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‘Rabbit Hole’ continues at Clear Space; panel discussion set Oct. 7

Play explores parents’ efforts to resume life after child’s death
October 2, 2018

“I fell in love with ‘Rabbit Hole’ on my very first reading of the play,” said Director Shannon Parks. “It’s such a beautifully written and compelling piece about a family attempting to grieve and heal from tragedy.” Weekends through Oct. 7, audiences can experience – and perhaps also fall in love with – this evocative, Pulitzer Prize-winning drama at Clear Space Theatre.

Presented in collaboration with The Lighthouse Chapter of Compassionate Friends, "Rabbit Hole" is playwright David Lindsay-Abaire’s exploration of a couple’s efforts to resume their lives following the accidental death of their young son.

Clear Space will host a panel discussion about "Rabbit Hole" with Shannon Parks and Jill Hicks, representing the Lighthouse Chapter of Compassionate Friends, at  2:15 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 7, prior to the 3 p.m. matinee.

As is apparent in the play, there are many ways through grief; parents Becca and Howie struggle to find their own routes. Parks speaks to navigating these pathways. She said, “The challenge in directing this play lies in discovering and communicating the family’s journey without sentimentality or simplified resolutions. ‘Rabbit Hole’ reveals real people at a tragic time – but it’s really rather funny, in the ways only families can be. We aim to find that simplicity, truth and humor. I am tremendously fortunate to have a stellar cast that very quickly, and with tremendous sensitivity, developed a sense of family as we explored the delicate themes of the play.”

Mackenzie Jones, who plays Becca, said, “It would be very easy for this play to be drenched in sadness. But Becca is also smart, witty, funny, harsh, unapologetic, tightly wound – she’s a strong, complex woman who is struggling to live despite this loss.”

Jacob Waldron, who plays Howie, said, “Howie has a really sophisticated emotional life, and is dealing with a situation no one even wants to imagine. His grief and his way of dealing with it are different than Becca’s – but not wrong.”

Noting the universality of grief, however people’s ways of dealing with it might differ, Parks said, “My hope is that audiences will find ‘Rabbit Hole’ relatable  and ultimately, uplifting – indicative of the resiliency of the human spirit.”

Performances are at 7 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 p.m. Sundays. Tickets for each show are $17 to $32.

For more information or to purchase tickets, go to www.clearspacetheatre.org or call 302-227-2270.

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