Rabbit Hole is a Rare Treat

By James E. Trainor III

Cedar Rapids - Peter Brook said he could take any empty space and call it a bare stage. Urban Theatre Project brings this claim to life in a very practical way. As Cedar Rapids' "gypsy theatre," UTP will create theatre anywhere someone will let them land for a few weeks. The aesthetic dispenses with all the spectacle of a proscenium stage and a dazzling lighting rig, focusing instead on the basics: actors performing powerful scripts with intention and clarity.

For Rabbit Hole, the Cook House has offered to be UTP's home. It's quite a home, too; a beautiful 7-bedroom mansion built in 1915. The large living room on the ground floor fills in for the home of the fictional Becca and Howie, and if you happen to like the surroundings when you visit them, you're in luck: the property is on the market.

Leaving aside the novelty of combining an open house with a night of engaging theatre, the atmosphere of the Cook house is ideal for the very level realism that characterizes this production. The acting, direction, costumes and props are straight-forward, under-emphasized and naturalistic - often painfully so. Also, the open house works itself into Rabbit Hole's story: Becca and Howie are also selling their house.

They've put their house on the market because Becca (Leslie Charipar) can no longer cope with the daily reminders of their dead son, Danny. Howie (Jason Alberty) is reluctant at first but goes along with the plan. Danny was four when he died in a car accident, and each partner is struggling with grief in a very different way. They try to keep their marriage intact despite the shocking blow. They have support from family, however: Nat, Becca's mother (Cherryl Moon Thomason) is on-hand to offer support and advice - whether it's wanted or not. Izzy, Becca's sister (Sarah Jarmon), reminds us that life goes on in the face of loss: she's having a unplanned baby with her boyfriend, which causes some tension between the sisters.

The final character is Jason (Nick Ostrem), the teenager who hit Danny with his car. He is very contrite, and is dealing with the shock the only way he knows how: he writes a science-fiction story and dedicates it to Danny. The gesture is the beginning of the crack in Becca's armor, and she begins to open up and express herself. The relationship between Becca and Jason is characteristic of the warmth and compassion in David Lindsay-Abaire's somewhat dark script, as two strangers on opposite ends of a life-changing incident try to be there for each other.

The show is expertly acted, with all the nuance and realism a naturalistic script deserves. The show is slow and takes a while to build, but the actors are with it the whole while, developing the relationships between each other, settling in and living the whole story. For a piece as emotional as this one, the characters have to be real people, and this company, under Angie Toomsen's direction, does a phenomenal job of fleshing them out. It's a rare treat to see such talented actors focus their skills on a script like this.

Leslie Charipar is strong as Becca. She is very stiff and reserved at the beginning, as if she is afraid what she might say if she truly allows herself to express her grief. She creates a great deal of tension in the early scenes, especially when the others are offering to share her burden and she won't budge. When Becca is retreating into herself, becoming stubborn and vicious, Charipar vigorously pushes the energy of the piece forward. When Becca starts to heal a bit, especially in the second act, we see the humor and compassion that makes Becca a truly sympathetic character.

Her relationship with Jason Alberty as Howie is at the core of Rabbit Hole's success. These two are easily believable as a married couple; they've taken the discussions and arguments penned so carefully by Lindsay-Abaire and given them a lot of life. They trust each other as scene partners and inform each others' characters: a look from Howie tells us more about Becca than a monologue of backstory, and vice versa. The result is an almost magical realism: sitting five feet away from the action, set so appropriately in a real living room, one almost has the impulse to jump in, to tell Becca to lighten up a bit, or remind Howie to give her some space.

It's not that often one gets to see Alberty in a dramatic role, and with a strong script like this, it's definitely something to see. He's very down-to-earth, very contained, and when the anger begins to boil over in later scenes, it comes from a very natural place. He's also a great scene partner and listens very well on stage.

