By David Gordon

“As far as [his] plays are concerned, it’s one of the prettiest. It’s kind of like a long form poem.” The play to which senior Alex Miciotta refers is “When We Dead Awaken,” the last in the storied canon of Norwegian playwright Henrick Ibsen.

To those familiar with drama proper, Ibsen is best known for works like “A Doll’s House,” “Hedda Gabler” and “Peer Gynt.” The Spectrum Players’ production of “When We Dead Awaken,” running Dec. 4-7 at the Spiegel Theatre, is your opportunity to see this rarely produced work, one that has had, according to Ibsen.net, only nine “professional” productions in New York City dating back to 1905; three since 1990.

According to cast member Amanda MacIntyre, some of the characters can be considered “the living dead,” people who, for one reason or another, have lost their zest for life. We are introduced to Arnold Rubek, a sculptor on holiday at a spa with his wife, Maia. Soon, Rubek discovers Irene, a former model and the subject of his greatest work, “Ressurection Day.” Together, they go to the mountains and try to recapture the love which they once had. Maia goes to the mountains, as well, with Ulfheim, a bear hunter she’s met, who represents everything she’s every wanted and everything she’s ever feared. What interested Miciotta was the idea of having younger actors playing these significantly older people. “These people have led different lives [than the actors], and they’re dealing with the fact that they’re marching towards the end of days. We’re infusing it with the attitudes and outlook on life of young people to see what that can bring to the play.”

“It’s kind of timeless,” says cast member Adam Griffith. “It’s a commentary on what people value and their priorities. Nowadays, you have people who put their occupation before their family.”

“The traits and philosophies [of the characters] are universal,” says Miciotta. “There’s so much in this play about artists making art…. I would like for people to take away some portion of the ‘journey’ they see on stage and apply it to their own lives.”