Kate Hummel
Staff Writer
Lights, Camera, Action! Although cameras were replaced by a live audience, the performance of “The Rainmaker” was so perfectly executed and heartwarmingly realistic that it could have been staged for a television audience.
The story is set in the West during a crippling drought. The focus is on a ranch and its family of four; H.C. Curry [Elliot Weiner] his sons, Noah [Jacob Tice] and Jim [Mason Quinn], and a spinster daughter, Lizzy [Tanya Barber], who is on her last strands of hope for ever finding a husband. Stuck between being herself and being what a “beau” would want, Lizzy is about to give up when along comes Starbuck [Bruce Story], a fast-talking con-man who tries to make the family believe that he can make rain.
The anticipation through the performance is not only whether the rainmaker will make his rain or get run out of town by the Sheriff [Ernie Heller], but also if Lizzy will ever find her love and with whom. The decision comes down to the audacious Starbuck or the local, divorced deputy, File [Jed Slaughter].
The story is touching, but would have meant nothing without the amazing energy and presentation of each individual character by the cast.
Tanya Barber was amazing as her tears brought an immediate response of tears and heartache from her intent viewers. Lizzy is the embodiment of all girls that have ever felt plain and unworthy as she overcomes the stigma set against her when she realizes that she is beautiful and more than enough for any man.
Starbuck was so energized, from every dripping word as a con-man selling rain to every soft-spoken whisper of endearment to Lizzy.
Jacob Tice became the character you love to hate as his bullying of character Lizzy was pulled off so well that it elicited a passionate urge to strangle the character where he stood.
Jimmy was the comic relief as the willful, love-struck younger brother who is trying to escape the clutches of his brother’s patronizing shadow.
H.C. was the father who loved to love and saw only the good in all of his children, almost to a fault. The portrayal of this character by Elliot Weiner was almost as heartbreaking as Lizzy’s trials as he showed a love so true and touching.
File portrayed the far too proud man who lost everything because of his pride and almost lost a chance at love again because of his stubbornness.
The growing romance between Lizzy and Starbuck was enticing to watch as both actors fed off of one another’s energy. However, this great dynamic duo overshadowed the relationship between Lizzy and File that was far less believable and a little underwhelming.
The cast as a whole seemed nearly flawless in their execution. Retorts and speech flowed without missing a beat. The action-reaction dynamic was realistic with just enough over-dramatization to give the performance the perfect amount of fantasy to help the audience get lost in the story.
