N. Richard Nash's THE RAINMAKER to be Presented at Burning Coal Theatre Company

Burning Coal Theatre Company will present N. Richard Nash's The Rainmaker, directed by Steven Roten. The Rainmaker will run December 5 - December 22, 2024, at the Murphey School, located at 224 Polk Street, Raleigh, NC 27604. Performances are Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 PM and Sundays at 2 PM. All tickets are $30, or $25 for seniors (65+), or $20 (students, teachers, active military). People 18 and under can get a ticket to any performance for $5. December 6th is ‘College Night', with $5 tickets for any college student with a valid ID. Sunday, December 8th is ‘Pay What You Will' day.

About The Rainmaker 

The Rainmaker is a romantic drama set during a drought in 1930s rural America. It tells the story of a hot summer day amidst a drought where a “plain girl” named Lizzie has all but given up on her hope of finding a husband. That night, a not very convincing con-man named Starbuck shows up at the door of her family farm with the promise to conjure up rain in exchange for one hundred dollars. Despite the obvious scam, Lizzie's father forks over the money.  Can Starbuck bring rain?  Can he bring hope along with it?  The Rainmaker challenges us to take a leap of faith, to not give up hope. 

About N. Richard Nash 

N. Richard Nash was an award-winning playwright and fiction writer. He wrote his first play in 1940 titled Parting at Imsdorf, which won the Maxwell Anderson Verse Drama Award. He's also written shows such as The Second-Best Bed (1946), The Young and Fair (1948), and See the Jaguar (1952, which won the International Drama Award in Cannes and the Prague Award). He wrote The Rainmaker in 1954 which has been translated to over 40 languages as well as adapted in a 1956 Hollywood film and a 1982 full-length TV production. The play was also made into a Broadway musical, 110 in the Shade.  In 1975, he transitioned to writing novels such as Cry Macho (1975). He has written screenplays such as Helen of Troy (1956), and Wildcat (1960). 

About Steven Roten 

Steven Roten is a professional stage, screen, and TV actor. He is also a playwright, an award-winning director of film and theatre and a Professor of Theatre at Meredith College. As co-Founder of Still Water Communications Coaching, he teaches clients the art of public speaking through a theatrical lens. Favorite film and TV credits include Dawson's Creek, One Tree Hill, Nashville, Ashby and Gigi and Nate. Favorite theatre credits: Evita, Good, All the King's Men, Ashe in Johannesburg (Burning Coal); August Snow, Beautiful Star, Baby with the Bathwater, Suddenly Last Summer (Triad Stage); Twelfth Night (Koka Booth) and Is He Dead? (Deep Dish). Recently Steven has directed the short films Jesus' Brother James and Do Harm which earned nine laurels in film festivals around the United States. Currently he is crafting his first screenplay; a horror film based upon many haunting experiences he has had. His favorite Directing credits include Waiting for Godot, The Tempest, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. He is excited to be Directing this beautiful play at Burning Coal with such a tremendous cast of theatre professionals. Steven would like to thank kids who keep him young at heart and his wife Tamara for the support and love and being his own Melisande. 

About The Cast 

Last seen in our recent pop-up production, Haughey/Gregory, cast members Laurel Ullman, Dan Oliver, Andrew Carlile, and Preston Campbell will be returning. They will be joined by John Jimerson, last seen in Moonlight, Carl Martin (All the King's Men), and Jim Roof, last seen in The Weir. Jim Roof will be joining us courtesy of Actors' Equity Association. Nash Tetterton (Silent Sky) will be understudying the male roles. 

About The Team 

The show will be directed by Steven Roten.  Jeremy Vance will serve as the Production Stage Manager. Jordan Jaked Carrier of Atlanta, GA will serve as the set designer, with Valentina Moya serving as the lighting designer. Juan Isler will serve as the sound designer. Beth Gargan will be the Costume Designer.  All are from Raleigh, NC.  Barry Jaked of Wake Forest, NC will serve as the Technical Director. 

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