Photo Flash: The Theatre Group at SBCC presents RABBIT HOLE

The Theatre Group at SBCC will present RABBIT HOLE, David Lindsay-Abaire's touching play, as the final play in the 16/17 season. Directed by Katie Laris, performances will be April 12-29 in the intimate Jurkowitz Theatre.

Becca and Howie Corbett have everything a family could want, until a life-shattering accident turns their world upside down and leaves the couple drifting perilously apart. RABBIT HOLE 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. Winner of the 2007 Pulitzer Prize.

David Lindsay-Abaire is a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, screenwriter, lyricist, and librettist. His most recent play Good People premiered on Broadway, and was awarded the New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Play, The Horton Foote Prize, The Edgerton Foundation New American Play Award, and two Tony nominations. TCG named Mr. Lindsay-Abaire as the most produced playwright in America for the 2012-13 season, and Good People as the most produced play. His previous play, Rabbit Hole, received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, five Tony nominations, and the Spirit of America Award. He also wrote the book and lyrics for Shrek the Musical, which was nominated for eight Tonys, four Oliviers, a Grammy, and earned Mr. Lindsay-Abaire the Ed Kleban Award as America's most promising musical theatre lyricist. Mr. Lindsay-Abaire's other plays include Fuddy Meers, Kimberly Akimbo, Wonder of the World, and A Devil Inside, among others. In addition to his work in theatre, Mr. Lindsay-Abaire's screen credits include his film adaptation of Rabbit Hole (starring Nicole Kidman -- Oscar Nomination), Dreamworks' Rise of the Guardians, and MGM's upcoming Poltergeist reboot, among others.

KATIE LARIS (Director) is a stage director and an instructor of acting in The Theatre Arts Department at SBCC. Recent productions include Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Dead Man's Cell Phone, Good Kids, Arsenic and Old Lace, Becky's New Car, August: Osage County, Through the Fire, The Solid Gold Cadillac, Love, Santa Barbara, Machinal, The Suicide, Moonchildren, Stirring the Pot, Twelve Angry Men, Over the Tavern, Seascape, The Physicists, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Lola Goes to Roma, Gunfighter: A Gulf War Chronicle, Real Women Have Curves, Ghosts, Fortinbras and Baby with the Bathwater. Previously she directed Fuente Ovejuna, All's Well That Ends Well and The Birds in New York City and The Trial, The Ride Across Lake Constance and Danger Cave in Portland, Oregon. She also produced and wrote TV programs for Animal Planet, Discovery Health Channel and PBS. Katie received her B.A. in Theatre/Literature from Reed College and her M.F.A. in Theatre Directing from Columbia University.

Rabbit Hole will feature: Elaine Arnett, Paul Canter, Leslie Gangl Howe, Ryan Ostendorf and Shannon Saleh.

Leslie Gangl Howe (Becca) has a long history in the Santa Barbara theatre community. Her most recent appearance was as Lady Macduff and Witch #2, in the Ensemble Theater production of MacbetH. Leslie is currently working with Drama Dogs on Eve's Fair Hand a dramatic presentation of women writers throughout history. She is the recipient of eight Independent Awards for her performances in: The Heiress, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Anton in Show Business, Private Eyes, Shadowlands, Good Night Desdemona, Good Morning Juliet, and Heidi Chronicles with The Theatre Group at SBCC, and The Goat, or Who is Sylvia with Genesis West. Leslie specializes in voiceovers for television, radio and industrials.

SHANNON SALEH (Izzy) is delighted to be in her second Theatre Group at SBCC production, the first being Dead Man's Cell Phone (Hermia). Favorite past shows include Enchanted April (Lottie), You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (Lucy), 35 mm, Pirates of Penzance (Edith), Forbidden Broadway (Fontine), and La Cenerentola. When she's not on stage, she loves directing theatre and vocal music and helping students find a voice and passion for the stage.

RYAN OSTENDORF (Jason) is a freshman music major at SBCC who decided it might be as good a time as any to get back on the stage. His most recent shenanigan in the theatre was playing Franklin Hart in San Marcos High School's 2016 production of 9 to 5, and is thrilled to have the opportunity to perform again! This is his first production with The Theatre Group at SBCC.

Paul Canter (Howie) appeared last season with The Theatre Group at SBCC in Proof (Robert), and In the Next Room or the Vibrator Play (Mr. Daldry). Other favorite productions include Lobby Hero (Ensemble Theater; Independent Award), Suicide in B-Flat, and The End of Lorraine (NYC). Paul is a voice actor, and plays drums with the band Blue Riders. He attended CalArts and studied Meisner technique with John Parkinson. Paul has been featured in several short films on these YouTube channels: Beachfront Comedy, Thank You Budgie, and HayleyWould.

Elaine Arnett (Nat) has participated in many local Santa Barbara drama, dance, and singing productions spanning several years. She last appeared with The Theatre Group at SBCC in The Hound of the Baskervilles as Mrs. Barrymore. Other recent roles were Lucy Angkatell in Agatha Christie's The Hollow in Los Angeles.

FRANÇOIS-PIERRE COUTURE (Scenic & Lighting Designer) originally from Montreal, has had the privilege of working in Los Angeles and the United States for the last decade as a scenic, lighting and projection designer. He is happy to come back to The Theatre Group at SBCC once more. Some of his designs include; Destiny of Desire at the Arena Stage Theatre, SCR and the Goodman; James and the Giant Peach, Pinocchio and The Light Princess at South Coast Repertory; The Mexican Trilogy, an American History at the Los Angeles Theatre Center, Médée and Teseo for the Chicago Opera Theatre; A Picasso at the Geffen Playhouse.

