STORY BY KAREN BOSSICK

PHOTOS BY KIRSTEN SHULTZ PHOTOGRAPHY

In 1879 Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, considered the father of modern realism, created a scandal of sorts with his play “A Doll’s House.”

It revolved around a married woman who walked out on her family because she felt her life was “unspeakably empty.” The play, renowned for “the door slam heard around the world,” might have been considered one of mankind’s earliest feminist pieces—women just didn’t do things like that at the time. But Ibsen found redemption posthumously in 2006 when “A Doll’s House” became the world’s most performed play at its centennial.

Torvald, the husband played by Neil Brookshire, confronts the wife who walked out on him 15 years earlier.

Now, The Liberty Theatre Company is performing a sequel to the play, “A Doll’s House, Part 2.”

The 2017 sequel, by Lucas Hnath, takes place 15 years later with the infamous Nora knocking on the same door she slammed shut so long ago.

Now a successful feminist novelist, she’s returned to finalize her divorce from her husband Torvald and to see the children she abandoned. As she does, she—and the audience—are forced to reckon with societal rules, the nuances of marriage and questions of gender.

The play kicks off tonight—Thursday, Feb. 6—and runs through Feb. 22 at The Liberty Theatre in Hailey. And, no, you need not be familiar with Ibsen’s play to watch this one—it stands alone as a somewhat comedic piece with complex themes of marriage, gender inequality and human rights.

Nora, played by Aly Wepplo, suffers recrimination from the maid, her daughter and her husband.

“This play takes a modern approach to the problems of the characters in a period piece, with both comedic and dramatic effect,” said Director David Janeski. “This is a play about the price we are willing to pay for the things we want. The price is often highest for the first person trying to effect a change.”

The play stars Aly Wepplo as Nora, Annabelle Lewis as Nora’s daughter Emmy, Claudia McCain as the maid and Neil Brookshire as Nora’s husband Torvald.

Lewis said ‘A Doll’s House, Part 2’ is a very human play that deals with some difficult truths about life.

“The show offers a glance into the hardships women face when trying to find who they are in this world that provides them so many boxes and small places to exist,” she said.

Even the maid, played by Claudia McCain, has a beef with Nora.

The story is also one of hope, said Lewis: “Hope that through uncomfortable conversations and heartfelt curiosity, we will ALL be able to live our lives knowing we are free and safe.”

The play was nominated for the 2017 Outer Critics Circle Awards as Outstanding New Broadway Play. It received eight 2017 Tony Award nominations, including Best Play. Laurie Metcalf, who starred in “Third Rock from the Sun,” “Desperate Housewives” and “The Big Bang Theory,” won the 2017 Tony Award for Best Performance by An Actress in a Leading Role.

SEE THE ORIGINAL, TOO

Those who wish to review Henrik Ibsen’s original “A Doll’s House” may do so at a play reading at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, at The Liberty Theater in Hailey. The $10 reading will feature actors Rachel Aanestad, Courtney Loving, Ward Loving, Naomi McDougall Jones, Matt Musgrove and Joel Vilinsky.

Nora, played by Aly Wepplo, has discovered her own voice since leaving her family. But is she happy?

IF YOU GO…

“A Doll’s House, Part 2” will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 6-8; 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 9; 7 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 13-15; 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 16, and 7 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, Feb. 19-22.

The place: The Liberty Theatre in Hailey.

Tickets are $30 general admission and $15 for students, available at https://www.libertytheatrecompany.org/ticketing.