Sarah Jarmon is equally amazing as Izzy. Though the first scene takes its time establishing the relationship, the connection between Jarmon and Charipar is very real. Jarmon is also great at listening to her scene partners, and her range of facial and vocal expression is very creative and endearing. Izzy is an easily likable character, rough around the edges but ready to take her role as a new mother seriously. When the whole family gets together, she fits right in as both sister and daughter, and adds a lot to the realism of the piece.

Cherryl Moon Thomason is very likable as Nat, the practical but compassionate mother to Becca and Izzy. She also lost a son, and tries to share her experience with Becca, but Becca, at first, is not willing to listen. Nat is relentless in her first scenes, dispensing slightly tipsy wisdom. Thomason's job is to come on and open a window for the undercurrent of dread that has chilled the last few scenes, and she does a terrific job. Again, the company is working quite well together: Thomason talks on, driving the action, picking at scabs that haven't healed, the other members of the cast responding silently but with great attention to the stakes. In later scenes, Nat and Becca come to terms with their mutual grief, and these are quite lovely.

Nick Ostrem rounds out the cast as Jason. Ostrem may not be as experienced as the other members of the cast, but he holds his own with very energetic scene partners such as Alberty and Charipar. Jason is subdued and contrite for much of the play, but when Becca agrees to see him, Ostrem wakes up a little bit: Jason explains the scientific basis for his fantastic story and we see the excitable teenager in him. We also see Becca's hope revive: Ostrem and Charipar share the energy in this scene quite well, and it's an awkward but touching encounter.

This is a hard-working cast that brings a lot of skill to the stage, and director Angie Toomsen knows it. It is clear that she has led them to opening night with commitment and respect, trusting in their abilities but pushing them for their very best in each scene. There isn't really a moment in this production where the bottom drops out and we see actors struggling to pick up the thread. That sounds like it should be taken for granted, but it shouldn't: what I'm talking about is absolute attention to the story and to each other - the kind of focused intent in performance that makes an imaginary dead toddler a tangible presence in the audience's lives. That sort of thing is great acting: invisible acting, acting that looks and sounds like just talking, and it takes a lot of work to get it to seem so seamless.

Toomsen and company have spend a lot of time and considerable talent bringing a really good story to the stage. Lindsay-Abaire's script is a well-expressed exploration of grief, and though it's very dark at times, it's also humorous and truly human. The structure of the play is that of a Greek tragedy flipped upside-down; the characters start at the bottom, and must find their way out of the rabbit hole of grief. It's a long journey from the slow and heavy tones of dread at the beginning of the piece to the comparatively lighter scenes of compassion and acceptance at the end, and Toomsen doesn't rush it. The cast, and the audience, are totally with her, and the result is a very moving night of theatre.

There's still time to see this show: it's running two weekends and it's only $10. I strongly urge you to look here here and find out more. It's not that often you get so much theatrical talent in one place, and so carefully and passionately employed. It's one of the best types of dramatic theatre: a simple but meaningful story, simply but meaningfully told, by artists who throw the weight of their experience and attention into creating something beautiful. Go see it.

Rabbit Hole opens tonight

Cedar Rapids - Urban Theater Project of Iowa (UTP) presents David Lindsay-Abaire’s Rabbit Hole, opening August 18 thru 28 in a beautiful, early 20th century mansion located at 222 Crescent St. SE, Cedar Rapids, IA.

Winner of the 2007 Pulitzer Prize, Rabbit Hole is a transcendent exploration of grief and hope.

Eight months after the loss of their young son in an auto accident, Becca and Howie Corbett redefine their lives. While Howie attends a support group and clings to precious details, Becca seeks to escape daily reminders of her son. When Becca’s irresponsible sister reveals she is pregnant—and Becca’s mother attempts to instruct Becca how best to grieve—Becca struggles to find a way back to an existence that still holds the possibility of laughter and beauty.

