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Making Sense Of Life In 'The Rabbit Hole'

Director Fontaine Syer believes that "theater can be a powerful medium as a tool for making sense of real life." A play like Rabbit Hole, she says, has "moments of pathos, but also the mundane hilarity of everyday existence."

Rabbit Hole is currently at Indiana University, Bloomington's Wells-Metz Theater. Syer describes the plot: "At the core of David Lindsay-Abire's play is the story of a family coping with the death of a son. It's a play about five very specific complete human beings, filled with behaviors that we can all recognize." Yet, despite the tragic premise,"It's very funny."

Humorous Travails, Comic Romance

Abby Rowald is an actor whom IU audiences have enjoyed watching in plays as disparate as Marat/Sade and A Little Night Music. "In Rabbit Hole I play the mother," Rowald explains. "Although grief is definitely a real part of my character, the audience is going to laugh at some of my minor, day-to-day travails. There's my own mother, who keeps trying to help, and keeps putting her foot in her mouth. And my younger sister is a real source of some funny moments as well."

Shewan Howard is another actor with a varied IU portfolio, having acted in The America Play and in Major Barbara. "Here I play Howie, the father," he says. "Howie has moved past the death a bit more than his wife has. He's back at work, getting some exercise and hanging out with friends. There's an attractive but fragile resilience to his character. I'd have to say that the audience will probably sympathize with his effort, but they're going to also get a pretty good laugh out of some of his efforts in the romantic department. "

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