts to expand. She makes a huge, brave, dangerous choice. And then she disappears. It’s like someone suddenly turning into superman and flying away. What does Nora experience after the final curtain falls? A tragedy? A romance? An adventure? Our imaginations are irresistibly pulled by Nora out that door." 

Real-life married couple Kate Hampton and David Breitbarth star as Nora and Torvald. Hampton returns to Asolo Rep, where she previously appeared in Fallen Angels, God of Carnage, Once in a Lifetime and more. Her New York theater credits include The Master Builder (BAM), All My Sons (Roundabout) and The Typographer's Dream (Clubbed Thumb). Regionally she has appeared at Florida Rep, Palm Beach Dramaworks, Peterborough Players, Williamstown and more. Breitbarth has performed in more than 80 productions at Asolo Rep, including Rhinoceros, The Little Foxes, The Grapes of Wrath, Twelve Angry Men and more.

Peggy Roeder plays the Helmer family's longtime housekeeper Anne Marie. At Asolo Rep, she previously appeared in Shakespeare in Love, The Grapes of Wrath, The Matchmaker, Good People and more. Regionally she has performed at Steppenwolf, the Goodman, Milwaukee Rep, the Muny and more. Third year FSU/Asolo Conservatory student Olivia Osol, who makes her Asolo Rep debut this season, plays Nora and Torvald's daughter, Emmy. 

For tickets and more information, visit www.asolorep.org