“The remarkable thing about this piece is that, despite the emotionally harrowing circumstances, it’s not overly sentimental—it’s alternately heartbreaking and hilarious,” says director Angie Toomsen. “These are real people, trying to move forward after the unimaginable. The depiction of that survival by this veteran crew of actors is honest, raw, funny and inclusive.”

Leslie Charpiar, artistic director of Theatre Cedar Rapids and UTP founder, steps into role of the Becca. Actor/director/writer, Jason Alberty, portrays Howie. Area favorites Cherryl Moon Thomason (Nat), Sarah Jarmon (Izzy) and Iowa City actor Nick Ostrem (Jason) round out the cast.

One of the hallmarks of UTP is that they present shows in non-theatrical settings. The house-which would make an incredible bed and breakfast-is actually on the market. The Cook family has graciously allowed UTP to use the family mansion. The extra cool part? Audiences get to take a look around the whole house before the show and during intermission, if desired. Guests are also welcomed into the dining room for complementary wine and chocolate torte.

Performance dates are August 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27, 8:00 p.m. curtain. House opens at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are available at the door, but seating is limited. $10 General Admission. To make a reservation e-mail boxoffice@urbantheaterproject.org or call 319-431-2110.

A Review of Rabbit Hole

City Circle - I have never had such a difficult time writing a review. I believe that theatre serves an important purpose that we don't talk about very much. Just as physical exercise strengthens our muscles and intellectual exercise strengthens our minds, emotional exercise strengthens our spirits. That's what theatre at its best is: emotional exercise. It's an opportunity for us to laugh, to cry, to anger, and through those feelings, regenerate our spirits. This is why people enjoy tearjerkers... or why a good cry really does make you feel better. Exercising our emotions is key to one's humanity. City Circle's production of Rabbit Hole is certainly exercise for the emotions. And for the first time in watching theatre, I was beginning to feel as if my emotions didn't need to be exercised quite that much. The plays tells the story of how two parents, Becca and Howie, deal with the accidental death of their four-year-old son. Yes, you will cry. If you're a parent, you may try to imagine how you would feel if your child were taken from you in horrible accident. And even imagining that hurts. I admit I left the theater wondering if this play is really... necessary. Questioning why we need to feel these particular painful emotions. Perhaps it was that the subject matter comes too close to home; I have three young daughters. Despite all of that, I realize that I have a responsibility as a reviewer to offer you a review of the show. So here goes.

One of the enjoyable parts of living in a smaller community is that we get to see the same performers taking on vastly different roles. Two months ago, I saw both Jeremy Ping and Jana Stedman playing very different characters in ICCT's production of Bus Stop. Stedman has amazingly shifted from the naive girl in Bus Stop to the emotionally crippled mother in Rabbit Hole. She deftly uses her ramrod straight posture and methodical actions as an attempt to hide the pain Becca feels from losing her son. The acting is so believable, it's painful for the audience. You will desperately want to reach out to her and comfort her. Or at least you want her to reach out to her sister, her husband, anyone... but she does not.

Ping is equally good as Howie. His reactions are more emotional, more desperate. The scene where Howie explodes over the loss of a videotape of his son is simply a tour de force of emotion by Ping. The differences in the way in which each character deals with the loss of their son pits Howie and Becca against each other at a time when they should be comforting each other. As anyone who has gone through the loss of a child knows, it is not at all uncommon for a married couple to splinter apart in the wake of such a tragedy. I won't spoil whether they find their way back together, but I will say that the ending is fitting and very true to life.

Supporting character include Becca's ne'er do well sister, Izzy, played by Kerry Kieler; Becca's overbearing mother, Nat, played by Connie Stannard; and a teenage boy, Jason, played by Nick Ostrem. Kieler's character is familiar to those who know David Lindsay-Abaire's other plays as he likes to throw in the crazy relative as a contrast to the seemingly normal main characters. Kieler embraces the role completely, using vocal tone and facial expressions to bring to life this black sheep of the family. Her slouching posture as well as the choice to sit on tables or other furniture provides a wonderful contrast to her sister's very put together demeanor. Kudos go to Josh Beadle for directing the actors to provide such perfect contrasts in their portrayals. Stannard is excellent considering she has to play a rather unlikable character. Ostrem is perfectly believable as the boy who accidentally killed Becca's son.

