Lizzie Curry (Tanna Frederick) is a plain Jane. She lives on her family farm with her brothers and father in the Dust Bowl during the Depression.
The Curry clan seem to have it alot easier than most people around the country. They have plenty to eat and enjoy each others company, despite a great deal of bickering.
If only the horrible drought that's killing their cattle, would end...And if only they could find a husband for Lizzie.
Even though, Lizzie takes good care of them...sewing, cooking and running the house, they know she isn't happy...And they're right.
Lizzie dreams of having a husband and children one day, but she's way too proud to admit it.
When we first meet Miss Lizzie, in Richard Nash's classic play 'The Rainmaker', she's just returned home from a disasterous visit with her cousins, who live in a neighboring town.
To Lizzie's chagrin, she realized way too late, that her father (Stephen Howard) and brothers, Noah (David Garver) and Jim (Benjamin) arranged the trip, hoping she'd find a mate. The cousins apparently have alot of unmarried sons.
Unfortunately, the only cousin who who wanted to marry Lizzie...was seven years old.
Lizzie arrives home feeling plain, humiliated and fearing, she'll wind up being a 'maiden aunt'. But that is all about to change with the arrival of...
A charismatic stranger named Starbuck (Robert Standley) who swears he can make it rain.
Lizzie and her Noah are totally sceptical. But her dad and younger bro Jim, are determined to give Starbuck a chance. They even pay him one hundred dollars to bring on the rain.
'The Rainmaker' is a play about love, desire, magic and perception. It premiered on Broadway in 1954 and was made into a film in 1956 starring Katharine Hepburn as Lizzie and Burt Lancaster as Starbuck.
This production at the Edgemar Theatre for the Arts, directed by Jack Heller, works for many reasons.
One in particular is the performance of Tanna Frederick as Lizzie. She is outstanding...There is not a moment on stage, when you don't feel her deep need to be held, adored, and loved. It's almost at times, heartbreaking to watch.
The other cast members including Scott Roberts as File, the deputy who secretly loves Lizzie and Ralph Guzzo as Sheriff Thomas are all excellent.
Even though 'The Rainmaker' can be called an old fashion play, it still works because the topics/themes it addresses, are as real today, as they were in 1937.
'The Rainmaker' opened at Edgemar Center For The Arts, located at 2437 Main Street, Santa Monica CA 90495 on January 13th 2013. It runs through March 24th...Thursdays-Saturdays at 7:30 and Sundays at 5:00
Admission: $34.99 and a limited number of tickets will be available for each show at $25.00.
Reservations: 310-392-7327
Online Tickets: www.edgemarcenter.org
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