The Rainmaker

Run dates:  June 4-7 & 11-14, 2026

Directed by Joe DePauw

At a time of paralyzing drought in a small Texas town, Lizzie Curry’s father and two brothers worry as much about her potential future as an old maid as they do about their dying cattle. As the dry heat rages, they try unsuccessfully to find her a husband. Suddenly, a handsome, sweet-talking man named Bill Starbuck appears in town. Claiming to be a “rainmaker,” Starbuck promises – for $100 – to bring rain to the desiccated town. Though some remain skeptical, the Currys finally consent, banging on big brass drums to rattle the sky. Meanwhile, Starbuck turns his magic on Lizzie, convincing her that she possesses a beauty of her own. Despite herself, Lizzie believes it, just as her father believes that this mysterious stranger might actually bring rain.

“The notion of dreams coming true might seem a preposterous conceit in a more cynical era, yet The Rainmaker, N. Richard Nash’s unabashedly optimistic 1953 teleplay-turned-Broadway-hit, still has the power to keep disbelief at bay… After nearly half a century, The Rainmaker still makes a handsomely staged case for miracles.” – Los Angeles Times

“[The Rainmaker’s] underlying theme – the need for faith in oneself and others – is universal.” – Chicago Reader

• Gary Talsky
• Greg O'Neill
• Jacob Lund
• Alex Claus
• Perin McGrath Royalty
• Sally Hamer
• Ethan Sundeen

Director – Joe DePauw

Stage Manager – Sarah Carrington

Set Builder – Jim and Mike Skiles