Pamela Shaw (Costume Designer) is resident costume designer for The Theatre Group at SBCC for whom she recently designed Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, and the 1880's costumes for In The Next Room or the vibrator play. Ms. Shaw was Costume Designer for the 2015 off Broadway show Lonesome Traveler, Assistant Costume Designer for TV sensation Vampire Diaries and The Artist, the 2011 Academy Award winner: Best Picture & Best Costume Design, designer Mark Bridges. Ms. Shaw served two terms as Vice President of the Costume Designers Guild, Local 892 and is currently a Trustee for the Western Region Board of United Scenic Artists, Local 829.

BARBARA HIRSCH (Sound Designer) owns Opus 1 mobile recording, a classical and acoustic music recording company, co-owns the Santa Barbara Yoga Center and also writes a weekly column called ecofacts. In a previous life, she loved working in theatre in various capacities: box office, playing in the pit, composing music for theatre and sound design. She won a Dramalogue Sound Design award for Singin' in the Rain, an SBCLO production that helped to end a year's long drought when rain soaked the ground shortly after it rained on stage. After years of theatre drought, she began working with Katie Laris and the fantastic Theatre Group at SBCC, doing sound design for their very satisfying productions of Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Dead Man's Cell Phone, Machinal, Through the Fire, August: Osage County, and Becky's New Car. More recently with Ensemble Theatre Company, she enjoyed working with Bach and the others in Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune and Mozart in their recent production of Amadeus.

Rabbit Hole will be performed in the intimate Jurkowitz Theatre on SBCC's West Campus, 900 block of Cliff Drive. Performances are April 12-29, 2017, Wednesday through Saturday @ 7:30pm, Sunday April 23 @ 2pm, Saturday matinees April 15, 22, & 29 @ 2pm. The Saturday, April 15, 2pm performance will be live-captioned for the hearing impaired. Ticket prices are: Previews April 12 & 13, $18 general/$15 seniors/$10 students, Wednesday & Thursday evenings, Saturday and Sunday matinees $24 general/$19 seniors/$14 students, Friday & Saturday evenings $26 general/$21 seniors/$17 students. Tickets can be purchased at the Garvin Theatre Box Office, 805-965-5935 or online at www.theatregroupsbcc.com. The Jurkowitz Theatre is wheelchair accessible and has assisted listening headsets. Parking is free and near the theatre. Due to the intimate nature of the theatre, no late seating is permitted.

Photo credit: Ben Crop

Elaine Arnett, Paul Canter and Leslie Gangl Howe in The Theatre Group at SBCC’s production of RABBIT HOLE by David Lindsay-Abaire. April 12-29, 2017, Jurkowitz Theatre, SBCC West Campus, 900 block of Cliff Dr. www.theatregroupsbcc.com or 805-965-5935 for tickets and information. Photo Credit: Ben Crop
Leslie Gangl Howe and Paul Canter in The Theatre Group at SBCC’s production of RABBIT HOLE by David Lindsay-Abaire. April 12-29, 2017, Jurkowitz Theatre, SBCC West Campus, 900 block of Cliff Dr. www.theatregroupsbcc.com or 805-965-5935 for tickets and information. Photo Credit: Ben Crop
Paul Canter and Leslie Gangl Howe in The Theatre Group at SBCC’s production of RABBIT HOLE by David Lindsay-Abaire. April 12-29, 2017, Jurkowitz Theatre, SBCC West Campus, 900 block of Cliff Dr. www.theatregroupsbcc.com or 805-965-5935 for tickets and information. Photo Credit: Ben Crop
Leslie Gangl Howe and Elaine Arnett in The Theatre Group at SBCC’s production of RABBIT HOLE by David Lindsay-Abaire. April 12-29, 2017, Jurkowitz Theatre, SBCC West Campus, 900 block of Cliff Dr. www.theatregroupsbcc.com or 805-965-5935 for tickets and information. Photo Credit: Ben Crop
Leslie Gangl Howe in The Theatre Group at SBCC’s production of RABBIT HOLE by David Lindsay-Abaire. April 12-29, 2017, Jurkowitz Theatre, SBCC West Campus, 900 block of Cliff Dr. www.theatregroupsbcc.com or 805-965-5935 for tickets and information. Photo Credit: Ben Crop
Paul Canter, Leslie Gangl Howe, Shannon Saleh and Elaine Arnett in The Theatre Group at SBCC’s production of RABBIT HOLE by David Lindsay-Abaire. April 12-29, 2017, Jurkowitz Theatre, SBCC West Campus, 900 block of Cliff Dr. www.theatregroupsbcc.com or 805-965-5935 for tickets and information. Photo Credit: Ben Crop
Paul Canter, Leslie Gangl Howe, Shannon Saleh and Elaine Arnett in The Theatre Group at SBCC’s production of RABBIT HOLE by David Lindsay-Abaire. April 12-29, 2017, Jurkowitz Theatre, SBCC West Campus, 900 block of Cliff Dr. www.theatregroupsbcc.com or 805-965-5935 for tickets and information. Photo Credit: Ben Crop
Paul Canter and Leslie Gangl Howe in The Theatre Group at SBCC’s production of RABBIT HOLE by David Lindsay-Abaire. April 12-29, 2017, Jurkowitz Theatre, SBCC West Campus, 900 block of Cliff Dr. www.theatregroupsbcc.com or 805-965-5935 for tickets and information. Photo Credit: Ben Crop