Drake Theatre People will present a staged reading of “Rabbit Hole” by David Lindsay-Abaire at 7 p.m.  Dec. 2-3 in the Coleman Studio Theatre. Admission is free.

“​Rabbit Hole” is a story about grief. It follows a family in mourning after the loss of their son, and explores the many ways a person can cope with tragedy. 

It premiered on Broadway in 2006 and was the recipient of the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It also inspired the 2010 drama film of the same name, starring Nicole Kidman and Miles Teller.

Sophomore ​Diamond Metcalfe is the director of this staged reading. Metcalfe hopes this play reminds audiences that grief is an individual process and that there is no right way to grieve. Metcalfe links this to the idea that Gen Z is often portrayed as uncaring because they grieve through humor. 

“The thing is, we do care. We just show our grief in a different way,” Metcalfe said.

Metcalfe believes that student-led theater is an important part of the theatre department and the Drake community as a whole.

“It brings in new faces and fresh ideas to the stage and the community,” Metcalfe said.

“Rabbit Hole” is produced by Drake Theatre People, a student organization that works to uplift and inspire the Drake community through student-led theater.

Abby Rogers, a junior, is the current president of Drake Theatre People and plays Becca, a grieving mother, in “Rabbit Hole.” Rogers said this production is one of her favorite Drake Theatre People memories.

“I have learned so much from this show and I can’t wait for audiences to see this story,” Rogers said.

​Drake Theatre People is a registered student organization that facilitates and inspires student-created theatrical art through workshops, performance opportunities and student-led productions.

“Drake Theatre People has the goal of inspiring students to create unique theatrical art and share their individual artistry with the Drake community,” Rogers stated. 

Drake Theatre People presents opportunities for students to experience all sides of theater, no matter their major. Rogers hopes this will inspire students to find joy in things they may not have realized they were passionate about like it did for her.

“Growing up, student-led theater is what inspired me to dive deeper into another passion of mine, directing,” Rogers said. 

Rogers believes that student-led theater is a vital part of Drake’s artistic community. It uplifts the voices of all kinds of artists in ways that the Drake Theatre Arts Department may not be able to.

“It allows for us to have a voice that we might not be able to display through department-led productions,” Rogers said. 

Rogers is excited to see this organization continue to grow. Drake Theatre People has a full schedule of events planned for spring 2023, all centered around fostering community and encouraging artistic growth.

“We have various cabarets, dance labs, productions and an exciting Q&A event with a special guest,” Rogers said. 

Information about upcoming events can be found on @draketheatrepeople on Instagram, where students can also sign up to become an official member.