Henrik Ibsen Playwright

Amy Herzog Adapter

Ron OJ Parson * ~ + Director

Cast

Will Allan * + Dr. Thomas Stockmann

Behzad Dabu * + Peter Stockmann

Charles Andrew Gardner * + Captain Horster

Kenneth Hamilton * Billing

Anish Jethmalani * + Aslaksen

Grayson Kennedy Hovstad

Campbell Krausen Petra Stockmann

David Parkes * + Morten Kiil

Production Team

John Culbert # ^ Scenic Designer

André J. Pluess # ^ Sound Designer

Maren Robinson + Dramaturg
Christine Pascual # Costume Designer
Brandon Wardell # Lighting Designer
Nicolas Bartleson Properties Designer
Olivia Sullam * Stage Manager
Gianni Carcagno Assistant Stage Manager

Understudies

Piper Jean Bailey Petra Stockmann

Matthew Collins Dr. Thomas Stockmann

Nathan Daniel Goldberg Hovstad

Paul Murray Aslaksen/Morten Kiil

Adam Schulmerich Peter Stockmann

Joshua David Thomas Billing/Captain Horster

Features

Broadway World

May 1, 2026

“It’s a singular event. It will never happen again. We love history at TimeLine, and this is a moment in Chicago theatre history. It’s very special to be a part of.”

—Angela Lin

Read the full feature

Reviews

Chicago Tribune

May 15, 2026

★★★★ (out of 4)

“A masterful first play in TimeLine’s new home … you watching something that moves with Aaron Sorkin-like currency but is underpinned by the old-school honesty and vulnerability we associate with top-tier Chicago theater.z’

“[This] fast-moving, high-stakes production emphasizes all of the qualities that have led this bold, 30-year-old company to this affirmative new home: Its stellar, ensemble-based, Chicago-style acting, its clarity of purpose, respect for an audience, unpretentiousness and deep commitment to truth.”

—Chris Jones

Let's Play Theatrical Reviews

May 15, 2026

★★★★ (out of 4) “Outstanding … this play highlights [Ron OJ] Parson’s strength as a director, with its smooth flow and captivating storytelling making it a must-see experience. … Noted for its streamlined modern script and masterful condensation of Ibsen’s drama into a “lean and mean” modernization, Herzog stays true to the original plot, while making a few subtle changes to better suit today’s audience.”

“TimeLine Theatre has embarked on an exciting journey, and if the past is any indication, this marks merely the beginning of a remarkable era of exceptional theater in Uptown.”

—Rick McCain

Around The Town Chicago

May 15, 2026

“Sheer perfection…[featuring] a magnificent performance by Will Allan…when Doctor Stockmann takes the floor, he truly takes over the theater as well. Directed by Ron OJ Parson, on a set designed by John Culbert, in this glorious new venue, the audience becomes spellbound by the political atmosphere that almost feels as if this is current.”

—Alan Bresloff

The Fourth Walsh

May 15, 2026

“Writing, directing, acting, An Enemy of the People has it all! On an impressive set by Scenic Designer John Culbert, this theatrical experience is relevant and entertaining. I highly recommend getting a ticket to the inaugural production at TimeLine’s new beautiful Uptown home.”

—KT Walsh

Buzz Center Stage

May 15, 2026

“TimeLine Theatre unveils their chic, new Uptown home with its inaugural production—Henrik Ibsen’s ever-relevant An Enemy of the People. A streamlined text by acclaimed playwright Amy Herzog cuts right to the bone in this fast-paced version straight from Broadway.”

“TimeLine’s glow up from Wellington to North Broadway is something to marvel at. Uptown has gained a Steppenwolf-level theater. Legendary Chicago director Ron OJ Parson brings a certain sophistication well deserving of this sleek 250-seat theater. Everything is just right here. John Culbert’s stylish set and stage magic really fills this gorgeous new performance space. Uptown really is quite lucky to have this wonderful new theater in its backyard.”

—John Accrocco

Chicago Stage and Screen

May 15, 2026

“In the hands of gifted director Ron OJ Parson, this period piece (set in late 1800’s in a small town in Norway) is absolutely ripped from our American headlines…This is a signature production of this masterpiece and it will ask you how far would you go to do the right thing? Don’t miss it.”

—Angela Allyn

Chicago Theatre Review

May 15, 2026

“Although the play’s set in the nineteenth century, the subject seems ripped from today’s headlines. It’s beautifully adapted and professionally produced with forthrightness and honesty. And the talented cast features eight incredibly charismatic actors who bring history to life.”

“TimeLine Theatre Company’s exciting, inaugural production in their shining, new theatre, is a bonafide hit. An Enemy of the People will always be remembered as the magnificent production that celebrated the opening of TimeLine Theatre’s new home.”

—Colin Douglas

Curtain Call Chicago

May 16, 2026

★★★★ “Under Ron OJ Parson’s talented and seasoned directive hand, this adaptation moves with a clarity and force; the ensemble cast under his direction makes the production feel less like a period drama it is, and gives it life as a contemporary argument about the civic cost of honesty. And THIS, my friends, is what TimeLine has been doing as its driving mission for the last 30 years. Congratulations TimeLine on an exemplary opening production!”

