by dick kerekes dickkerekes@yahoo.com
The Atlantic Beach Experimental Theatre opened 2007 last weekend, with N. Richard Nash’s l954 romantic comedy The Rainmaker. After a successful run of l25 shows, it became a staple of regional and community theatres. In l956, Burt Lancaster and Katharine Hepburn made the movie that still shows up on cable TV.
The play is set in the l930s in a midwestern state suffering from a drought. Con man Bill Starbuck comes to town and works miracles, not only on the weather, but also on the spinster Lizzy Curry. Calling himself a rainmaker he offers to make it rain for $100. An outrageous sum in the middle of the Depression, and probably equivalent to a 1/2million dollars today.
Award-winning actor/director Michael Lipp makes his directing debut at ABET, and works his expected casting and directing magic once again.
All the action takes place in the home of H. C. Curry (played wonderfully as a wise and caring father by Cliff Rigsbee).
Frank Healey returns to the stage for the first time since his high school days and is very believable as son, Noah, the very honest and very sensible member of the family. Physically he was perfect for the role, being tall and muscular and someone not to mess with.
The youngest son, Jim, played by Gary Baker gives the play most of the humor, as a not-too-smart but not-too-young man flexing his hormones for the first time.
Rounding out the Curry family is Lizzy, in her mid 20s she’s already considered an old maid in those times. You will fall in love with newcomer Taylor Lee in this role. I did. She captures the spirit of the truth-speaking girl who considers herself plain but won’t resort to womanly tricks, like flirting, to get a man.
The most important character, outside of the Curry family, is deputy File, a middle-aged man unlucky in love and too shy to admit his loneliness. He has a fondness for Lizzy but is unable to express it. Welcome back Rick Despain as File. Rick stays too busy as head of the Drama Department at La Villa, and only occasionally appears on local stages. He is a consummate actor and a joy to watch in this role.
Bill White, as Sheriff Thomas, has the smallest role in the play, but he has his day in the sun in a very funny bit when he tries to give his deputy a dog to relieve his loneliness.
This play rises and falls on the central character, Starbuck, and AJ Pratt was an excellent choice for this part. He had the charisma to charm the Currys and the audience. Is he a rogue or just a dreamer? Pratt’s romantic scene with Lizzy in the tack house, was a delight. Starbuck is dressed all in black (including a black undershirt), just as I have seen Starbucks in previous versions.
Director Lipp designed the set, the picture perfect western home in the 30s. Thanks to a loan from Antiques Warehouse in St. Augustine, even the furniture was authentic. Lipp even managed to add a small office for the sheriff on the right and a tack room, complete with real hay on the left side of the stage. Set décor expert JoAnna VanderKolk added those props (old time radio, phone) for the set that completed the picture.
The guys wore cowboy-type clothing, nothing spectacular there, but Lizzy’s plain, simple dresses were lovely. Thanks to Executive Director Barbara Evans for finding them.
If you have never seen this play, I am not going to tell you if Starbuck makes it rain, but when you go, bring an umbrella just in case. The Rainmaker is a very enjoyable evening of theatre. The message is uplifting and there is a lot more humor than you would expect considering the subject but I guess that is why it has endured all these years.
The Rainmaker is on stage until January 27th at the Adel Grage Cultural Center at 716 Ocean Blvd in Atlantic Beach. Call 249-7l77 for reservations.
Just a side note, if you are a musical theatre fan, check out the musical version of The Rainmaker titled 110 in the Shade. The dialogue is exactly the same as the play except it has songs. Two of its best numbers are “Old Maid” and “Raunchy.” Check it out.
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