J. Richard Nash's fanciful 1954 play — about a charismatic con man who drifts into a rustic Midwestern town and has a catalytic effect on a Depression-era farm family — spawned a fondly remembered 1956 Katharine Hepburn film and the zesty 1963 Harvey Schmidt-Tom Jones musical 110 in the Shade. Though Nash's blend of bucolic comedy and whimsical romantic drama could use pruning, it retains an irresistible fairy-tale charm. Director Andrew J. Traister and a splendid ensemble maximize the virtues in Nash's heartwarming fable.
When mysterious stranger Starbuck (Bo Foxworth) shows up at a drought-ravaged farm, promising to bring rain to help salvage the family's livelihood, the parched landscape provides an apt metaphor for the plight of love-starved spinster Lizzie Curry (Bridget Flanery). Her father (Mitchell Edmonds) and brothers (Steve Weingartner as pragmatic Noah and Ross Hellwig as impetuous Jimmy) have been determined to match Lizzie up with a suitable spouse, but their attempts to get her involved with local deputy File (Scott Roberts), an emotionally unavailable widower, are leading nowhere. Will Starbuck offer answers to the family's prayers?
Foxworth's portrayal of the enigmatic drifter is marvelous: sufficiently larger-than-life to suggest an ethereal quality, yet grounded with character insights delineating the man's human frailties. Flanery does a masterful job of illuminating Lizzie's heart-rending vulnerability and resilient spirit. Though Flanery is too attractive to ideally fit Noah's description of Lizzie as "plain," she locates the character's psychological truth, making Lizzie's journey credible and touching. Edmonds excels as the kind and loving patriarch who anchors the familial turmoil. Weingartner deftly conveys Noah's emotional complexity, walking a tightrope between cold cynicism and genuine caring. Hellwig is a delight as the naive but spirited young sibling, injecting boisterous humor into several scenes. As the lonely but reticent File, Roberts elicits strong empathy, and Leonard Kelly-Young offers first-rate support as his wise superior, Sheriff Thomas. James P. Taylor's wonderfully evocative set and lighting skillfully combine a magical feel with kitchen-sink grittiness, and Julie Keen's costumes are likewise superbly rendered. David O provides wistfully graceful original music. This production is a bona fide class act.
Presented by and at A Noise Within, 234 S. Brand Blvd., Glendale. Repertory schedule. Oct. 11-Dec. 6. (818) 240-0910, ext. 1. www.anoisewithin.org.