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| 6/26/2009 3:19:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article | Commonweal scores a hit with Rainmaker
By Bonnie Prinsen
People who know me will say that I'm not one to gush. I am, after all, German. And a Taurus.
But I've got to say that The Rainmaker, which opened at Lanesboro's Commonweal Theatre Saturday, is the best play I've seen in a long, long time. I plan to go see it again and take my kids, ages 10 and 13.
The Rainmaker, written by former boxer N. Richard Nash in 1953, tells the story of the Currys, a ranch family experiencing a relentless drought that is slowly killing their cattle and their spirits.
The family consists of wise patriarch, H.C. Curry, and his three grown children: Lizzie, Noah and Jim. The squabbling among the siblings is often quite humorous.
Noah is the serious, no-nonsense type who runs the ranch and pays close attention to the bottom line. The more free-spirited Jim lives in his brother's shadow with a slight complex about being a "dumbbell." Everyone is concerned about the fact that Lizzie has passed the acceptable marrying age for girls at the time, with no real prospects.
Her father has always encouraged Lizzie to be herself, even though she's well aware of her serious nature when compared with the flighty, flirtatious behavior of the girls she sees in town-the ones who seem able to hypnotize men.
So while feeling the strain of the drought, and Lizzie's impending spinsterhood, the family suddenly encounters a stranger named Starbuck, surely a conman, who says he can make it rain for a hundred dollars.
Lizzie and Noah have long since lost their capacity to believe in magic, if they ever had it. But Jim and H.C. are intrigued by the stranger and are hesitant to send him on his way.
Much of the plot is unforeseen, which only adds to the audience's enjoyment as they experience unexpected sorrows and joys along with the family.
Even though I saw the opening preview, the production already had a polished feel. The return of the compelling Adam Whisner as Starbuck and the talented Richard Nance as Sheriff Thomas seems to raise the stakes for the entire cast, and the result is superb.
Adrienne Sweeney as Lizzie has obviously found a role she can really sink her teeth into and calls Rainmaker her "favorite story to date."
"What I love about playing the character Lizzie is how honest she is - how straightforward. And while she sees life from a realistic perspective, I love that she still holds on to -- and defends -- her dreams," Sweeney commented via email.
"I also love the family dynamics in this play. It is such a tight-knit group and they love and protect and defend each other so vigorously. Even when one of the brothers says something harsh, it's from a place of love and protection. Ultimately it's their fierce love for one another that gets them through the hard times and allows their dreams to come true."
Scott Dixon as the conflicted deputy File, Lizzie's sometimes suitor, has also found a role where he can utilize his skill for emotional subtlety. Plus, he gets to throw a mean punch.
The always reliable David Hennessey rings true as the wisely gentle H.C. Hennessey is able to convey the earnestness of a man remarkably un-jaded, despite being a widower rancher in the middle of a drought, who is sincere in his belief "that the earth will not thirst forever...that one day (we) will again awaken to a green morning."
H.C.'s love for his grown children, and his refusal to stop believing in the human spirit, is what holds the family together through their many emotional storms.
But it is Whisner as Starbuck who shakes the family (and the audience) out of their comfortable stupor of isolation and demonstrates the power of human beings taking emotional risks and reaching out to each other.
Whisner is not only pitch-perfect with Starbuck's dialogue, but his physical presence and movement around the stage bring a deeper dimension to this delightful, yet disturbing conman.
Carl Lindberg and Tim Sailer as brothers Noah and Jim, respectively, were always appealing in their brotherly interactions and an obvious audience favorite at the performance that I attended.
But I also have to mention the incredible set design-realistic at the "ground level" and more representational higher up--perfect for a play about rain, and dreams, and the sky. The Commonweal always excels with their sets, but this one is especially professional and lovely to look at. Kudos to Frank Ludwig of Viterbo University who has been designing sets professionally since 1991.
In the capable hands of the much-credentialed director Jamie Horton, The Rainmaker scores in every possible category. The Commonweal has truly "hit one out of the park" with this one.
The Rainmaker runs through Labor Day. For specific show times and dates, check the schedule at www.commonwealtheatre.org . You can also call 507-467-2525 or 1-800-657-7025.
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