Set in Indiana during the Great Depression, The Diviners focuses on C.C. Showers, a man determined to forget his past as a preacher. However, he meets Buddy Layman, a young boy with an innocent if slow mind, and a mysterious knack for predicting rain—yet he is terrified of water.
When the play started, the boy was already dead. “Buddy Layman’s dead, don’cha see?”
What followed next was a chronicling of the events leading up to it.
Daniel Traylor, who plays the role of Buddy Layman, brings to the stage a well thought-out and carefully crafted character. Playing a character with a younger age compared to the rest of the town members, Traylor grasped and mastered the childhood behavior and mannerisms that come along with it. Traylor also manages to play the role with both sincerity and a truly endearing quality.
Phamaly regulars, Lyndsay Giraldi-Palmer and Jason Dorwart deserve much praise for their roles as Jennie Mae Layman and Ferris Layman, Buddy’s loving and patient family. The two do a fantastic job together on stage.
Appearing as C.C. Showers is Jeremy Palmer, who takes control of the stage without over stepping and outshining his fellow actors. Palmer’s portrayal of C.C. especially shines during Buddy’s death, which alone might be one of the most intricately staged and beautifully produced scenes in the entire production.
Standout moments include a few comic dialogues between Melvin and Dewy, Edward Blackshere and Nick Ortiz-Trammell respectively, whose timing and interaction on stage often brought smiles and laughs to audience members. Kathi Woods also shines brightly during her time on stage as the outspoken, Norma Henshaw.
PHAMALY brings to life this bold, dramatic and deeply moving story under the direction of Christy Montour Larson.
For those who missed The Diviners during its run at the Aurora Fox, it’s not too late. The Diviners will have a final weekend of performances at the Arvada Center, February 24-27. So pick up the phone, log on or make your way to the Arvada Center and purchase your tickets now.
