Dollhouse Author: Rebecca Gillman

By: Khushbu Bhakta, Angela Carrington, Amanda Diaz, and Maria Sifuentes

Director

Nora Helmer• She will be played by Rachel McAdams. I chose

this actor, because she can play a wife really well, and her character can be carefree, like from the love movies she been in like, About Time, and also the Notebook. But she also has this fierce materialistic side to her, which lets her use her physical appearance to manipulate others; an example of this is when she plays in Mean Girls.

• The main character of the performance, she is a wife and mother of the home. Nora is also the main problem of the story, since she has a careless need to shop and spend money, and lies in order to not get in trouble. Nora’s personality is very two-faced and she can’t seem to get herself together when all her lies start to unravel.

Terry Helmer• Male lead, Played by Joseph Morgan. Reason why I

chose this actor is because he does really well at playing a rude arrogant personality, like the characters he plays in a television show he stars in called Vampire Diaries and also the film Immortals. That can also be seen as the leader of the group.

• Terry is the man of the Helmer home and is also the only one that work in the family. He works in a bank and actually was promoted in the story to a higher position. On the outside he was a strong man that can bring home the money, but he is a weak man that cannot live without the company of those he has taken for granted. This is proven in the end of the story when Nora almost walks out.

Raj Patel• Raj- is a male character that will be played by Irrfan

Khan. This actor has been features where he would play a very creepy suspicious character that had nothing but bad going on, like in The Amazing Spider-man

• Raj is known to be the antagonist of the story. He had a very complicated time in college when it came to fitting in, so he would change a few things about himself, just to fit in. His rage for not being the one part of the team, Raj decided to use his brain to get himself the success and popularity he wanted. But the way he got there was sketchy, and in the story began to backfire. He blackmails Nora, since he was one that gave her the enormous loan that she needed and try to make Terry’s life more miserable than ever. But throughout it all, there was one person that understood him, and that was Kristine.

Kristine Linde• She will be played by Lucy Liu. Reasons why I

chose this actress to play this character, is because Lucy does really well in acting out parts that are mature in situations, like she would in Charlie’s Angel’s. She also would look good as a working woman.

• She is the best friend of the lead. Kristine is the kind of character that cares about what everyone else is doing and wants to stay true to who she was. Kristine is the one that Nora turns to for help, and reveals just the kind of person she really is. Kristine cares for Nora, but believes that there are better ways to make money. And that is with hard work. In a way Kristine is the hero of the conflict. In the end of the story, she is the one that stops the love of her life, Raj from making the biggest mistake of his life and saves Nora from getting into a deeper hole than she needs to be.

Pete • He would be play by James Franco. James

Franco is a character in most of his movies, and that is who I see Pete.

• Pete is known to being Terry’s right hand man and best friend. Pete is a humor, but the kind soul that everyone that most people turn to. Pete is, in a way, the puppy of the story. He would always be there for his two friends, Terry and Nora. But when it came down to true feelings, Pete had his eyes set on Nora. He loved her and wanted her for himself, but he wasn’t the guy to get the girl. He is also a ticking time bomb. At times he would let all the nonsense around him go and assume that it was all okay, but then later on, he would explode and let it all he felt out. This sort of action is shown in act 3, after the New Year’s party.

Theme

The theme of the play is in money ways is money power. In the story, the husband and wife are driven into a tense situation of distrust toward each other. Then there is the situation between the two new found lovers, Kristine and Raj. Raj wanted to be successful and rich, so that he would be able to impress Kristine into falling for him. When in the end there was no need, since she was already in love with him anyways, and she believed in making her own money anyways. Also there seemed to be a major situation of bankruptcy in the story as well in three difference situations. The power of money is not shown to be a positive theme in the story and in the end can prove to tear a family apart.

Location of Performance

• Since the story is set in more than one area, it would be best if the performance was taken place in a Proscenium stage, since there would not only be more space, but also a frame to limit as well. A Black-box theatre would be too small for this play and there would need to scene change every 15 minutes. Also the frame would keep everyone facing the stage, and not on anything else.

The Main SPINE and STYLE

• The main Spine for this play is to keep the secrets hidden. Reason why is because, through out the whole play, the Nora is trying to keep her debt problem from Terry. And this brings some of their friends into the problem as well.

• The main Style of the play is a realistic comedy that has some Absurddism in it. The money situation that goes on through out the play can be relatable to most of the audience. While the dialogue and actions between the characters is very funny as well. The whole situation in keep this situation from the husband seems very unlikely though. To keep such a lie to the end and not care about the people you hurt.

Summary

Take place in the 20th century, 2004 Chicago, during the holiday season, Dollhouse is about a married couple of three children that struggle to keep their money in order in a condo home that they were barely able to pay for. With money being tight, the house wife Nora Helmer is having a hard time the holidays as festive as they usually are, and the husband is trying to work as much as he can to make sure he can provide for the family. Meanwhile, old friends from college come back and make things a lot more complicated for the Helmer couple. Nora has a debt she needs to pay off to an friend, Raj Patel, that Terry does not know about and Terry is trying make sure he can keep his new position as his job. With Raj breathing down both their necks, Nora and Terry show their true colors as an all American family.

Setting

Setting

• The family lives in a condo located in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago. The house has a open floor plan with the kitchen opening into the living room and dining area. The home has fireplace, and a leather sofa and chair sit in front of the fireplace. The house also have built-in bookcases, and some books, and lot of photos. There is a Christmas tree place in the corner with lots of gifts.

Fireplace

Kitchen

Living Room with Book shelf

Dining Room

Christmas Tree

Location: Chicago

Lights

This play takes play during two different times of

day.

Act I and III take place during night time. Act I around dinner time the

Saturday before Christmas and Act III around midnight

New Years Eve

Act II takes place in the afternoon around lunch time on December 30th

I would use the lights in the scene shown above during the acts taking place at night. The white light seems very fitting for inside of a house while the blue background signifies the outside setting.

During Act II I would like to use the light colors in this the picture above. Of course it would be behind a set which would make it less bright and make it look like natural sunlight. I would also use the same white light from the night time picture.

During more serious, emotional

scenesDuring the scenes between Raj and Nora when he threatens her I would like to fade the lights around them just slightly so they will be in a sort of faded spot light which will bring everyone's attention to them. Bringing all attention to them will trigger emotions from the audience making them feel the tension and the seriousness of the conversation being held. They will be able to connect with the actors and the story better.

Costumes]

Costume Normal

Nora Helmer Terry Helmer

clothes from target and TJ Max and Marshalls

Suite and tie or sweats and jeans

Normal Costume

Pete Kristine Linde

Costume New Year’s party

Nora Helmer Terry Helmer

Costume New Year’s party

Pete