"The Rainmaker", Preparations Near Completion
About the article
This is a digitised version of an article from The Cayman Compass's print archive. Occasionally, the digitisation process introduces transcription errors, or other problems.
See the article in its original context from July 1972.
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In keeping with the Society's present trend, this play has proved more challenging and ambitious than ever to the stage. Working to an even tighter schedule than the record-breaking eight weeks for "Worm's Eye View", Val Morgan, director, has accomplished a similar feat in seven. The play which is set in the Mid-West of the 1930's, is a combination of comedy, romance and drama and was made famous by the screen version starring BurtLancaster and Katherine Hepburn and more latterly by the musical adaption "One Hundred and Ten in the Shade" which ran for some time on Broadway and in the West End. Once again the Drama Society is utilising new talent in its cast. Newcomers are Stanley Panton (new to the Society stage though not to the Society) who plays Bill Starbuck, the starry-eyed con-man who recognises the "woman" in Lizzie, (played by Gale Shaw) only daughter of presumably widowed Harry Curry, (played by Skip McSorley) who along with his two sons, Noah and Jimmy runs the family ranch. Gale'shusband, Bill Shaw, is also on the cast and takes the part of the Sheriff. He is probably as near to John Wayne in character as the Drama Society will ever get! The set is a feat of engineering in itself - mainly attributable to Ian C. Stansfield, (who you will remember played Mark in "Worm's Eye View") with Keith Ball holding the nails! Upon entering the "theater" (Town Hall, George Town) the audience will have the feeling of being engulfed by the set and of actually taking part in the play since the stage had been extended yet again to cope with the complexities of the construction.
Basically, it is three sets in one, built in "theater workshop" style and separated by the use of differential lighting. In keeping with this type of stylisation the play is performed completely "open stage" i.e. without the use of tabs (curtains to the uninitiated) for scene or act changes. It has been estimated that "The Rainmaker" set covers more surface area and uses more wood than all the plays put on to date by the Society! The Box Office is situated, as usual, in the foyer of Barclays Bank and the admission to the play will be CI $2.00 and CI $1.50. "Curtain Up" will be at 8:00p.m. sharp and nobody will be admitted after the doors are closed until a convenient break in the programme. So don't be disappointed - be there on time.
