Down the Rabbit Hole

by Jenni Morin

In an intimate setting, The Rose Theatre Company stages Rabbit Hole, an up-close-and-personal look at grief, playing through Nov. 30. David Lindsay-Abaire’s 2007 Pulitzer Prize winning drama peers into the lives of Howie and Becca Corbett eight months after losing their 4-year-old son, Danny, in a tragic accident.

Jessie Rose as Becca and Jane Bull as Nat in Rabbit Hole.

Rabbit Hole is as much about guilt as it is about grief as the family tries to find a new balance to counteract the loss of a child. Becca’s sister finds herself pregnant less than a year after Danny’s death, while their friends Rick and Debbie, who have a daughter the age of Danny, find it hard to console the couple. Jason Willette, the teenager who hit and killed Danny, carries his guilt with him as he tries to justify the tragedy to himself and the Corbetts. Event Becca’s mother, Nat, feels a bit of guilt at not being able to comfort her daughter and help her get over her grief that she admits will never really go away. At the height of it all is Howie and Becca’s guilt over not being able to prevent it. Herein lies the opportunity for commentary on the state of preventable child deaths.

While the actors had their moments, only a few of them aligned with the moments in the script. There were several missed opportunities throughout the action to capitalize on subtext. Becca is a bit uptight, which is what makes her steady unraveling so captivating. Jessie Rose took a different approach playing Becca that made her seem much more unstable, taking to heart the psychological effects her family fears. Jon Smith played opposite Rose as Howie on the brink of several emotions, which allowed him to create a well-structured arc throughout the action. Jenny Fisher as Becca’s sister, Izzy, gives a decent performance while Jane Bull as Nat fully takes advantage of some gem one-liners and a great scene with Becca where Nat is able to connect with her daughter. Rocky Bronco portrayed Jason Willette in his character’s introductory scene as almost too young, but provoked the empathy he needed. In his later scene, he comes off more nerdy and socially awkward than what makes sense in the script. As a whole, the ensemble felt genuine, but held back, impeding their ability to command the stage.

The production quality is low with most of the design elements more utilitarian than enhancing. The set felt like a hodgepodge of required properties, giving an inaccurate reflection of the Corbett’s home. While the music chosen for the scene changes was fitting, it lost most of its appeal when repeated for each interlude. The technical aspects lacked direction and disrupted the momentum the actors worked to achieve.

Beyond the emotions on the surface, the play also touches on famed literature, quantum physics, Greek mythology and pop culture history. Abaire expertly weaves each of these themes into the play as a way for the characters to cope with their loss and find a semblance of understanding and hope that will allow them to carry on. Rabbit Hole is a fantastic work of theatre literature that all audiences should experience. While this production may not quite do it justice, it’s still a respectable rendition of this eloquent yet simple story.


Rabbit Hole will run at The Rose Theatre Co. through November 30, 2013 with performances at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.therosetheatreco.com.

Taming: A veritable shrew indeed

by Jenni Morin

Shakespeare has a tendency to be watered down with overt adaptations, so it is refreshing for a company to be so bold as to mount a production faithful to the original script. The Classic Theatre has done just that with its production of The Taming of the Shrew, now showing at the Sterling Houston Theatre at Jump-Start through November 24. Without question, The Taming of the Shrew is one of Shakespeare’s most popular comedies with commedia dell’arte influence and a timeless tale of young love. It’s also often used as a commentary about the role of women in society and relationships, particularly marriage. With current legislation, in Texas specifically, it takes on an added layer as Katharine shoulders the fight.

Roy Bumgarner and Morgan Clyde as
Petruchio and Katharine.
Photo by Dwayne Green.

This Taming takes place in 16th century Italy where we meet Baptista, who is trying to marry off his two daughters, the fair Bianca and the shrewish Katharine. As Katharine is the oldest, Bianca’s marital fate relies on the wooing of Kate, so Bianca’s suitors Hortensio, Gemio and the young Lucentio convince the audacious Petruchio to take on the challenge. As with any good classic comedy, there is mistaken identity, a lot of cunning, plenty of physical comedy, and, of course, weddings.

Director Diane Malone, who also designed the set and costumes, gifts San Antonio with a wholly authentic production that would have made Shakespeare himself proud. Billy Munoz’s lighting is subtle, yet effective, allowing the cast to draw attention with their words and actions rather than a spotlight. In the same vein, the sound design of Rick Malone marks a few key points in the storyline, which helped the audience catch some defining moments. The production stripped away the pomp and circumstance usually accompanying Shakespearean comedies to let the script speak for itself.

