RABBIT HOLE WILL OPEN OUR 31ST SEASON!

RABBIT HOLE WILL OPEN CUMBERLAND THEATRE’S 31ST SEASON

Pulitzer Prize-Winning play opens February 7th

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - The Cumberland Theatre will open its 31st season of live entertainment with the award-winning play “Rabbit Hole”, by David Lindsay-Abaire. The recipient of five Tony Award nominations (including Best Play), the show debuted on Broadway in 2006, and since has been produced in regional theaters throughout the country garnering rave reviews. Variety Magazine described the play as “not just a departure but a revelation—an intensely emotional examination of grief, laced with wit, insightfulness, compassion and searing honesty."

The play won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and was later adapted into a feature film starring Nicole Kidman, Alan Eckhart and Dianne Weist which debuted at the Toronto Film Festival.

The play centers around Becca and Howie Corbett, who seem to have a picture-perfect family life in the suburbs of New York until a random, tragic accident takes the life of their four-year old son. Soon after, Becca’s younger, irresponsible sister, Izzy, announces that she is pregnant and there will now be a new child in the family. As Becca and Howie grow further apart, Becca’s mother, Nat, badgers Becca about her grieving process, and Jason, the young driver who killed their son, continually shows up to ask forgiveness, the group is on a bumpy road to healing with no road map in sight. Using both humor and dramatic confrontation, the play delves into the complexity of a family navigating deep grief, and learning what it means to live a fruitful life when things fall apart.

Rabbit Hole is being directed by Chris McCabe and features a cast of both local actors and visiting guest artists. Returning to Cumberland will be Tom Dacey Carr (a Chicago-based actor) as Howie and South Carolina native Kimberly Camacho in the role of Izzy. Carr appeared in last year’s season opener, Fool for Love as Eddie. His Chicago credits include work with TUTA, Erasing the Distance, Victory Gardens, Next Theatre, and Organic Theatre. His regional credits include Cincinnati Playhouse In The Park and Playmakers Repertory Theatre, and he has been seen on Chicago Fire. He received his MFA from UNC-Chapel Hill and is a founding member of Facility Theatre. Camacho first appeared with the Cumberland Theatre as Louise aka Gypsy Rose Lee in last spring’s production of the musical Gypsy. Her other regional credits include Jo in Little Women The Musical, Gretchen in Freaky Friday and Gertrude in Seussical the Musical.

Local cast members are Nicole Halmos as Nat, Connor McCabe as Jason and Kimberli Rowley at Becca. Halmos was last seen on the CT stage as Mama Rose in Gypsy. Recent local appearances include Margaret White in Carrie the Musical, Mother Superior in Drinking Habits and Fraulein Schnieder in Cabaret. Nicole has performed Off-Broadway as well as many venues throughout the country including The Public Theatre, the Shakespeare Theatre, and Ford’s Theatre. McCabe appeared last season in the ensembles of White Christmas, Gypsy and Mamma Mia. Other local appearances include the Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz, Doody in Grease, and the Cat in the Hat in Seussical the Musical. Rowley’s recent appearances include Betty in White Christmas, Anna in Closer, Belinda in Noises Off and Tanya in Mamma Mia. She has performed at many venues throughout the tri-state area and currently serves as one of the Cumberland Theatre’s Artistic Directors.

The production team for the show includes Rhett Wolford (set design), Jennifer Clark (costume design) and Braxton Cooper (lighting design).

Rabbit Hole runs February 7th – 17th with Thursday – Saturday shows at 8:00 pm and Sunday matinees at 2:00 pm. An opening night after party will be held on Friday, February 8th and ticket holders may stay after the performance for complimentary wine and cheese with the cast and crew. Tickets can be purchased at www.cumberlandtheatre.com or by calling 301.759.4990. Season Tickets are also available. The VIP Star Box Lounge with food, beverages and special balcony seating can be reserved by emailing info@cumberlandtheatre.com.

