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Still relevant: 'Hedda Gabler' at Springfield Contemporary Theatre

Poster design courtesy Springfield Contemporary Theatre

Hedda longs to be free, but her desires clash with ingrained gender norms and society's institutions.

Sound familiar?

In Henryk Ibsen's 1891 classic, recently-married Hedda Gabler desires independence, power and equality. Are they within her grasp as a woman? It's a question we're still asking today.

Oscar-nominated screenwriter and playwright Patrick Marber created a dynamic new translation of “Hedda Gabler” for director Ivo van Hove at London’s Royal National Theatre in 2016.

Now Springfield Contemporary Theatre presents Marber’s version of “Hedda Gabler” in a production directed by SCT’s Development Director Jeffrey Mindock tonight through April 9 in SCT’s new, intimate Studio Theatre at their headquarters, 2025 E. Chestnut Expressway.

Jeffrey Mindock and Keisha McMillen, who plays Hedda, joined me on KSMU’s "Arts News" to talk about the production, and Hedda Gabler’s continued relevance in today’s world.

Randy Stewart joined the full-time KSMU staff in June 1978 after working part-time as a student announcer/producer for two years. His job has evolved from Music Director in the early days to encompassing production of a wide range of arts-related programming and features for KSMU, including the online and Friday morning Arts News. Stewart assists volunteer producers John Darkhorse (Route 66 Blues Express), Lee Worman (The Gold Ring), and Emily Higgins (The Mulberry Tree) with the production of their programs. He's also become the de facto "Voice of KSMU" in recent years due to the many hours per day he’s heard doing local station breaks. Stewart’s record of service on behalf of the Springfield arts community earned him the Springfield Regional Arts Council's Ozzie Award in 2006.