Catch THE RUNNER STUMBLES
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Catch The Runner Stumbles
I love living in a place where art and culture are valued. I want it to grow and thrive. I want it to enliven me and be a place where I can connect and communicate with others. As Sister Rita declares (more about her later,) “…conversation is as essential as breathing…” And on that note, here’s something to talk about:
“Off the beaten path” from Dallas is a theatre company right in downtown Plano that puts up first-class productions that are not your typical everybody’s-done-it kind of plays. They’re high quality, thoughtful and thought-provoking stagings of “new and rediscovered treasures.”
The Runner Stumbles by Milan Stitt is already entertaining significant audiences whose thoughts are probably still wandering back to some particularly memorable moments in the play. Director Jason Rice brings forth a mind-engaging, and -if you allow it to be- soul-searching production that not only intrigues as a mystery based on the true story of the disappearance of a nun in rural Michigan in the early 1900’s, but also with the proposition of ideas like: “If it makes you happy, how can it be wrong?”
This, asserted by a priest no less, is perhaps one of the questions and allowances that eventually bring Father Rivard to trial for the murder ofSister Rita. Within the priest, played superbly by Corey Whaley, you can see Heaven and Hell raging battle, taking their turns and their toll on a mortal trying so hard to run and not falter on what is neither a straight nor a smooth path to God. And he must lead the way for others. He not only takes on the responsibility of his congregation’s spiritual well-being but also of their happiness, at the cost of his own future in the Church and his own personal happiness. And by “happy” he doesn’t mean light and giddy, he means something we all long for: to be meaningfully and profoundly happy.
And Sister Rita comes dangerously closer to making him feel that way than even the Church: “The most beautiful institution” he can imagine. Played by Julie Osborne, “Sister” is as captivating and innocently tempting as ever Eve could have been, casting confusion and doubt- as well as love and a different view of God- into Father Rivard’s heretofore carved-in-stone life. Some of her beliefs about God are more “Methodist” or “Baptist” than Catholic, but she does “everything for God,” for the children she teaches, for beauty, and the love of …well, you’ll be kept wondering, in a hopeful and scared way. The undercurrent of forbidden love is buried so deep, but is so powerful, that you’re not sure if it’s there, yet you can’t help but feel that it all must come to a head. And actually it turns out to be a double-header.
Up until the end, flashbacks and courtroom scenes have been seamlessly maneuvering between time and place to reveal a diverse group of people who are witnesses, possible suspects, or both, each with back-stories, motivations and desperations of their own. Rivard’s defense attorney, Toby Felker, played by Gary Anderson, is extremely likable and amusing as the “country lawyer” who sweats it out to defend “a good man” in a world where human decency is fading quickly, while the prosecutor, played by Jarod Warren, is on fire forcing the trial forward to its shocking conclusion.
The cast of nine also include the converted Miss Shandig who is played so interestingly by Tina Kane that one could imagine the whole play re-written into a fascinating version just from her perspective- and she has quite a perspective! Heather McCormick is instantly engaging as the precocious Louise, and Erma, played by Amanda Elrod is so caring of others (even as she struggles with her own inter-denominational and abusive marriage) one can’t help but care about her. Amos, played by Michael Sturlin, despite being the prison guard, seems sympathetic by nature and has to be vigilant so the wool won’t be pulled over his eyes. Monsignor Nicholson, the secretary of the Bishop is played by Ron Eubanks and resembles remarkably the famous and beloved Russian actor Evgeniy Evstigneev. Knowing Ron personally as a loving and fun person , it is amazing to see him so convincingly play the hard and straight yet manipulative Monsignor who is the constant and debilitating thorn in Rivard’s back.
But theatre does amazing things. A fellow actor once wrote me: “There is magic in the theatre. Theatre is magic.” And at the same time, theatre is very real. The actors are right there- you could reach out and touch them. There are no special effects or close ups. And every contributor to the production- designers, directors, actors, and audience- create a one-of-a-kind experience that makes one remember how theatre has been a reflection of the human condition for thousands of years and an essential part of human history and understanding.
The Runner Stumbles: April 3-26 at the CoxBuilding Playhouse, 1517 G Ave, Plano. Thursdays-Saturdays 8pm, matinee 2pm April 12th only. Reservations & information: 972-849-0358. www.roverdramawerks.com.
