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Buffalo Theatre Ensemble (BTE) will bring to life David Lindsay-Abaire’s Pulitzer Prize winning drama “Rabbit Hole,” running Feb. 15 to March 9, 2008, at the McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn.
Lindsay-Abaire’s play, which garnered five Tony nominations and won the Pulitzer for drama in 2007, tells the story of Becca and Howie, a married couple whose 4-year-old son, Danny, was killed by a car eight months earlier. Struggling to cope and unable to reconcile their different ways of grieving, their relationship has begun to unravel: Becca is trying to forget the pain, Howie is holding onto his fading memories, and other family members are complicating the situation. Hope is reignited when Jason, the teenage boy driving the car that killed Danny, comes into their lives.
The production is directed by Connie Canaday Howard, BTE’s artistic director, who chose the play because of its emotional look at how grief affects relationships. As a tenet of its founding, BTE focuses on naturalistic plays that explore human relationships on their most intimate level.
“This is about a family that loves each other deeply but doesn’t know how to help each other,” said Canaday Howard. “It wrestles with the process of grief and how each of us deal with it differently. Almost everyone who sees this play finds themselves identifying with one of the characters, relating to the way that particular character is dealing with Danny’s loss.”
A quietly moving play, the story also explores the reconnection of relationships and the possibilities of hope after tragedy.
“Really, Lindsay-Abaire’s story is about how grief eventually becomes a part of the fabric of our lives, just like joy or passion,” said Canaday Howard. “It becomes something we carry with us all the time.”
“Rabbit Hole” is Lindsay-Abaire’s first naturalistic work, a departure from his trademark style of dark comedy seen in previous plays such as “Fuddy Meers” and “Kimberly Akimbo.” Despite the differences, Lindsay-Abaire said all his plays deal with the same underlying dilemma: “… it’s about characters finding themselves in an upside-down world and trying to find clarity in a world that doesn’t make any sense.”
The cast includes Amelia Barrett of Glen Ellyn as Becca; Brad Walker of Western Springs as Howie; Debra Rodkin of Chicago as Becca’s mother, Nat; Cindy Tegtmeyer of Chicago as Becca’s sister, Izzy; and Bryan Bosque of Chicago as Jason.
Dates and show times for “Rabbit Hole” are: 8 pm. Thursdays, Feb. 14 (preview), 21, 28 and March 6; 8 pm. Fridays, Feb. 15, 22, 29 and March 7; 8 pm. Saturdays, Feb. 16, 23 and March 1; 2 pm. Sundays, Feb. 17, 24 and March 2, 9. Tickets range from $27 to $30. Discounts are available for students, patrons under 17 and seniors. To purchase, call (630) 942-4000 or visit the website.
About the McAninch Arts Center (MAC)
The McAninch Arts Center (atthemac.org) at College of DuPage is a state-of-the-art facility bringing professional theater, music, dance, comedy, opera and visual art to the residents of Northern Illinois. Housing three distinctive performance spaces and an art gallery, the facility has a unique design that allows patrons to experience all the arts under one roof.
Since its opening in 1986, more than one million people have attended performances, gallery exhibits and events at the facility. The MAC scheduled more than 250 performances during 2006-2007 alone, bringing in more than 65,000 patrons from the Chicago region and beyond.
In addition to presenting touring artists, the MAC houses five resident professional companies, including New Philharmonic Orchestra, DuPage Opera Theatre, Arts Center Jazz Ensemble, Buffalo Theatre Ensemble and New Classic Singers.
The MAC also maintains a robust community outreach program with initiatives such as its SchoolStage program, which connects performers and students for an interactive, educational arts experience.
Because of its efforts to increase community access to the arts, the MAC has earned the Illinois Arts Council’s Partners in Excellence designation, which recognizes 40 of the most significant cultural institutions throughout the state.
The MAC is conveniently situated 30 miles west of Chicago in central DuPage County, near I-88 and I-355, and offers free parking and discounted rates for groups and outings. For tickets and information, please call (630) 942-4000 or visit the website.
The mission of the McAninch Arts Center is to foster enlightened educational and performance opportunities, which encourage artistic expression, establish a lasting relationship between people and art, and enrich the cultural vitality of the community.
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