an enemy of the people

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opening

this performance marks a beginning.

an enemy of the people is presented here in an intimate setting,
across twelve performances,
as the first public life of this production.

our focus is on clarity.
on listening.
on allowing a classic work to unfold without force.

we believe the most urgent plays of our time
were written hundreds of years ago,
and that our task is not to reinvent them,
but to stage them with care, precision, and trust.

these performances are an opening gesture —
an invitation into the work,
and into what may continue beyond this room.

thank you for being here at the start.

duse productions

duse productions is a new york–based theatre company
dedicated to the clear and truthful staging of classical works.

our practice begins with listening —
to the text, to the actors, and to the room itself.

we observe reality and heighten it just enough
to reveal what is already present.

we value process as much as product,
and presence as much as polish.

this work is built through trust,
rigor, and shared attention.

our lineage

our work is guided by artists who believed
that theatre does not need excess to be powerful,
nor volume to be heard —
and whose ideas actively shape how this production is made.

eleonora duse sought truth through restraint,
natural presence, and deep humanity.
from her work, we take a commitment to acting
that is lived rather than performed —
where the actor does not play for the audience,
but allows the audience to witness something real.

this commitment is why we chose to name the company in her honor,
as an acknowledgment of her lasting contribution
to theatre and to humanity.

yevgeny vakhtangov embraced theatricality
without abandoning sincerity,
allowing imagination and realism to coexist —
what he called fantastical reality.
from this lineage, we permit play, scale, and contradiction,
while remaining grounded in truthful behavior.

henrik ibsen wrote plays that refuse instruction.
he presented systems under pressure
and trusted the audience to listen, question, and decide.
in this production, the text is offered without excess guidance,
placing responsibility for meaning not on the page,
but in the encounter between actor and audience.

we return to this lineage not to imitate it,
but to apply it —
here, now, and in this room.

a note

this production is offered as an intimate showcase
and the first step in a longer life for the play.

it is shared here in close proximity,
as a work still unfolding,
shaped by the presence of those in the room.

we are grateful for your attention,
and for the time you bring with you tonight.

about the play

an enemy of the people centers on a community built around a shared success — and the cost of preserving that success when the truth threatens it.

dr. tomas stockmann discovers that the water supplying the town’s public baths is contaminated. what begins as a scientific finding quickly becomes a social crisis. as economic interests, political power, public opinion, and personal relationships collide, the question shifts from what is true to what can be tolerated.

ibsen does not offer heroes or villains. he presents people under pressure — each acting from fear, loyalty, ambition, or conviction. the play asks how truth functions inside a community, and what it costs to stand alone when the majority decides otherwise.

the characters

(listed in the order they enter the world of the play)

katrine stockmann
dr. stockmann’s spouse. attentive, grounded, and deeply human, katrine navigates the tension between private life and public consequence, holding the family together as pressure mounts.

billing
a young journalist and lodger in the stockmann household. energetic, idealistic, and eager to belong, billing is drawn to big ideas but still learning the cost of standing by them.

the mayor (peter stockmann)
dr. stockmann’s brother and the town’s chief authority. practical and strategic, he prioritizes stability, reputation, and control — especially when truth threatens order.

hovstad
editor of the local newspaper. initially receptive to dr. stockmann’s discovery, hovstad becomes increasingly shaped by public opinion and political risk.

dr. tomas stockmann
a physician driven by conviction and faith in reason. his discovery of contamination sets the play in motion, placing him in conflict with the systems he believes should protect the public.

captain horster
a sea captain and ally to dr. stockmann. independent and quietly principled, he represents moral clarity unburdened by social ambition.

the boys (ejlif and morten)
the stockmann children. their presence reminds us what is at stake beyond politics and debate — the future shaped by the choices of adults.

petra stockmann
tomas and katrine’s daughter. independent, clear-eyed, and unafraid to question authority, petra reflects a younger generation testing inherited values.

