The Rainmaker
Written by N. Richard Nash
Greenhouse Theater, 2257 N. Lincoln (map)
thru Sept 27 | tix: $29-$39 | more info
Check for half-price tickets
Masterful design can’t help dated, misogynistic play
American Blues Theater presents
The Rainmaker
Review by Lauren Whalen
Some plays just don’t age well. While today’s society certainly isn’t perfect, we’ve come a long way in terms of acknowledging faults like racism and sexism, and modern pop culture often reflects this progression. Press materials and the director’s note for American Blues Theater’s The Rainmaker seem to believe that after over half a century, N. Richard Nash’s play still projects a heartwarming sense of hope. However, the play (ostensibly a comedy with romantic and Western elements) made me sadder than any production has in a long time. Even the best acting and direction can’t transcend the dated, often blatantly misogynistic source material.
The Rainmaker is a simple story, but “simple” is not synonymous with “classic.” Any production is only as good as its source material, and in this case, it’s difficult to assess The Rainmaker’s production values, acting and direction, because of its terrible script. It’s possible that were I alive at the time of the play’s 1954 Broadway opening, I would have found it charming and sweet. As it is in 2015, I was horrified by the way Lizzie is treated. During the course of the play, she’s repeatedly told that she’s worthless as a human being – and this abuse is often played for comic value. Lizzie’s supposed ideal man, File, is both pathetic and violent: he gives Jimmy a black eye for no good reason. At one point, Noah forces Lizzie to look into the mirror, acknowledge she’s unattractive and consequently will spend the rest of her life alone, and no one stops this horrible behavior. The Curry men constantly give Lizzie mixed messages: be yourself (bookish and quirky), but not too much yourself because men don’t want someone smarter than they are. Make yourself “pretty,” but watch your necklines, use of makeup and height of heels so no one considers you a tramp.
The closest thing Lizzie has to a foil is her younger brother Jimmy’s love interest, Snookie. I say “closest” because Snookie never actually appears onstage – apparently playwright Nash didn’t consider her worthy of flesh-and-blood individualism – and is only discussed. Older brother Noah is constantly angry that Snookie has the audacity to bleach her hair, own a vehicle, and phone a man in whom she has expressed interest. The way Noah carries on and warns Jimmy not to let such a “fast” girl “trap” him, I kept waiting for Noah to grab his pitchfork and suggest burning the woman at the stake. (Meanwhile, I wished someone would write a play about Snookie.)
As stated above, judging the merits of this production is challenging, but this Rainmaker does succeed on a few fronts. Sarah E. Ross has designed a gorgeous set, giving the Curry homestead a rustic, homey glow illuminated by Sarah Hughey’s lights. Joe Cerqua’s sound design and original music were so charming, they left me wanting more. And as Starbuck, Key infuses each slick word and move with an air of humanity, emphasizing the con man’s kindness and respect toward the oft-maligned Lizzie.
Many older plays and musicals have outdated elements or odd messages by today’s standards, but have enough strong points to still be enjoyable. (For example, the Lyric Opera’s recent production of Carousel took care to emphasize that Billy Bigelow was, at heart, not a very good person. Though Julie appeared to forgive his abuse, no characters condoned it and many cautioned her to leave and/or forget him.) The Rainmaker isn’t one of these plays: the script has virtually no redeeming qualities. It simply shouldn’t be produced anymore. The Rainmaker reads as a relic – though sadly, misogyny and sexism are still alive and well.
Rating: ★½
The Rainmaker continues through September 27th at Greenhouse Theater, 2257 N. Lincoln (map), with performances Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sundays 2:30pm. Tickets are $29-$39, and are available by phone (773-404-7336) or online through Vendini.com (check for half-price tickets at Goldstar.com). More information at AmericanBluesTheater.com. (Running time: 2 hours, includes an intermission)
Photos by Johnny Knight
artists
cast
Danny Goldring (H.C. Curry), Vincent Teninty (Noah Curry), Matt Pratt (Jim Curry), Linsey Page Morton (Lizzie Curry), Howie Johnson (File), Robert Breuler (Sheriff Thomas), Steve Key (Bill Starbuck)
behind the scenes
Edward Blatchford (director), Sarah E. Ross (scenic design), Christopher J. Neville (costume design), Sarah Hughey (lighting design), Joe Cerqua (sound design and original music), Jamie Karas (prop design), Kathryn Lochert (stage manager), Sammie Becker (asst. stage manager), Aaron Shapiro (production manager), Elyse Dolan (asst. to the director), Kathy Logelin (dialect coach), Lauri Dahl (dramaturg), Morgan Lake (asst. sound), Alexandra Blatchford (production assistant), Vincent Teninty (fight director), Alan Weusthoff (technical director), Jason Shivers (master electrician), Sarah Stephens (scenic painter), Johnny Knight (photos)
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