Auditions

Rabbit Hole

The 2007 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama by David Lindsay-Abaire

Directed by Anna Baird

SEASON: 6-27 September, 2025 (13 performances)

AUDITIONS: from 10am, Saturday, 7 June, 2025, by appointment

Rehearsal Schedule: Tues & Thurs 7pm, Sunday 4pm

Copies of the script are available upon request from info@hlt.org.nz.

SYNOPSIS

Becca and Howie Corbett are struggling to find their way after losing their young son in a tragic accident. As they drift apart, Becca’s family try to offer well-intentioned support, but their own complicated lives only add to the troubles. When the teenage driver involved in the accident reaches out, the family are forced to confront their loss and the possibility of moving forward.

Characters
The play is set in Larchmont, New York (about 35 minutes from Central New York), so a standard American accent is preferable. There are 5 strong roles and although Jason is a smaller role, it’s still challenging given his age, what he has been through and how his presence affects the others.

Becca: late 30s. Mother of Danny, wife of Howie. You could be forgiven for thinking she is in denial about her son’s death. She shuts down immediately if there is any mention of therapy or help of any kind and she is angry at her friend for not being there for her. She is stuck in this place where she can’t go back but she can’t move forward. Her answer is to try to erase everything that reminds her of her son. She will not allow herself to play the victim which could give the impression of her being ‘hardened’, but the opposite couldn’t be more true.

Howie: Late 30s early 40s. Howie loves his wife and wants to help her but keeps getting rebuffed. He desperately needs her but he can’t reach her. He is also dealing with his own grief and pain while trying to ‘fix’ things. He is kind and patient but also capable of showing anger and frustration.

Izzy: Mid-30s. Becca’s younger sister. Able to speak her truths to her sister and to Howie, sometimes with heartfelt honesty. She is not afraid to call people out if she thinks they're wrong. She is the wild child, and brings another level of pain but also hope when she announces she is unexpectedly pregnant.

Nat: Mid-60s. Becca’s Mum. Trying to help her daughter but she gets shut down a lot. Nat has had her own fair share of grief having lost her son (Becca’s brother) when he was 30. Becca believes the two deaths are totally unrelatable. Nat feels like she is walking on eggshells a lot and has a tendency to make matters worse, despite her best intentions.

Jason: 17. He was driving the car that hit and killed Danny. It wasn’t his fault, but he has a terrible weight to bear. He wants forgiveness and to make things better. He is a little naïve but very brave in reaching out to the family. Initially he is rejected but in a strange way his meeting with Becca helps her find a way out.

Director’s Notes
Rabbit Hole premiered in New York in 2006. The play will be set in the same period in the US, so a believable American accent will be an advantage. There are 5 roles and each character has travelled a very different and independent road in dealing with and managing their grief. The layers start to peel away gradually as the play progresses and Rabbit Hole is very much about what we don’t see. Lindsay-Abaire has given us clues all the way through the play as to what is ‘not’ being said, carefully placing each beat, each pause hinting at something that is being thought but not said out loud.

About the Director
Anna Baird is a professionally trained actor, having graduated from The Actors’ Program in 2015. She has performed in numerous plays at Howick Little Theatre, most recently in the role of Molly in Old Love (joint Best Production 2023). She has performed at many Auckland theatres both professionally and on the community circuit. Her acting credits include screen, theatre and web, including a guest role in Brokenwood Mysteries and she was awarded best actress for her performance as Carol in the Dolphin Theatre’s Death of a Dream. This will be Anna’s directing debut and she is excited to bring this moving work to life.

Watch this space for details of the remaining play in our 2025 season, Many Happy Returns, or sign up to our emailing list to receive advance information.