Shakespeare’s tongue-lashings, spankings and physical comedy were not lost on this cast with each actor finding a way to differentiate one wordy speech from the others. While there are some awkward moments as the servants fall over themselves without precise comedic timing, it is clear they are not merely copies of the archetype. Joseph Urick especially excels as his Tranio takes on the guise of his master Lucentio with an over-the-top bravado. He is surpassed, however, by the sneering suitor Gremio, played by Richard Solis. Even still, John Stillwaggon’s Grumio makes a great first impression in “knocking” his master Petruchio, while Maggie Tonra as Biondello serves as a great messenger advancing the plot with a fantastic gait.

Christie Beckham’s Bianca seems closer to the intended character than many others in the past and James Welch certainly pulls off Lucentio daft about Bianca. Torence Brandon White has some great moments as Hortensio. Not to discount any performance, all the players perform well, each allowing their parts to contrast with the leading couple’s.

But the play would not be without the shrew and the man tasked with taming her. Morgan Clyde and Roy B. Bumgarner II portray Katharine and Petruchio, respectively, with a welcome touch of realism. At times their caricatures shown through, but it is their exchanges that draw audiences back. Clyde embodies the quick wit required of a Kate while Bumgarner whole-heartedly throws himself into the role of that brazen woman conqueror. It is the evolution of their relationship that makes this production, most notably that Katharine never loses her tenacity even during her closing speech.

Through the final “goodnight,” Classic’s Taming is a veritable representation of the Shakespearean play. By shedding most of the distracting elements other productions hide behind, this rendition focuses on accurate costuming and the raw wit and comedy laid forth in the script. Classic’s Taming is rich in talent and authenticity, a truly legitimate Shakespearean production.


The Taming of the Shrew will run at The Sterling Houston Theatre at Jump-Start through November 24, 2013 with performances at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. on Sundays. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.theclassictheatre.org.

Wittenberg: A Captivating Hamlet Prequel

by Jenni Morin

San Antonio playwright David Davalos returns for The Playhouse's Cellar Theater production of his Wittenberg, playing November 1 through November 17. Wittenberg poses a debate between Martin Luther and John Faustus that would make anyone a little head-spinning mad and Hamlet, the impressionable scholar questioning his life’s purpose, is no exception.

David Davalos as John Faustus, Sam Mandelbaum as
Hamlet and Andrew Thornton as Martin Luther in Wittenberg.
Photo by Siggy Ragnar.

Wittenberg places three characters from history, literature and folklore at the university where Hamlet presumably studied before his father’s death. The action takes place directly before he receives the news. Martin Luther is a professor of theology, while John Faustus is a professor of philosophy. Luther and Faustus entangle Hamlet in their debate while he clamors to find himself in the universe and get his bearings.

The production follows the anachronistic nature of the play where a few modern props, set decorations, costume pieces and colloquialisms call attention to the imagined scenario. Without these few reminders of the mixed time periods and metatheatrical references, it’s easy to fall into believing it is more historical than fictional. Director Bill Gundry reverently molds this well-crafted play and talented actors into a refreshingly provocative production. From a technical standpoint, the lighting had a few visionary moments while the sound felt haphazard and almost distracting. The transitions between scenes were uninspired and executed poorly when blending light and sound.

Sam Mandelbaum as Hamlet. Photo by Siggi Ragnar.

While Davalos employs some classical rhythm and exchanges, paying homage to Hamlet’s author, the dialogue resists being weighed down by the classical tongue by utilizing modern phraseology. The audience is pulled back and forth in a welcomed juxtaposition between the past and the present. The incessant questions of “why?” and “what if?” proliferate the action, making for fast-paced exchanges, both humorous and stimulating.

As expected, Davalos commands his role as Faustus with resilient passion, presenting a bombastic provocateur with a human vulnerability. Overall the cast shows true investment in the characters, not just their lengthy diatribes. Consider this Sam Mandelbaum’s audition and scene work for the role of Hamlet, a character he brings to life in the present beyond Shakespeare’s confines. As always, Andrew Thornton is brilliant as Martin Luther, illustrating his struggle perpetuated by the naturalistic parley with Davalos. While Christina Casella must take on all the female roles as The Eternal Feminine, it is her second scene as Faustus’ lover when she spends the most time on stage and is able to showcase her talent.

David Davalos’ Wittenberg is witty, insightful and cheeky. Best of all, this piece is always timely, asking the questions of faith and reason, pitting theology and philosophy against each other in a match of interpretation and the unknown. It stands on the cusp of scientific and philosophical discovery—the revolution of the solar system, the birth of psychology, and the Protestant reformation, to name a few—all the while making convoluted ideas accessible.



Wittenberg runs at The Playhouse’s Cellar Theater November 1 through 17, 2013 with performances at 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays; and 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Sundays. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit theplayhousesa.org.