—Paul Lisnek

Rachel Weinberg Reviews

May 16, 2026

“[A] sizzling staging of An Enemy of the People…this is an absolutely beautiful production to open TimeLine’s new space. It’s a spectacular programming choice — and with Allan at the helm as Dr. Stockmann — Parson has magnificently cast an ensemble of TimeLine Company Members and new additions to bring the urgency and the emotional heft of Herzog’s adaptation to life.”

—Rachel Weinberg

Third Coast Review

May 16, 2026

★★★1/2 (out of 4) “TimeLine’s first presentation in its new home is a dramatic, stylish production of a classic play, Henrik Ibsen’s 1882 An Enemy of the People, adapted for contemporary ears by Amy Herzog.”

—Nancy S. Bishop

Chicago On Stage

May 17, 2026

“One of the strongest shows in town…The acting is universally outstanding, as is expected from a TimeLine show, especially one directed by Parson. And the show fairly zips along: it’s only two hours long. Ibsen is a witty writer known for dark dramas, and here he creates characters who are complex and understandable…and thoroughly modern.”

—Karen Topham

PicksInSix

May 17, 2026

“The opening production—the Chicago premiere of Amy Herzog’s new version of Henrik Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People superbly directed by TimeLine Company Member Ron OJ Parson—teams veteran TimeLine talent with exciting new actors to present a riveting drama that feels fresh, edgy and of-the-moment…[Will] Allan’s raw, passionate and finely nuanced portrayal of Stockmann brims with confidence and turns with powerful conviction.”

—Ed Tracy

Broadway World

May 18, 2026

“New home, same high-quality productions. TimeLine Theatre Company is inaugurating its new theater in Uptown in an impressively dynamic production of when truth and power collide and personal convictions are put to the test…The entire production is masterful, from the gripping performance by the entire cast to Parson’s pacing and direction of Herzog’s contemporary script that help bring this period piece into the present.”

—Angela Lin

Allie and The After Party

May 18, 2026

“TimeLine has accomplished its mission with this show of finding a historical play that very much connects to today having been through epidemics and cries of fake news only too recently. An Enemy of the People is explosive, timely, and meaningful. It’s a message to stay strong and depend on your community around you even as you face the haters. For those that are looking for a perfectly balanced, poignant, two act-show, An Enemy of the People would be an excellent fit for you.”

—Allie Bugajski

Newcity

May 20, 2026

“It’s amazing how well An Enemy of the People, written in 1882 by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen, holds up. It’s not enough to say the play is relevant—it feels like it could have been written tomorrow. The acting by the entire ensemble is powerful and energetic. Particularly striking are the family relationships—Allan and Dabu really seem like brothers who have been fighting their whole lives.”

—Mary Wisniewski

Daily Herald

May 20, 2026

★★★★ (out of 4) “Director Ron OJ Parson’s brisk, passionate, impressively acted production builds quietly and deliberately…the ever-resonant 1882 play about power elites choosing profits over people, politics over principles and self-interest over everything else is as timely as today’s headlines.”

—Barbara Vitello

Chicago Reader

May 21, 2026

“Amy Herzog’s adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s 19th-century drama contains wit, pathos, and passion… as anyone who has followed TimeLine knows, they don’t need star casting to pull off transcendent shows. And this production, directed by Ron OJ Parson, features a terrific ensemble that finds the humor, pathos, and grit in the characters.”

—Kerry Reid

Hyde Park Herald

June 1, 2026

“I’ve seen several productions of An Enemy of the People, and TimeLine’s strikes me as the most accessible so far…using the new version by Amy Herzog, which premiered on Broadway in 2024, director Ron OJ Parson and his first-rate ensemble make a play that was written in 1882 seem like it was ripped from today’s headlines.”

—Anne Spiselman

Stage and Cinema

May 27, 2026

“A superb production of Ibsen’s classic finds unsettling echoes in the present day…Herzog’s translation lives up to the hype and then some. This is an especially sharp, fast-paced work: lean and taut…Chicago theatre veteran Ron OJ Parson directs with his customary excellence. The cast is splendid. Really, everything is firing on all cylinders.”

— C.J. Fernandes

Werner's Theatre Reviews

May 16, 2026

“Director and TimeLine Company Member Ron OJ Parson delivers a production filled with urgency and momentum…as the company begins a new chapter in its Uptown home, An Enemy of the People stands as a bold production to open this era — one leaving audiences shaken, reflective, and painfully aware of how little has changed in the world around us.”

—Emily Werner

Chicago Sun-Times

May 16, 2026

★★★ (out of 4) “A Tony-winning adaptation of the Henrik Ibsen play about small town corruption is a fitting choice for the new TimeLine — and the era we live in…masterfully portray[ing] the difficulty of speaking truth to power in the face of widespread corruption… Director Ron OJ Parson has a knack for working with talented ensembles while allowing space for individual performances to shine.”

—Mike Davis