CT Announces 31st Season!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – The staff and Board of Directors at the Cumberland Theatre are excited to officially announce the line-up for their 2019 Season. The season, which marks the theatre’s 31st year of producing live entertainment, features a variety of musicals, comedies, dramas, and classics. Plans also include a play reading series, movies, a young actor’s production and other special events.

The season will officially open in February with the Pulitzer Prize winning play Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire. This sometimes funny, sometimes haunting play centers around Becca and Howie Corbett who 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. The play premiered on Broadway in 2006 and was nominated for several Tony Awards. In 2010, it was made into a feature film starring Nicole Kidman and directed by John Cameron Mitchell.

In April, the theatre will feature the cult musical, Reefer Madness inspired by the original 1936 film of the same name. The musical comedy takes a tongue-in-cheek look at the hysteria caused when clean-cut kids fall prey to marijuana, leading them on a hysterical downward spiral filled with evil jazz music, sex and violence. Reefer Madness is a highly stylized and satirical political commentary. The musical numbers range from big Broadway-style showstoppers to swing tunes like ‘Down at the Ol’ Five and Dime’ and the Vegas-style ‘Listen to Jesus, Jimmy,’ featuring J.C. Himself leading a chorus of showgirl angels.

The classic play A Streetcar Named Desire will run for two weeks in June. Regarded as one of the finest plays of the 20th century and considered by many to be playwright Tennessee Williams' greatest work, the play depicts southern belle schoolteacher, Blanche DuBois, who arrives in New Orleans needing the charity of her sister and brutish brother-in-law, Stella and Stanley Kowalski, for relief from the loss of her childhood home. Stella and Stanley already have a volatile relationship, but the cramped quarters and Blanche’s deceptions only serve to pour gas on the already existing flame. The play won the Pulitzer Prize in 1947 and in 1951, was adapted into an Academy Award-winning film starring Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh.

The summer will continue with the award-winning Broadway musical Legally Blonde, based on the popular movie starring Reese Witherspoon. It follows the transformation of Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes and scandal in pursuit of her dreams. Her life is turned upside down when her boyfriend Warner dumps her so he can attend Harvard Law. Determined to get him back, Elle ingeniously charms her way into the prestigious law school. While there, she struggles with peers, professors and her ex. With the support of some new friends, though, Elle quickly realizes her potential and sets out to prove herself to the world.

In August, the new comedy Meteor Shower will run for two weekends. Written by comedian Steve Martin, using his trademark absurdist humor, the play bends the fluid nature of time and reality. Corky and Norm are excited to host Gerald and Laura at their home to watch a once-in-a-lifetime meteor shower. But as the stars come out and the conversation gets rolling, it becomes clear that Gerald and Laura might not be all that they appear to be. Over the course of a crazy, starlit dinner party, the wildly unexpected occurs. The play recently had its debut on Broadway and starred Amy Schumer and Keegan-Michael Key.

October will feature the classic thriller Dracula, written by Steven Dietz and based on the famous Bram Stoker novel. The familiar tale of the vampire from Transylvania will run for three weekends. The final main stage show of the season will be Meredith Wilson’s musical adaptation of A Miracle on 34th Street, which will take the stage in December. The show closely follows the holiday movie about Macy’s famous Santa Claus who may or may not be the real Kris Kringle.

The Cumberland Theatre is owned and overseen by its volunteer board of trustees including President BettyJo Gehauf, Vice President Phyllis Lyon, Secretary Dawn Wolford, Treasurer Sheryl Brown, Shirley Giarritta, Dottie Kight, Greg Malloy, Anthony Pinardi, Matt Scarpelli, Jake Shade, Mary Shrout and Don Whisted. Kimberli Rowley and Rhett Wolford serve as the theatre’s Artistic Directors.

The theatre employs professional actors, directors, and designers from all over the country as well as local actors and students and faculty from Frostburg State University.