Why Should I See Your Show? 'Rain Follows the Plow'

Every week we give local productions a chance to explain why they're worthy of your theater-going dollar. This week Savage Umbrella Artistic Director Laura Leffler-McCabe speaks up for the company's production of the Dust Bowl drama Rain Follows the Plow at The Playwrights Center. Of all the shows going on this weekend, why should I see yours? Rain Follows the Plow explores how our country's history of Manifest Destiny influences our treatment of the land, the environment, and each other. It's definitely not an inherently anti-American show, but it will be a bit of an antidote to the uber-patriotism one is likely to have encountered over the 4th of July. Will I laugh? No era in American history is riper for comedy than the Dust Bowl, right?! There are a few moments of levity and spirit-lifting, but this would most fairly be a drama. Will you laugh? Yeah, there are humorous moments. Will you be ROFLing the whole show? Only if you're slightly disturbed. Will I cry? If you have a soul, yes. If you don't have a soul, the answer is STILL yes, because this show is so emotionally searing. How can I convince my theater-hating friend to come see this show? A lot of theater-haters probably imagine a classic quiet audience watching a quiet little contained story. This show is much more immersive. Through all the tools of theater, it brings to life windstorms, a thunderstorm, a stampede of jack rabbits, a casino and much more. Rain takes on these big ideas and themes, but it's not a hit-you-over-the-head type of show with an agenda. The only goal here is to tell the stories of these compelling characters. Who shouldn't see this show? Anyone who only wants their theater quiet, timid, and polite should probably go elsewhere. We wish them well and hold no hard feelings, but this show ain't for them.