The set is very effective and realistic. The constant presence of the deceased son's empty bed reminds us of the pain the household is experiencing. Unfortunately, when I saw the show, they were having technical difficulties so the only lighting we had was house lights up and house lights down. Special kudos have to go to the actors who gave such true performances under such difficult circumstances.

So is Rabbit Hole worth seeing? The performances and the direction were excellent, so from that perspective, the answer is surely "Yes". I suppose one could argue that the fact that it had such a dramatic effect on me means it has done what theatre is supposed to do - exercise our emotions. I am truly torn over whether our emotions can have too much exercise. You'll have to decide that for yourself. I will tell you that when I got home that night, I kissed my sleeping girls' foreheads and thanked God that they were all okay.

If you are seeing the show this weekend, check out the change to performance venue.

--Matthew Falduto

Matthew has a Bachelor's degree in English from the University of Iowa. He has directed, acted in, and produced theater in the Iowa City area for over ten years. He has worked with the Iowa City Community Theatre, City Circle and Dreamwell, of which he is a founder. Two of his plays have been produced in the Iowa City area. In another brief life, he also worked as a technical writer.

Change in Venue for City Circle's Rep Fest

City Circle - If you are planning to check out the Circle's Edge Repertory Festival this weekend, you need to know that the location has changed. Apparently, the Fire Marshall and Building Inspector for the City of Coralville informed the people that rented City Circle the space in the Iowa Realty and Wells Fargo Building that renting the space for a theatre peformance was a violation of code. Consequently, City Circle has had to find alternate venues for the the final weekend.

I am sure no one reading this will be surprised to learn that we are a theatre community that pulls together when faced with adversity. Thanks to individuals who wholeheartedly believe the shows must go on, we can announce that on Thursday, April 16 and Friday, April 17, at 7:30 p.m., Rabbit Hole will be performed in the former That's Rentertainment space at 411 2nd Street on the Coralville Strip, which most recently housed the Johnson County Republicans and is located directly across the street from Mondo's Sports Café.

On Saturday, April 18, Sarah Shattered (4:30 p.m.) and Picasso at the Lapine Agile (7:30 p.m.) and will be performed at Theatre B in The University of Iowa Theatre Building.

On Sunday, April 19, Picasso at the Lapin Agile (2 p.m.) will also be performed at Theatre B.

As a result of the move, the reading of Sarah Shattered on Sunday, April 19, 4:30 p.m. has been canceled. Otherwise, all show times will be presented as previously announced.

A review of Picasso is here. A review of Rabbit Hole is coming soon.

Rabbit Hole premieres this weekend

City Circle - Circle’s Edge Repertory Festival features a hand-picked selection of bold, fresh, and engaging material. Last weekend, Picasso at the Lapine Agile opened to critical acclaim. This weekend, City Circle offers Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire and winner of the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It is a story of a family that endures a life-shattering accident that turns their world upside down. The play focuses on Becca and Howie, a couple who attempts to cope with the death of their four-year old child in an auto accident and the ensuing complications impacting the family.

This powerfully moving drama charts their bittersweet search for comfort in the darkest of places and for a path that will lead them back into the light of day. This play is an intensely emotional examination of grief, laced with wit, insightfulness, and compassion.

Rabbit Hole is directed by Joshua Beadle and will be presented Friday and Saturday, April 10 and 11 at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, April 12 at 2 p.m., and Thursday and Friday, April 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m.

The third selection is Sarah Shattered, a new play by UI Department of Theatre Arts faculty member John Cameron, a factual and fantastical travel through the life of the author's mother, mixing humor and pathos as only he can.

