Ether Dome

September 11 – October 5

By Elizabeth Egloff

Directed by Michael Wilson

East Coast Premiere
A co-production with Alley Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse and Huntington Theatre Company.

Surgery is pain. Torturous, gut-wrenching, terrifying pain. Until a discovery in 1846 that changed all of humankind forever—anesthesia. Ether Dome is a psychological thriller that pits three men against each other on their quest for salvation, scientific prowess and glory. In an epic battle between altruism and financial gain, personal struggles send each man into a harrowing downward spiral into despair, and even insanity. Based on the true story of Hartford’s own Dr. Horace Wells – reputedly the inspiration behind Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde!

Darko’s Comments…

The opening production of our 51st season features a cast of characters whose names may be familiar to you. Dr. Horace Wells. The Wadsworths. The Trumbulls. That is because Ether Dome is set in Hartford in 1846. It is an epic play about Dr. Wells, the discovery of ether as an anesthetic, and the ensuing battle between altruism and financial gain.

The production will coincide with Hartford’s annual Envisionfest. It is a perfect time to produce a play about the scientific discoveries that have shaped our world – and our own city – almost two centuries ago and that influence our lives to this very day.

Ether Dome is a major co-production between Hartford Stage, Alley Theatre, La Jolla Playhouse, and Huntington Theatre Company in Boston. It will be directed by Michael Wilson, our previous artistic director, whose movie version of The Trip to Bountiful, starring Cicely Tyson and Vanessa Williams, is currently playing on Lifetime Television. I am thrilled to welcome Michael back to Hartford Stage and to introduce our audience to the prodigious voice of our playwright, Elizabeth Egloff.