NWC theatre to present drama about grief and love

Northwestern College theatre will present “Rabbit Hole,” by David Lindsay-Abaire, on April 22, 23, 28 and 29 at 7:30 p.m. and April 30 at 2 and 7:30 p.m. The Pulitzer Prize-winning drama will be on stage in the Allen Theatre of the DeWitt Theatre Arts Center.

“Rabbit Hole” is the story of married couple Becca and Howie as they struggle to reclaim their lives and relationship after their child has died. Theatre professor and show director April Hubbard says the contemporary play is one of her favorites. She uses it in directing class, and students love it too.

“Yes, it’s sad, but there’s such beauty in this play as well,” she explained. “The relationships, the situations, the dialogue—the playwright has made them so real. You watch a scene between Becca and Howie or between Becca and her mother or sister, and you think, ‘That’s spot on. That’s honestly how it might be as a husband and wife grieved the loss of a child.’”

The action of the play also includes humor and laughter-through-tears moments that will be familiar to anyone who’s experienced loss and grief. It includes intensely emotional scenes and some strong, PG-13 language that might realistically be said in moments of anger or anguish.

The emotional vulnerability of the characters and domestic intimacy of the play’s scenes will be supported by thrust-style staging that puts the action in close proximity to the theatre audience.

Becca will be played by junior Amanda Hays, Chicago, and Howie will be played by sophomore Warren Duncan, Urbandale, Iowa. Junior Liz Meier, Badger, Iowa, has the role of Becca’s sister, and junior Logan Wright, Council Bluffs, is her mom. A fifth character, Jason, will be played by freshman Christopher Miksch, who is from Le Mars.

Tickets for “Rabbit Hole” are $8 for adults and $4 for students. The DeWitt Theatre box office opens April 11 for Theatre Patrons; it is open April 12–30 for the general public. Tickets can be reserved at www.nwciowa.edu/tickets or by visiting the box office between 5 and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday or between 1 and 4 p.m. on Saturday. The box office can also be reached by phone, 712-707-7098, or e-mail, boxoffice@nwciowa.edu.