Community and kindness are two central themes of The Baldwinsville Theatre Guild’s latest play, “The Diviners,” directed by Krystal Osborne. The cast and crew are currently in the final stages of production, working to ensure each scene is perfected for opening night Friday.

The story, written by Jim Leonard Jr., takes place during the Great Depression in the fictional town of Zion, Indiana. It focuses on Buddy Layman, who underwent a near-death experience that left him with permanent brain damage and an extreme fear of water. Layman soon discovers he has the ability to locate water, seen as a miraculous gift to his drought-ridden town, but a nightmare to him. When retired preacher C.C. Showers arrives at Zion, Layman’s world is turned upside down.

Isaac Betters, who plays Layman, decided to audition when he heard that his longtime friend Derek E. Powell, who plays C.C., was auditioning as well. When reading through the script, Betters said his enthusiasm for the show grew even more.

He discovered that playing a character who has a disability challenged his acting skills in a new way. In order to prepare for the role, Betters said he studied his previous experiences with young adults with disabilities — applying this knowledge to his character.

“People with disabilities are so very often underestimated, whether in ability, in awareness, in emotional acuity — even by people that know them well,” Betters said.

Noelle Killius — who plays Layman’s sister, Jennie Mae — said she feels a special connection with her character. Like Jennie Mae, Killius has a brother with a disability and said she’s aware of the struggles that situation can bring.

“Being a sister is hard enough, but knowing that your sibling’s life is in your hands is a lot of responsibility,” she said.

The Great Depression left millions of Americans unemployed, struggling to get by. A few actors said portraying a world that is so different from modern day was not a simple task for them, but they said they utilized every prop available to transform the stage into a small town in Indiana.

“In 2019, we have everything at our disposal, and that was the furthest from the case during the Great Depression,” Killius said.

Kathy Burke Egloff, who plays Norma Henshaw, said that the audience will find themselves relating to the characters and the story more than they might have thought. The show, she said, encompasses the lives of everyday people, so the viewer is going to recognize that — laughing at the subtle jokes, while feeling sympathetic during the somber moments, Egloff said.

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Working alongside one another every day, Egloff said the crew and 11-person cast has formed an unbreakable bond — they now consider each other family.

BTG has been putting on shows for the central New York area since 1942. Korrie Taylor is the current producing director and the producer for “The Diviners,” which is her sixth show that she has produced for BTG.

She emphasized how it’s a complete myth that shows put on by small community theaters are inferior to those produced by their more distinguished counterparts.

“The talent and creativity that comes from these ‘normal everyday’ people is truly special and just goes to prove that art can be created anywhere with a committed team,” she said.

For those thinking about seeing “The Diviners,” Taylor only had one piece of advice: bring a box of tissues as your date.

Published on February 27, 2019 at 10:26 pm