morten kiil
katrine’s foster father. a businessman with a direct stake in the contamination, he embodies self-interest, calculation, and survival within a compromised system.

aslaksen
printer, property owner, and civic voice of “moderation.” aslaksen values consensus, caution, and the authority of the majority, even when compromise obscures truth.

the townspeople
neighbors, voters, and voices of the majority — collectively shaping the social climate in which the truth must survive or fail.

the artists behind the work

eleonora duse (1858–1924)

actor, innovator, human being

eleonora duse was an italian actor, one of the most influential figures in theatre history and a quiet revolutionary of performance. at a time when theatrical acting favored projection, gesture, and display, duse pursued restraint, interior life, and truth. she believed acting should be lived rather than demonstrated, and that the audience should be invited to witness something real rather than be persuaded. 

duse rejected makeup, exaggeration, and theatrical artifice in favor of presence and humanity. her work shifted the center of acting away from technique alone and toward inner necessity. the company bears her name in recognition of her insistence that theatre, at its best, is an act of honesty.

did you know: duse famously refused to be photographed in costume and often performed without makeup, believing it interfered with truth.

yevgeny vakhtangov (1883–1922)

director, teacher, bridge between worlds

yevgeny vakhtangov was a russian director and teacher whose work bridged realism and imagination. a student of konstantin stanislavski, vakhtangov believed that truthful behavior and theatrical play could coexist. he called this balance fantastical realism — a style in which heightened theatricality remains grounded in sincerity.

vakhtangov encouraged actors to embrace contradiction: seriousness alongside humor, discipline alongside freedom, realism alongside invention. his work reminds us that theatre can be bold without becoming artificial, and playful without losing truth. while developing his ideas, vakhtangov helped push stanislavski’s system forward, expanding its possibilities beyond realism alone.

this production draws from vakhtangov’s permission to imagine — to allow scale, rhythm, and theatricality to emerge from truthful behavior rather than imposed effect.

did you know: vakhtangov’s ideas influenced lee strasberg and helped shape the method, which remains relevant today and continues to acknowledge vakhtangov’s contributions.

henrik ibsen (1828–1906)

Playwright of Systems, Not Answers

henrik ibsen was a norwegian playwright, often called the father of modern drama, though his work resists easy categorization. rather than instructing audiences what to think, ibsen constructed social systems under pressure and allowed their contradictions to speak for themselves. his plays are less about heroes and villains than about people navigating power, loyalty, fear, and responsibility. 

an enemy of the people was first written in 1882. this production works from ibsen’s 1897 norwegian second edition — the final version approved by the playwright before his death. the text is presented in full, not to preserve tradition, but to trust its endurance.

ibsen believed the audience was capable of thought. we share that belief.

did you know: ibsen lived much of his life outside norway and wrote many of his most “norwegian” plays while in self-imposed exile.

meet the company

chiara aiello

billing

chiara is a manhattan based actress and playwright. she made her new york debut in the devil you know at the secret theatre. other credits include woman/sarah in love/sick, soloist in sing happy!, and #14 in the wolves. her original play, mountain men, received its world premiere at muhlenberg college in 2024. chiaiello.com

nina becker

katrine

nina becker is an actress based in nyc. born and raised in germany, she moved to nyc in 2023 and graduated from the new york conservatory for dramatic arts in 2025. nina speaks english, german and spanish.

lydia winter

hovstad

lydia was born in providence, ri and began acting at trinity repertory company’s young actors’ summer institute. in 2019, she competed in the english-speaking union’s national shakespeare monologue competition and placed in the top ten nationwide. she made her professional stage debut in the world premier of a new musical (goodnight sweetheart goodnight) at the wilbury theatre group. most recently she appeared as sonya in annie baker's adaptation of uncle vanya at the new england studio theatre. previously, she attended a semester abroad at the royal academy of dramatic art specializing in shakespeare in performance. she recently graduated from boston university’s school of theatre with a bfa in acting.

