Wheaton Drama to present 'Rabbit Hole'

This winter season, Wheaton Drama brings to life a story of loss and learning how to deal with the resulting grief.

The Wheaton community theater troupe presents "Rabbit Hole" starting Friday, Jan. 29. Written by David Lindsay-Abaire, "Rabbit Hole" won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 2007 and shadows the lives of parents Becca and Howie following the death of their 4-year-old son.

"It's about a tragic event, but there's a lot of humor in the play because humor is a coping mechanism for grief," director Charles Berglund said.

Berglund did not choose "Rabbit Hole" himself but applied last March to direct it. The show stood out to him, he said, because of its elements of both tragedy and comedy.

Wheaton Drama stages about eight productions a year, including a holiday show and smaller productions year-round. When formatting a season of theater, it is important to have variety, Berglund said.

Berglund praised the intimacy of working with a cast of only five actors, in contrast to previous directing experiences with productions such as the musical "1976" and drama "A Streetcar Named Desire."

"As a director, the whole process of directing is one of the most rewarding things. You get to sit and do a lot of exploration of people's motives within their lives," Berglund said. He compliments his actors on their dedication to the show and the energy they provide to the story the playwright envisioned.

However, portraying a father suffering from loss has been no easy feat for actor Garrett Ard.

"It's a really tough one," Ard said. "I don't have children, and so being able to really communicate the grief and burden of dealing with the loss of a child is challenging."

Ard finds comfort within the "beautifully written script" as he gets into character as Howie.

"I'm most excited to see what people's reactions are because the script is so strong and there's so much going on," he said. "I'm excited to see what we can get out there."

Actress Sharon Voss, who portrays Becca, points to the playwright's note at the end of the script: "'Rabbit Hole' is not a tidy play. Resist smoothing out its edges."

"I hope this production allows people to see themselves in the story," Voss said, adding that the characters are genuine and true. "They remind us that life is messy, but that the spirit is resilient."

"Rabbit Hole" opens Friday, Jan. 29, and continues through Sunday, Feb. 14, at Playhouse 111, 111 N. Hale St., Wheaton. Show times are 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and 3 p.m. Sundays. Tickets, $18, can be purchased at the box office, by calling (630) 260-1820 or visiting wheatondrama.org.