A staged reading of Sarah Shattered will be presented on Saturday and Sunday, April 18 and 19 at 4:30 p.m.

Cast lists for each production will soon be available on the City Circle website.

A special discount ticket package for all three productions is $18 for adults and $15 for youth, students, and seniors.

Tickets for each of Rabbit Hole and Picasso at the Lapin Agile are $12 for adults and $10 for youth, students, and seniors. Any ticket to either show includes admission to the staged reading of Sarah Shattered. If purchased alone, Sarah Shattered tickets are $2 each.

Tickets are available at the Coralville Recreation Center, J. Frahm Music, or by calling 248-1750.
For more information, visit the City Circle website.

Check back next week for a review of the show.

City Circle's Edge Rep opens this weekend

City Circle - City Circle Acting Company of Coralville presents the Circle’s Edge Repertory Festival April 3-5, 10-12, and 16-19 at the Iowa Realty and Wells Fargo Building at 327 2nd Street in Coralville.

Circle’s Edge Repertory Festival features a hand-picked selection of bold, fresh, and engaging material. Three very different, yet dynamic plays will be presented over three consecutive weekends in April.

Picasso at Lapin Agile, by Steve Martin, is a long running Off-Broadway comedy that places Albert Einstein and Pablo Picasso in a chance encounter at the Lapin Agile, a Parisian bar in 1904.

In his first comedy for the stage, Martin has constructed a play that captures his trademark wit with a clever mix of fact and fiction.

The two main characters are both on the verge of a breakthrough—Einstein is just about ready to submit his first paper on relativity for publication and Picasso will paint Les Demoiselles d'Avignon in 1907. Here they have a lengthy and hilarious debate about the value of genius and talent while interacting with a host of other characters.

Picasso at Lapin Agile is directed by Kehry Lane and will be presented on Friday and Saturday, April 3 and 4 at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, April 5 at 2 p.m., Saturday, April 18 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, April 19 at 2 p.m.

Rabbit Hole, by David Lindsay-Abaire and winner of the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, is a story of a family that endures a life-shattering accident that turns their world upside down. The play focuses on Becca and Howie, a couple who attempts to cope with the death of their four-year old child in an auto accident and the ensuing complications impacting the family.

This powerfully moving drama charts their bittersweet search for comfort in the darkest of places and for a path that will lead them back into the light of day. This play is an intensely emotional examination of grief, laced with wit, insightfulness, and compassion.

Rabbit Hole is directed by Joshua Beadle and will be presented Friday and Saturday, April 10 and 11 at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, April 12 at 2 p.m., and Thursday and Friday, April 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m.

The third selection is Sarah Shattered, a new play by UI Department of Theatre Arts faculty member John Cameron, a factual and fantastical travel through the life of the author's mother, mixing humor and pathos as only he can.

A staged reading of Sarah Shattered will be presented on Saturday and Sunday, April 18 and 19 at 4:30 p.m.

A special discount ticket package for all three productions is $18 for adults and $15 for youth, students, and seniors.

Tickets for each of Rabbit Hole and Picasso at the Lapin Agile are $12 for adults and $10 for youth, students, and seniors. Any ticket to either show includes admission to the staged reading of Sarah Shattered. If purchased alone, Sarah Shattered tickets are $2 each.

Tickets are available at the Coralville Recreation Center, J. Frahm Music, or by calling 248-1750.

Cast for Picasso at the Lapine Agile:

Freddy - Jaret Morlan
Gaston - Jay Stein
Germaine - Lorin Ditzler
Einstein - Brad Quinn
Suzanne/Countess/Female Admirer - Rachel Howell
Sagot - Michael Stokes
Picasso - Matthew James
Schmendiman - Nick Ostrem
Singer - Eric Burchett

Cast for Rabbit Hole:

Becca - Jana Stedman
Howie - Jeremy Ping
Izzy - Kerry Kieler
Nat - Connie Stannard
Jason - Nick Ostrem