Eventide

Critiqued by Holly Bartges

As a teenager visiting a cattle ranch, I looked into the eyes of an eight-year-old White Face Bull, a corral fence between us. He was gorgeous with huge brown eyes, and I was spellbound. The old cowboy standing next to me tried to laugh. "He can’t be trusted, and no you can't pet him. Only a few weeks ago he gored a cowboy reaching the fence a second too late."

Lauren Klein as Rose Tyler and Mike Hartman as Raymond McPheron in the Denver Center Theatre Company world premiere of Eventide by Eric Schmiedl – based on the novel by Kent Haruf, directed by Kent Thompson. Photo by Terry Shapiro

When the older McPheron brothers in Holt, Colorado checked on their bulls at the Stage Theatre with a simple but suggested set, I remembered that Bull viewed so many years ago. When their Black Angus bull rushed Harold pinning him against the fence, and then gored Ray in the leg, my heart jumped. I could see him, that bull. He might as well have been right there on that stage. Good thing he wasn't, but I could see him.

The McPheron brothers, Philip Pleasants taking on the life of Harold, and Mike Hartman engulfing Ray, appear in Eric Schmiedl's adaptation of Kent Harof's novel, Eventide, a companion piece to Plainsong, produced three seasons ago. Directed by Kent Thompson, the aging McPheron brothers run the cattle ranch they grew up on in the small farming community of the fictitious town of Holt. Following the Plainsong production I wanted to jump into the car and drive to Holt. Following Eventide's opening night's performance, I still wanted to drive there.

The two brothers never married, keeping to themselves, happy, content with the cattle. When she was sixteen and pregnant they opened their humble home to Victoria. Now with a young daughter, Victoria, played by Tonantzin Carmelo prepares to leave for college in Fort Collins, Colorado. Yes, she'd be back to visit. Anything she needed, the two were there for her. Telling someone they loved them came hard for the old cowboys. Telling someone they'd be missed, just as difficult, but Pleasants and Hartman provide depth to Harold and Ray. They wear the brother's souls draped over their shoulders, and the actors let us see what the characters can't bring themselves to say out loud. We know exactly what they feel.

The moment, Ray holds Harold close promising he'd be Ok while he slips away is an honest, grabbing moment. It was all I could do to keep from yelling "No." from the audience. Life is like that. We're never ready for tragedy. We're never ready to let someone go, even though we see the bull slam his heavy body against the cowboy. With a fading spot, the emotional moment becomes imbedded in the mind. Some scenes can't be forgotten and don't want to be forgotten. Ray cradling the lifeless body of Harold is one.

The beauty of Eventide, as is in Plainsong, is the direct honesty of small town life. The characters with all of their foibles and idiosyncrasies know the meaning of extended family. Eventide has such been written that if Plainsong was seen, it's as though a ten minute intermission has taken place. On the other hand, if Plainsong was missed, Eventide stands on its own fully clothed and fully dressed as an entity in itself.

Denver Center Theatre Company world premiere of Eventide. Photo by Terry Shapiro

The various narrators, meticulously staged meld into the next scene, reflecting the humor, emotion, growth, and tragedies of the small town. Their eyes are as much a part of the narration as their voices.

Leslie O'Carroll blew me away, the gorgeous talented actor outdid herself playing Betty Jane Wallace, a mentally challenged, slow, woman living in a dilapidated trailer with her husband Luther, and two children Jo Rae, (Ellie Schwartz) and Richy, (Thomas Russo). O'Carroll's heart breaking memorable performance transforming herself into Betty Jane knocked me out of the saddle, as did David Ivers playing Luther. If Betty Jane and Luther walked around the theatre, no one would recognize them. Too bad that couldn't be tried just for the fun of it while the audience nestles into their seats. The transformation, physically, mentally, spiritually into such honest believable characters goes beyond remarkable. It takes more than make-up and costumes for such a transformation. It takes an inside re-make and re-thinking into the character.

