Stage: Voice on the Western Wind

Harm on the farm: Heavily symbolic Voice on the Western Wind saved by humorous touches

By Jessica Kruse

One of the great aspects of UNLV's Department of Theatre is its playwriting program, which gives graduate students the opportunity to produce their own scripts. MFA candidate Dave McGinnis' Voice on the Western Wind, which tells the story of Bill (Kris Pruett), a Depression-era Texas farmer, is the latest production to showcase the writing talents of the program.

Working a poor plot of land and barely able to make ends meet makes it impossible for Bill to afford the family his wife Shelly (Loren Bohannon) would like. When a mysterious wanderer known only as The Earthen (Trae Cullivan) tells Bill that the secret to fertile land is spilling the blood of man on his soil, Bill kills his neighbor Lou (Doug Hill) in a desperate attempt to improve his family's life. But the murder drives both Bill and Lou's fiancée Ida May (Ashleigh Pannell) crazy and it is Bill and his family who suffer the final consequences of his actions.

The true beauty of this show lies in the characters' abilities to find humor in everyday life. While the actors are more than competent, the second act threatens to diminish their talents in its blatant attempts at symbolism, including too many minutes of Bill's efforts to wash away invisible blood stains ("Out, damn spot!" anyone?) from himself and his newborn son. Add to that Ida May's lengthy Ophelia-esque insanity scene, and an ending which initially promises solidity just winds up looking silly.

Though the dialogue is strong throughout, the lines are frequently muffled, making it seem as though these immensely talented performers concentrate so much on the acting that they forget to enunciate and project. Throw in a final sequence where various frightened and mad characters are talking over each other, and we've got a potentially strong show that dissolves into chaos. Still, the talented cast and crew manage to pull the production through its shaky moments, and the audience is left satisfied, albeit slightly disturbed.

Even though it's already mid-March, there are still quite a few shows left in UNLV's 2004-2005 theatre season, and given the talent of UNLV's theatre students, all the productions hold great promise. Remaining shows include Wit and You Can't Take it With You as part of the main season, and the annual Ten Minute Play Festival at the Paul Harris Theatre. Tickets can be purchased through the UNLV Performing Arts Center Box Office, by calling 895-ARTS (2787).