Plainsong

[The following review appeared in Variety the week of February 10th.]

The high plains may not appear as dramatic as the mountains to which they lead, but hidden amidst this seemingly homogeneous sea of grasses and grains lies boundless character, into which we are immersed in Eric Schmiedl's adaptation of Kent Haruf's best-selling novel, Plainsong.

(L to R) Philip Pleasants as Harold McPheron and Mike Hartman as Raymond McPheron Photo credit: Terry Shapiro

Echoing the liturgical genre from which its titular meaning is partially derived, Plainsong expresses its reverence for everyday blessings in a steady, unrushed manner. It is a paean to the strength of place and the people who live there, in this case Holt, Colorado—a mythical everytown reflective of the small communities spread out like islands across the oceanic heartland of the U.S.

Helmed by Denver Center Theatre Company artistic director Kent Thompson, the robust slice-of-life epic touches down in Haruf's earthy characters and fertile narratives like a prairie twister, cutting the swath of a classic three-act drama—roiling our emotions and imagination—and leaving us feeling as grateful as the locals, who persevere through its mighty forces that rumble and roll across their well-tempered horizontal landscape.

(L to R) Jeremy Singer as Bobby, John Hutton as Tom Guthrie and Gabe Antonelli as Ike Photo credit: Terry Shapiro

Scribe and helmer preserve the narrative scope and emotional arc of the novel by effectively mixing Vicki Smith's cinematic backdrops and gem-like settings (brought to life by Don Darnutzer's lighting) with shared monologues by the ensemble that bridge the action and build on characters and sub-plots economically introduced in the staccato first act.

Despite its near three-hour length, auds will find the stage play as engaging as the original read, as it steers clear of sentimental traps while mining the novel's wry situational humor and sagacious perspective. Seven characters drive a script requiring 21 actors in 36 roles.

Elderly brothers Raymond and Harold McPherson, orphaned as teenagers, survive as cattle ranchers, 17 miles west of town. Veteran thesps Philip Pleasants and Mike Hartman form the fraternal bond at the emotional center of the adaptation, strengthened alternately by their kind and comical qualities.

(L to R) Kathleen McCall as Maggie Jones and Tiffany Ellen Solano as Victoria Roubideaux Photo credit: Terry Shapiro

They are asked to take in Victoria (Tiffany Ellen Solano), a displaced pregnant 17-year old school girl. Solano's shy, introspective portrait charms the aud as it does the old fellows.

In an intersecting storyline, high school history teacher Tom Guthrie (John Hutton) is left with his two sons, 10-year-old Ike (Gabe Antonelli/Ian Frazier) and 9-year-old Bobby (Keean Johnson/Jeremy Singer), when his depressed wife leaves town. The boys do an admirable job with demanding roles, while Hutton taps the rural integrity of the American ethos, giving us a scrappy Tom, who expects a lot from his boys and his students.

Lauren Klein as Mrs. Stearns Photo credit: Terry Shapiro

Fellow teacher and emotional counterpart Maggie Jones (Kathleen McCall)—who cares for her elderly dad and shelters Victoria until she can place the teen with the McPherson's—has eyes for Tom. McCall, along with Lauren Klein, as the grandmotherly Mrs. Stearns, provide thoughtful maternal components to the agrarian storyline.

Panoramic settings, compelling conflicts, and uplifting denouement hold promise of legit afterlife as well as big screen opportunities. As Haruf notes in text accompanying a concurrent Peter Brown photo exhibit (they have collaborated on a recent book, West of Last Chance), "You have to know how to look at this country. You have to slow down. It is not pretty, but it's beautiful."

The Denver Center Theatre Company's world premiere of Eric Schmiedl's adaptation of Kent Haruf's novel, Plainsong, runs through February 23rd. 303-893-4100.

Bob Bows