brooke hall

petra

brooke hall is a nyc-based actor originally from boca raton, fl. she is an alumna of the university of miami with her bfa in musical theatre, as well as national theater institute’s theatermakers. favorite theatre and film credits include: helena in a midsummer night’s dream (florida shakespeare theater), simone in money heist: the experience (netflix/fever), grace in soft. driven. mad (independent thriller short), and joan in solitary guitarist, 1865 (pbs film-maker tv series selection). when not on stage or in front of the camera, brooke can be found playing a chopin waltz on the piano or singing with her band live coverage. a storyteller with boundless imagination, brooke hopes her artistry will inspire change and growth! follow her journey at @brookerebeccahall on instagram or brookerebeccahall.com

cora riechert

the mayor

cora riechert is a graduate of the neighborhood playhouse school of the theatre in new york city. her stage credits include lady diana in 'a rose from england', martha in 'book of days', helena in a crossover production of 'a midsummer night’s dream' and 'the rocky horror picture show', gwendolyn in 'the importance of being earnest', and several nontraditional roles. raised in the washington d.c. area, cora has also lived in germany and taiwan and has been a new yorker for the past four years. in addition to acting, she plays the piano and flute and creates her own films. cora is thrilled to play the wily mayor.

mells tackett

ensemble

mells tackett is a new york-based actor who loves collaborative and storytelling. she is grateful to be part of this production and thankful for the incredible cast and creative team.

rokah sejour

ensemble

rokah sejour is a haitian-american actor based in new york. she holds a bachelors of arts degree in journalism from suny college at oswego. after immigrating to the united states at the age of 9, she found community and self-expression in the arts through acting, singing, dancing, and storytelling at her local church. her debut being ´angel number three’ in a play written by a friend, at the age of 16. her first official role came in the suny oswego production of ´In The cotton’ as ´linnia’ in 2020. she quickly gained interest in community theater, landing a role as ´miss casswell’ in a production of ´all about eve’ at the hardscrabble theater. fluent in haitian-creole and french, she is passionate about sharing stories that are multifaceted in their exploration of culture, identity, the immigrant experience, and the contradictions that plague the human condition.

kenslie young

morten

kenslie young is an nyc based actress originally from new london, nc. she is trained in the stella adler technique. favorite stage credits include the mayors wife in ‘bye bye birdie’ and ensemble in ‘the addams family’. ‘an enemy of the people’ marks kenslie’s nyc stage debut; she has previously performed in ‘tickets please’ at green room 42. she thanks god for all of his help and guidance on this journey, as well as her family and friends for their constant love and support of her craft <3 you can follow her journey @kensliecreates on instagram or at kenslieyoung.com

hyeju ahn

ejlif

hyeju ahn is a new york city–based actress and singer originally from seoul, south korea. she received her training at the american musical and dramatic academy (amda), where she studied musical theatre and acting. recent performance credits include aapi playslist: volume 1 at the green room 42, as well as shy of sure, a jukebox musical developed at nyu playwrights studio. hyeju is passionate about truthful storytelling and bringing emotional depth and sincerity to her work. she is excited to continue contributing her artistry and voice to the New York theatre community.

jake goris

ensemble

jake goris is a brooklyn based sag-aftra actor with years of experience in the industry. he has had roles in commercials, tv, stage productions and short films. he is beyond excited to be working with duse productions for the first time!

alice lee

aslaksen

alice is a new york city based actor with two years of training under her belt. she has previously performed in Incident 676: labyrinth as sunny choi and in various short films. "an Enemy of the people" marks alice aee's first theatre production with duse productions!

kelly madison wasser

captain horster

kelly is a nyc-based actress originally from park city, ut. she graduated with her bfa in theatre performance from westminster college (now university) in 2021, and recently graduated with her ad in film/tv from the new york conservatory for dramatic arts in may 2025. she’s been a part of many community theatre productions back in utah and is ready to step onto the stage once again with this production.

