Theatre Huntsville opens 2012 with a show never before seen in Huntsville, Rabbit Hole, an award winning play by David Lindsay-Abaire. This show brings to life a vivid, hopeful, honest and unexpectedly witty portrait of a family following the devastating loss of their young child. With a cast and crew of all local actors, technicians, and artists, it is a moving night of theater you’ll want to get tickets for now.
The Story
Becca and Howie find their relationship on life support after losing their four-year-old son Danny to a tragic car accident. When younger sister Izzy always the family troublemaker, announces that she is pregnant, they must come to terms with the new life in the family while dealing with their grief. Becca’s mother Nat is there for support, having lost her own son years before. Becca and Howie must also deal with the unexpected arrival of Jason the teenager who had the misfortune of driving down their street that fateful day. Rabbit Hole confronts their despair through comedy, wit and strength, because sometimes the only way out is through.
Local Talent
Theatre Huntsville is proud to offer young designers the opportunity to turn their work into reality. Chase King, a Grissom High School senior, had this chance by designing and building the Rabbit Hole set. His design won the 2011 Trumbauer award for Scene Design. This is the second time Theatre Huntsville has featured an award winning set design by Chase. His set for Theatre Huntsville’s 2010 production of The Odd Couple: Female Version! won the 2010 Trumbauer award for Scene Design. His Odd Couple set also received Outstanding Achievement in Set Design nominations at the Noah and Wings Awards. Chase is the son of Terri King (co-director) and Karl King (technical director) Rabbit Hole.
Theatre Huntsville also welcomes three area Drama Teachers to the production Jake Barrow (Buckhorn High School), Clint Merritt (Hazel Green High School) and Amy Patel (Butler High School).
The Cast
Becca-Amy Patel
Howie-Clint Merritt
Izzy -Joanna White
Jason-Eric McCowan
Nat-Elaine Hubbard
Directors- Jake Barrow & Terri King
Get Tickets
Rabbit Hole will be performed at the Von Braun Center Playhouse (click here for directions) on Jan. 13, 14, 19, 20, 21 at 7:30 p.m. and Jan. 15 and 21 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $18 for adults and $15 for seniors (65+), students, and active duty military and can be purchased online here. Call the box office at 256-536-0807 for group rates and handicapped seating.
Critical Acclaim for Rabbit Hole
Rabbit Hole was a both a commercial and critical success. Here are reviews from earlier productions across the country:
Rabbit Hole dispenses with the flashy metaphors. It is as if Mr. Lindsay-Abaire had set for himself the task of holding up a mirror to life that for once didn’t come from a fun house. The resulting work belongs squarely to the school of what were once called kitchen-sink dramas. But the sink, in this instance, has been polished to a high, reflective sheen. The dialogue is blessed with Mr. Lindsay-Abaire’s customary grace and wit. But it never sounds less than organic, at least not from the mouths of these superlative performers.
Extremely brief comedic moments appeared, providing breaks from the melancholy. While this performance is not categorized as a “feel good” show, it certainly showed that feelings — be it grief, guilt, or anger — were all good and necessary. This play made me keep trying to swallow that lump in my throat. I’d see it again in a heartbeat.
This is honest playwriting with no platitudes or tidy resolutions to placate either the audience or the play’s emotionally drained 30-something parents, Becca and Howie.
It is not a sentimental script, but rather a beautifully written and powerful one that insightfully plumbs the subject and in the end leaves you with a sense of hope and the value of life beyond tragedy. There are laughs, honest ones, along with a near endless rope of tension you move along as it tightens and slackens.
Awards
- Pulitzer Prize for Drama
- Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play, Cynthia Nixon
Nominations
- Tony Award for Best Play
- Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play, Tyne Daly
- Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play, Daniel Sullivan
- Tony Award for Best Scenic Design of a Play, John Lee Beatty
About Theatre Huntsville
Theatre Huntsville is a non-Equity, non-profit community theatre dedicated to presenting quality productions for the enrichment of the community and is a member of the Alabama Conference of Theatre and the American Association of Community Theatres. Find them on Facebook, Twitter, buy tickets online.
Guest blogger for We Are Huntsville. Are you interested in writing a post for our site? Email katelyn@wearehuntsville.com.