The Diviners focuses on simple life

Directed by graduate assistant Clair Syler, who is pursuing a master in theatre direction, the performance will start at 8 p.m. and take place in The U of M Theatre and Communication Building.

"The storyline is very accessible," Syler said. "It takes place in a small community during the depression and centers around a young boy named Buddy. Buddy is said to be able to divine water and tell you when it will rain."

Sophomore Chadwick Rodgers, theatre performance major, plays the lead role as Buddy.

"He's a 17 year-old boy whose mother passed away saving him from drowning," he said. "Because of the incident he developed at a much slower pace as a child and the town calls him the 'idiot boy.' He's a simple and sweet kid who takes things literally."

Rodgers said qualities he liked about the character were Buddy's innocence and naivety.

"One thing I like about the story is that it moves quickly," Syler said. "The flowing of water is a major motif. It weaves in and out of the scenes."

Syler said the play's themes on religious confusion are could be appreciated by those who grew up in the American south with similar questions.

"There are individual themes of religion and simplicity," she said. "I want the audience to take their own ideas from the play though, I'm not sure how the play will affect them."

Syler started work on the production of the play in May of this year and rehearsals began in early October.

"The rehearsals have been grueling but good," said Rodgers. "In my 10 years as an actor this has definitely been the most in depth and drawn out rehearsal process," he said. "It's been non-stop and very demanding. Claire wants things to be perfect and just right, which is an admirable quality."

Junior Michael Frame, theatre performance major, said Syler has a good sense of what needs to be done and what works.

"We have fun and joke," he said. "There's some down time on stage where we catch up on what's going on in the department. We have a lot fun and it's very rewarding, especially after a month and a half period of work we get two weeks to perform it and have people see what work goes into it."

Frame plays Basil, whom he describes as a farmer with doctoring ways."Basil is the one who tells the story," Frame said. "I like him because he has a sense of mystery. He's a very down to earth character with roots in the ground and he tells the story as a mystic, like he's not really sure why it happens but it happens and that's the way it is."

Frame said he wanted a role in the play because it is an excellent script with deep characters who have complex natures and actions."I'd like to see the audience leave with an appreciation of things that seem insignificant," he said. "In the play, no one pays attention to Buddy. The focus goes all around him."

Rodgers said he hopes the audience will see the happiness in a simple kind of life.

"Like the age old adage goes, count your blessing and be careful what you say," he said. "You never know when it might be taken the wrong way and I think this play teaches that."

For ticket information call 678-2576.