Betty Jane and Luther love their children. No question. They just don't understand how and why they aren't being taken care of properly. The two can be taken advantage of all too easily. They know when they are being bullied. They just don't understand that when they say, "don't do that" why the bullying doesn't stop. Betty Jane having been denied access to her older daughter, Donna, richly played by Jenna Panther, aches and cries just for the chance to talk with her. When Donna shows up at the trailer in the middle of the night, what Betty remembers becomes a harsh different reality.

Simple, loving, quiet people, Betty and Luther are prime targets for being taken advantage of, Donna isn't the only one. An enraged Hoyt Range, Betty's uncle, with force and growled demands bullies the two as well as the children. He's frightful, tormented, angry, and you most definitely want this monster to stay on stage. Oh, mercy what a magnificent and nerve wracking performance by William Zielinski.

Victoria returns from college to take care of Ray in the hospital with a broken leg as he struggles with the aloneness without Harold, an aloneness he's felt for the first time in his life. He's grateful Victoria has come, but her education stands tall with importance. Young as she is, Victoria established her priorities. If it hadn't been for Harold and Ray, she'd still be living on the street.

Tom Guthrie, played by John Hutton offers help on the ranch. He teaches, he hasn't spent much time around cattle, but he'll do whatever he can to help his friend. He will take care of the cows and calves and bulls, and yes even the horses. Ray need not worry.

Go into town? It never occurred to Ray. Why? Tom and Maggie Jones, played by Kathleen McCall connive and make arrangements. A blind date with the aging social worker, Rose Tyler, richly, warmly brought to life by Lauren Klein. She's delightful to watch spinning her charmed web with the socially uncomfortable and inept Ray. Watching him learn to dance is joyfully humorous. Watching him grow into a new life without Harold is a breath of fresh air. His timing, oh so believable. The newfound confidence allows him to teach Victoria the waltz, providing a rich honored moment.

DJ Kephart takes care of his elderly Grandfather, Walter Kephart, after the young boy's mother dies. The grandfather growls and grosses his way through life, independent, and determined, eclipsed with a biting sense of humor. The boy knows. The boy understands. Their love runs deep. Ron Crawford elicits sympathetic empathy for independence, and concern for the boy's welfare, played by Augustus Lane Filholm. Just when you think the grandfather might not make it, he rallies with a fired bite. You can't help but wonder what happens to the boy when -------. Holt is there. Holt will come through.

Denver Center Theatre Company world premiere of Eventide. Photo by Terry Shapiro

Victoria returns again from college, bringing with her a boyfriend, a city slicker, Del Gutierrez played by Drew Cortese. He's up early. The coffee's made. He's ready to help. Never mind he's never been on a ranch before. It's cold. Ray bundles him up for warmth with a ridiculous red hat. Even Victoria laughs. Ridiculous doesn't matter. He earnestly wants to help, and with a smile and twinkle in his eye Ray tells Victoria to keep him around. Ray and Harold know what they did for Victoria, but they didn't own her, a quality in human natures sometimes difficult to come by. Rays eyes tell the story.

The many short scenes designed by Vicky Smith give a taste of where people are. A taste is all that's needed. Scene changes happen quickly, sometimes side-by-side but the flow of the script is lyrically defining. The backdrop with the vast plans surrounding Holt makes it deliberately difficult to tell where the plains end and the sky begins subtly adding perspective to Holt and its people. The characters become the focus, the characters and their lives, their tragedies and hope, and you fall in love with them. OK, not all of them. There is the bull, and Hoyt and Donna. With the later two you can only wonder what fed their fearful bullish anger fanning speculation ingratiating one into their stories.

Eventide, that time of dusk when the sun sets and darkness falls leaves one smiling with Ray and Rose finding each other following awkward moments and patient lady, and heartbreak over Betty Jane and Luther losing their children without understanding why. It's life, small ranching town or not. One day we cry over grieved loss and the next we celebrate over magical serendipity.

No one should miss the experience of Eventide. It is one of those plays that grows the human spirit.

Eventide
By Eric Schmiedl; Based on novel by Kent Haruf; Directed by Kent Thompson