kendall maddox

morten kiil

kendall maddox is a new york based actress born and bred in los angeles, california. she graduated from nyu tisch school of the arts where she studied at the stella adler studio. kendall was recently in the film “i play rocky” and the short film “it’s all play.” she is excited to bring morten kiil to life onstage.

shannon trageser

dramaturg / casting

shannon trageser is a practicing dramaturg in new york city specializing in the historical literary analysis of nineteenth through twentieth century theatre. since graduating from the new school in 2023, shannon has developed a love for dramaturgy after working closely with directors on productions such as the moors (2023), taming of the shrew (2023), and blithe spirit (2024). she is more than thrilled to show you what the cast and crew have done with this era to reinvent it for a new audience. shannon would like to thank duse productions and sanio kurtesevic for the opportunity to help bring enemy of the people to life on stage. she wishes many congratulations to the cast and crew!

timothy gage

movement director

timothy gage is a new york city based director/choreographer and movement practitioner. off broadway: smile (associate). tour: a christmas carol, ellis island: gateway to a dream. regional: tuck everlasting, godspell, don’t dress for dinner (associate). he is a proud associate member of sdc. www.timothygage.com

scotto mycklebust

technical director

scotto mycklebust is a new york–based artist and playwright contributing to the new york theater community through his work on duse productions’ staging of an enemy of the people by henrik ibsen. his multidisciplinary practice spans theater, performance, music, and visual art. mycklebust’s original stage works include frankenstein & gaea: a high-tech tribal opera and metallic dog ballet, which explore narrative through experimental and multimedia forms. he has collaborated with influential figures in contemporary performance including robert wilson, john cage, laurie anderson, and philip glass. his work continues to focus on original theatrical projects that integrate innovative form with socially engaged storytelling.

ava cintron

carpenter/stagehand

ava cintron is a senior at marymount manhattan college and a scenic carpenter at the manhattan school of music

zeynep altinbas

lighting technician

zeynep is an electrical hardware engineer who has spent years in r&d labs and startups. long an admirer of the performing arts, this play is her first experience working behind the scenes with creatives. she's excited and grateful for the opportunity.

sanio kurtesevic*

dr. stockmann / producer

sanio kurtesevic is a new york–based actor and producer, aea-affiliated, with nearly a decade of experience in film and theatre. born and raised in bosnia and herzegovina, he brings a deep respect for language, ensemble, and classical storytelling to his work. sanio has studied the lee strasberg method since 2018 under the guidance of david gideon in new york city. his recent stage credits include black sheep at theater for the new city (ny) and the trojan women at jersey city theatre center. recent work includes producing and performing in an enemy of the people with duse productions, the company he founded to create clear, truthful productions of classic plays that speak directly to the present moment. (* Equity Member appearing with permission of Actors’ Equity Association without benefit of an Equity contract in this Off-Off Broadway production.)

avery lovell

carpenter / stagehand

cherish campos

carpenter / stagehand

Photos

donors

closing

thank you for being here tonight.

this performance is part of an opening —
the first public life of this work —
and it exists because of the care, trust, and generosity
of many people.

we are deeply grateful to our cast and creative team
for their rigor, patience, and commitment to the process.
to our collaborators and supporters
for believing in the work at its beginning.

this production is performed by two alternating casts.
each performance is shaped by a different group of artists,
and depending on the day you attend,
you will experience the play through a distinct interpretation.

and to our audience —
thank you for sharing your attention,
your time,
and the room.

this play continues beyond tonight.
we look forward to what comes next...

Actors' Equity Association (“Equity"), founded in 1913, is the U.S. labor union that represents more than 51,000 professional Actors and Stage Managers. Equity fosters the art of live theatre as an essential component of society and advances the careers of its members by negotiating wages, improving working conditions and providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. Actors' Equity is a member of the AFL-CIO and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. www.actorsequity.org

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