The Gamm returns to live, in-person performances with 'A Lie Agreed Upon'

The Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre (The Gamm) opens Season 37 with “A Lie Agreed Upon,” a timely rewrite of Henrik Ibsen’s “An Enemy of the People.”

Written and directed by Gamm Artistic Director Tony Estrella, “A Lie Agreed Upon” explores what can happen in a democratic society when science and individual morality clash with economic interests and majority rule.

“A Lie Agreed Upon” runs from Sept. 30-Oct. 24. This production marks The Gamm’s return to live, in-person performances after 18 months, having cut short its production of “Assassins” on March 12, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The play follows the story of Dr. Thomas Stockman, a medical examiner charged with inspecting the public hot springs that he helped to promote … and on which the prosperity of his hometown depends. When Stockman finds the water to be contaminated, his attempts to speak the truth are shut down by a growing mob that includes the mayor, Peter Stockman, who is also his brother. Sean McConaghy (“Julius Caesar,” “An Enemy of the People,” both 2004) and Jonathan Higginbotham (“JQA,” 2019) play Thomas and Peter Stockman, respectively.

“A Lie Agreed Upon” is The Gamm’s fourth Ibsen production, having staged “An Enemy of the People” in 2004, “A Doll's House” in 2011, and “Hedda Gabler” in 2014 – all late 19th-century works that retain their bite and relevance, Estrella said.

“‘A Lie Agreed Upon’ is the perfect play to welcome back our audience and share what The Gamm does best, which is epic theater on an intimate scale. Based on Ibsen’s masterful ‘An Enemy of the People,’ ‘A Lie Agreed Upon’ confronts our commitment to the societal values and core principles that we purport to hold dear. From public health and free speech, to the nature and purpose of democracy, it digs deep through issues as relevant today as they were over a century ago,” Estrella said. “I worked on this play over the course of this most challenging of years, asking how do we live together now and what do we owe our families, our communities, and our future.”

“A Lie Agreed Upon” runs Sept. 30-Oct. 24 at The Gamm Theatre, 1245 Jefferson Blvd., Warwick. Tickets are $49-$69; preview performances (Sept. 30-Oct. 3) are $35. Discounts for seniors, students, groups and more. Details at gammtheatre.org/discounts. Tickets: (401) 723-4266 or gammtheatre.org.

For the safety and comfort of Gamm audiences, all patrons must present either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test in order to enter the theater. All patrons, regardless of vaccination status, must wear masks. To view details of The Gamm’s health and safety protocols and practices, visit www.gammtheatre.org.