REVIEW: THE DIVINERS—Golden West College Theater Arts

"...The Diviners has the folksy charm of ‘Our Town’ but with an undercurrent of impending tragedy looming at the edges...”

OCTOBER 17—HUNTINGTON BEACH

It takes a village to raise a child, and in this small town, most folks postulate their opinions on how to raise Buddy Layman despite his daddy's insistence that "kids are fine on their own."

An emotionally traumatized 14-year-old shaveling who speaks of himself in the third person, Buddy has a deathly fear of water, yet is so sensitive he can siccessfully dowse dry fields for water with a divining stick almost 100% of the time. He can even feel a rainstorm brewing when skies are completely clear.

This is the world of THE DIVINERS, and Golden West College Theater Arts, under the direction of Tom Amen, brings it to life with a simple, clear vision — a) keep the sets minimal; b) cast strong actors; and c) let the mood set the stage. The final production speaks for itself and plays on GWC’s Mainstage through October 19th.

Written by Jim Leonard, Jr. in 1980, THE DIVINERS has the folksy charm of "Our Town" but with an undercurrent of impending tragedy looming at the edges like a storm front rising on the distant horizon. There are no true villains, no outsized conflicts, just good-natured rural folks trying to live a decent life during the 1930’s depression era.

Golden West College Theater Arts Presents, THE DIVINERS, Now Playing on the GWC Mainstage October 10th through October 19th.

Set in the tiny fictitious town of Zion, Indiana, the story revolves around Buddy Layman (Justin Callisch), a fourteen-year-old occasionally spastic youth with developmental challenges and a paralyzing fear of water. It appears that he has not taken a bath since his mother died — who drowned trying to rescue him. Since then, the boy has become the town curiosity, an emotionally stunted and physically scruffy lad who is terrified of water and whose questions are unanswered by his father and sister. And now Buddy is encrusted with so much dirt and infected with so much bacteria and ringworms that he can no longer sleep.

Mr. Callisch, who was most recently seen at GWC as Woodnut in “The Nether,” finds his inner child in the role with the confidence of a seasoned professional. An amalgam of the childlike “Arnie” from the film, “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” and a haltingly poetic Huck Finn, Mr. Callisch is a dervish of wild impulses and benign and baleful thoughts.

Golden West College Theater Arts Presents, THE DIVINERS, Now Playing on the GWC Mainstage October 10th through October 19th.

His Buddy is emotional, twitchy and nuanced, but nonetheless, a charismatic child, prone to speaking of himself in the third person, sometimes only with monosyllables, but gifted with an uncanny ability to divine water for a wellspring, fountainhead or new well, and to accurately predict rain even under sunny skies. In fact, the first act finds him searching for a new well for local farmer Basil Bennett (Phil Brickey) who also happens to be the town doctor, albeit without benefit of medical school — which was not uncommon in bygone decades. Basil’s wife and Hoosier Bible-belter Luella (Carrie Vinikow) is skeptical of Buddy’s divining abilities and urges her husband to hire some contractors with well-digging machinery.

The town is so small they have been without a church or a preacher since their one church burned down, but the local dry-goods proprietor, Norma Henshaw (Kim Brown) has stepped up to the plate. Toting her Bible and singing hymns, she is determined to pray up a preacher. Her skills may be at least partially commended, as the town is soon visited by one C.C. Showers (Luke Brodowski), a soft-spoken preacher in the flesh. The only problem is that the tall, handsome C.C. has given up preaching. He is so adamant about this that when the local diner owner, Goldie Short (Judy Gish), asks him to pray a blessing over a donut, he flatly refuses.

Golden West College Theater Arts Presents, THE DIVINERS, Now Playing on the GWC Mainstage October 10th through October 19th.

However, baggage or no, — and there’s a whole ‘nother story about his luggage — a single man and a preacher are hot commodities in a small town like Zion and he catches the attention of several women and girls — including pretty, starry-eyed teen Jennie Mae Layman (Hannah Belle Owens). Unfortunately, Jennie Mae is not only the sister of young Buddy, but also the daughter of C.C.’s new landlord and employer, Ferris Layman (Scott Keister, always an electric presence onstage), who is also the local mechanic.

THE DIVINERS also deals with other subplots, including Norma’s fanaticism, which leads to a misunderstanding and even propels the ultimate tragedy at the end. Other characters with issues: Ferris Layman has been lost since his wife died and has left his children to fend for themselves like feral cats. Ms. Gish’s Goldie is waiting for a revival of faith to bring a revival of business to her diner; her best business was on Sundays when church-goers traditionally go out for brunch or dinner.

