I’m not going to lie. I wasn’t excited about “The Voice of the Prairie” at first. Knowing little about it, I read the synopsis which basically described it as a down home folk tale complete with live blue grass music. Honestly, the promise of folk tales and Blue Grass together at any one time make me panic a little bit. Like a trapped badger. I expected ear gouging nasally blue grass, unbearable banjo plucking and a vast expanse of boredom from curtain to curtain.
Then none of that happened.
I ended up loving this production in all of its sweet simplicity, childlike hopefulness and sense of adventure it inspired.
When the cast marched out onto the simple set to a cozy gathering of nearly 50 SRJC theater students, their luminous stage presence and powerful voices took over the auditorium and instantly gripped the audience with hilarity as they sang a bright and irresistible plea for all to turn off cell phones and temporarily abandon today’s technology—texting, Facebook, Twitter—and return to “the magic of the ether.”
It was an endearing first impression that smacked me out of former expectations and gladly enticed my full attention. What followed was the humor, suspense and entertainment of a sweet roller coaster of a folk tale superbly acted by SRJC’s theatre department and directed by John Shillington.
Moving back and forth between 1859 and 1923, Nebraskan farmer David Quinn, played by Gregory Skopp, captivates radio listeners when his penchant for storytelling is discovered by the slightly crooked, unlicensed radio broadcaster, Leon Schwab, played by Dana Hunt.
Skopp makes humble innocence palpable in the role of David. He reels listeners in as he weaves nostalgia from his childhood adventures (starring a younger “Davey” played by Oscar Gomez) with his freight-train-jumping first love, Frankie.
Frankie, played by Melissa McClure was quite possibly the reason my mouth hung wide open for the play’s entirety. Blindness seemed difficult to keep realistic but McClure knocked it out fiercely. Her facial expressions, truth to character and vigilant stage presence made her an inspiring and believable firecracker.
The collectively phenomenal performance of all cast members spun energy of a time when radio was fresh and mysterious and the technology to send voice across the airwaves from a single location had people stoked with the power of storytelling via broadcast radio.
“The Voice of the Prairie” plays in Newman Auditorium, Santa Rosa Campus, Jan. 28, 29 at 8 p.m.; Feb. 2, 3, 4, 5 at 8 p.m.; and Feb. 5, 6 at 2 p.m. For tickets call the Theatre box office: (707) 527-4343. Tickets are $10-$15. On campus parking is $4.
