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Victorian’s ‘Rainmaker’ is a deluge of talent
By David L. MUNNELL
The Victorian Players’ season-ending production of “The Rainmaker” is a wonderful evening of entertainment that takes place in the tragic Dust Bowl.
The year is 1938, near the end of the Dust Bowl era, which turned America’s lower Plains into a near desert, wiping out farming.
“The Rainmaker” follows the trials of the Curry family, cattle ranchers, as its members come to terms with one another in such an oppressive time.
At the head of the family is H.C. Curry, played by Bill Finley, an unassuming man trying to allow his three grown children to make their own paths in life. The eldest, Noah, played by Cory Fowler, has become the head of the ranch and by extension in his own mind, the family. Next down the ladder is the second son, Jim, played by Hunter Thomas, who unintentionally attempts to emulate his older brother.
Then there’s the only daughter of the Curry clan, Lizzie, played by Donnette Bishop, a young woman convinced that she is plain and doomed to a life of spinsterhood. Also, we get a glimpse into the local sheriff’s office with the characters Sheriff Thomas, played by Christopher Haddock, and the soft-spoken deputy, File, played by David Cirelli. Finally we have Bill Starbuck, the mysterious and sudden Rainmaker, played by Joey Pascarella.
Sam Luptak Jr. is the director.
“The Rainmaker” runs for three acts with two intermissions. But even though it goes against the typical style for this show, the energy given by the cast keeps the audience entertained for the whole 21/2 hours.
While Finley’s H.C. is a bit stilted and wooden, his two onstage sons, Fowler and Thomas exude boyish enthusiasm throughout the night and keep the pace rolling. Cirelli as File brings great vulnerability and softness to a broken man and Haddock as the meddling Sheriff shows that there truly is no small role as he squeezes every last ounce of character out of his performance with fantastic results.
Pascarella as Starbuck is wonderfully flamboyant as he tries to wheedle his way into the hearts of the Curry clan.
As great as the cast is, the standout performance of the evening belongs to Bishop as the “Plain Jane” Lizzie Curry. She has a graceful and remarkable naturalness to her character against the over-animation of the rest of the cast. While it’s great to see such a young actress so in tune with her role, there are a few points where she doesn’t quite reach the emotional commitment to allow her vulnerability through where it is needed. This is a simple fix as all she has to do is uncross her arms. I truly am nit picking when I make this point, but it makes the difference between a great performance and a stellar performance, which Butler is very near.