Golden West College Theater Arts Presents, THE DIVINERS, Now Playing on the GWC Mainstage October 10th through October 19th.

We also find Mr. Callisch's sometimes-articulate Buddy wanting to decipher the mysteries of nature and the possible connection between his deceased mother and a divine order in which God may have restricted powers. Mr. Brodowski’s C.C., in turn, offers instruction and friendship, and gradually forms a bond with the lad, not unlike Annie Sullivan and Helen Keller in ''The Miracle Worker,'' and together they explore a real landscape, although C.C.’s desire to ''help folks'' is limited by his guilt of rejecting the faith of his clergymen-forefathers.

C.C.’s history is not fully developed, but Mr. Brodowski's role as the preacher is brilliant with a believable mentor-student relationship flourishing between him and Buddy. His depiction of that genuine, unsullied fondness rings true in every scene.

Finally, after a rainstorm in which Buddy is taught not to fear anything natural, C.C. leads him to the dreaded river. In the staging, aided by Matt Schleicher’s subtle lighting, the boy slips into the water, reverts to his basic aversion to the stream, and then is gone as the preacher frantically reaches out to save him.

Golden West College Theater Arts Presents, THE DIVINERS, Now Playing on the GWC Mainstage October 10th through October 19th.

As the women of Zion form a silent, mobile and grieving chorus, we the audience envisage a restrained, classical ferocity between the thin line of life and death, and in our minds, we are blending parables, such as the inevitability of Eugene O'Neill's sea plays with the eccentric small-town behavior found in Christopher Sergel's ''Winesburg, Ohio.''

That moment is tragic, yet it’s also exalting. Even in an era of economic and social depression, the playwright seems to be saying..."the world can be enjoyed if fate and humanity's penchant to survive come to terms with each other."

Director Tom Amen has done a masterful job, offering more than a touch of genius in the play's penultimate scenes, and is clearly in tune with the necessary emotional beats this story requires. His work shows respect, patience and a true understanding of the levels necessary for each actor to make powerful connections to their roles.

Golden West College Theater Arts Presents, THE DIVINERS, Now Playing on the GWC Mainstage October 10th through October 19th.

The 11-member cast (which also includes Emily Bolden as Norma’s niece Darlene with her unusually funny view of Genesis, and Tristan Lund and William Logan as local clodhoppers Melvin Wilder and Dewey Maples) works seamlessly together. Wilder and Maples even adds some necessary humor in a scene where the clueless Melvin instructs the naïve yokel Dewey (who looks like he was born in overalls) in the ways of the world — chiefly in how to get a date with the dangerously lovely and bored Darlene.

Writer Jim Leonard Jr. slickly incorporates Biblical imagery to add comedy and at times, a seemingly heaven-sent kind of irony. His careful building of the tension in the story allows for stronger storytelling as each layer of the story sets up the next layer. Rainbow Nguyen and Caitlin Fitzpatrick’s raked thrust platform set, with its damask suggestion of a forest, and Jen McLean and Melissa Satler’s homespun costumes also adds significantly to the context and atmosphere.

GOLDEN WEST COLLEGE THEATER ARTS PRESENTS, THE DIVINERS; With Book by JIM LEONARD JR.; Directed by TOM AMEN. Scenic Design by RAINBOW NGUYEN & CAITLIN FITZPATRICK; Costumes by JEN MCLEAN & MELISSA SATLER; Lighting Design by MATT SCHLEICHER; Sound Design by PAISHA BLEICH; Makeup/Hair Design by VIENNA SMITH; Production Stage Manager LYDIA MCRAE.

WITH: JUSTIN CALLISCH; HANNAH BELLE OWENS; SCOTT KEISTER; LUKE BRODOWSKI; KIM BROWN; EMILY BOLDEN; JUDY GISH; PHIL BRICKEY; CARRIE VINIKOW; TRISTAN LUND; WILLIAM LOGAN.

THE DIVINERS plays from October 10th – 19th at Golden West College Mainstage Theater, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 7:30pm, Sundays at 2pm. For tickets, see https://gwctickets.universitytickets.com/

Chris Daniels

Arts & Entertainment Reviewer

The Show Report

Photo Credits: GWC Theater Arts Department