Rabbit Box: Fatherland by Marci White
Thursday, June 11, 2015
In June we heard touching and terrific stories on the theme “Fatherland” at The Foundry. Guest MC Christopher Becerra was the charming and witty host.
Elise Stangle, the director of Rabbit Box, opened the night with her first story on stage, telling about a happy childhood interrupted when her father, Phil Stangle, began to suffer a slow deterioration from a degenerative disease, eventually dying when Elise was not quite 18. Her father is fondly remembered, among other things, for being the creator of The Taco Stand, a popular local Mexican eatery.
Paul Quick wanted to feel like he mattered to his larger-than-life minister dad, but they had a hard time understanding each other. He had to wait until one of the hardest years of his adult life to see that his dad cared for and supported him in unexpected ways.
In the tiny town of Empire, Michigan, Mark Evans‘ charismatic preacher father goes to bat for him after Mark experiences bullying from an overbearing coach.
Growing up in Florida in the 1960s with just her mom, Mary Miller had disturbing revelations after thinking her dad was dead, to finding he was not, to finding he was.
Ruta Abolins‘ name was chosen from the Crackerjack box, and she took the stage to tell us of her journey in search of her “fatherland,” the place her parents immigrated from: her luggage but found some things she was looking for.
Disney World was his dad’s favorite place, his grandfather’s favorite place, and, as a child, was woven throughout Matthew Epperson’s family life. As he grew older and Matthew’s love for Disney dimmed, he found that a distance had also grown between him and his dad.
Mel Cochran was largely raised by her “smaller big brother” and her “brother bear” after her mother (“The Glue”) was unable to care for her after her birth, and her mean Marine dad suffered a permanent brain injury. Her brothers “loved to torture” her but also just plain loved her.
Chuck Horne discovered a new kind of homeland when he spent 6 months living in Perth, Australia.
Naji Lyon was intimidated by his gruff strongman dad, the foreman at a rock quarry. When he was finally able to get his exhausted and exacting dad’s attention to help him make a car for a Boy Scout’s derby car race, the stakes are high for his car to win first place.
Rabbit Box 