Kimberly Scott’s journey as an artist has always been about more than just acting — it’s been about honoring the language, the stories, and the communities she comes from.
Now, the Tony-nominated actress returns to the stage in Center Theatre Group’s upcoming production of “A Doll’s House, Part 2,” bringing a wealth of experience, reflection, and passion to her role as Anne Marie.
Scott, a graduate of the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale and a two-time Beinecke Fellow at Yale Repertory Theatre, has built an extraordinary career spanning Broadway (“Joe Turner’s Come and Gone”), regional theatre (“Ruined,” “Cyrano de Bergerac” at Pasadena Playhouse), film (“The Abyss,” “Respect”), and television (“Bob Hearts Abishola”).
At the core of her work, she says, has always been a love of language.
Related Stories
W.A.T.E.R. Program Teaches Youth Aquatic Safety
“My way in, so far as my process is concerned, is always through the language,” Scott shared. Reflecting on her early experiences with August Wilson’s “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” she recalled, “I remember the first time I saw August’s work. I said, ‘Oh my gosh, he put my uncles on stage.’ He captured something that I recognized as being so much a part of my own history.”
Language also drew Scott to “A Doll’s House, Part 2,” Lucas Hnath’s sharp and audacious sequel to Henrik Ibsen’s groundbreaking 1879 play.
In this modern follow-up, Nora returns 15 years after her dramatic exit, facing the consequences of her decision to leave her family.
“Lucas definitely has written this way that is very specific,” Scott said. “It totally informs me as a storyteller.”
Portraying Anne Marie, Nora’s former nanny and confidante, offers Scott an opportunity to explore the intersection of gender and class — two forces that deeply shape the character’s actions.
“Gender is a huge thing,” Scott noted, “but class figures very heavily for Anne Marie. It’s the second most influential aspect of this play.”
Though her personal activism, particularly with the environmental nonprofit Mujeres de la Tierra, champions women’s autonomy and empowerment, Scott acknowledged the challenge of fully inhabiting a character whose views differ from her own.
“I have to reel in my own judgment,” Scott explained. “You can’t portray somebody you don’t champion in the moment you’re playing them. You have to honor their feelings.”
Working under the direction of Jennifer Chang and alongside a cast that includes Elizabeth Reaser (“The Twilight Saga”), Jason Butler Harner (“Ozark”), and Kahyun Kim (“Cocaine Bear”), Scott is relishing the collaborative spirit of the production.
“I love being in the room with smart people,” Scott said. “Jennifer Chang is one of the smartest directors I’ve ever been in the room with, and I am so grateful every time.”
Beyond her role, Scott sees the production as timely and deeply resonant with today’s social climate, particularly as conversations around women’s rights and agency remain urgent.
“I can’t believe we have to talk about this again,” she reflected, referencing the enduring relevance of issues first raised by Ibsen more than a century ago.
For Scott, theater remains a vital mirror to society.
“It’s like that line in Shakespeare — to hold the mirror up to nature,” she said. “We are definitely influenced by the life we’re living at this moment, and autonomy and agency are foremost in our minds.”
Looking ahead, Scott remains drawn to the classics, especially Shakespeare.
“The times we are in are freaking Shakespearean,” she said with a laugh. “The stakes are very high on a daily basis.”
As she brings Anne Marie to life onstage at Center Theatre Group, Kimberly Scott reminds audiences of theater’s enduring power: to challenge, to reflect, and above all, to speak truth.
“A Doll’s House, Part 2” runs May 14 to June 8 at the Pasadena Playhouse, with an official press opening on May 18.
