The Rainmaker: The Three Perspectives of H.C.

I enter the rehearsal process for The Rainmaker bringing at least three perspectives to my role as H.C., Lizzy Curry's, father. One brings to bear my two previous experiences with this play, both as Starbuck. The second relates to my personal experience on a quarter-horse ranch. And the third perspective is my 24 years as a father. I’m anxious to see how they will help me.

The first thing that hits me as we read through the script for the first time is my love for this play – the story of hope, dreams, love requited, family. I also realize that every time the director talks about Starbuck, I slowly start to shift mentally from the purveyor of dreams (Starbuck) to a safe harbor for dreams (H.C.).

The first couple of weeks are spent in blocking – learning where and when to move. It’s a small set – an implied ranch house and a tack room. We learn that we’ll be playing to an audience of sixty in a three-quarter thrust and that means it will be a very intimate night of theatre. I love this kind of acting – where every eyebrow twitch means something. It reminds me of my days on the quarter horse ranch – the small house where I shared a room for a year, the heat and hay-scented air, mucking stalls and walking horses. It feels at once familiar and comfortable.

I’m working with three terrific actors playing my two sons and a daughter. In real life – I have the same!  I can feel that my role of father in this new family will mean balancing the needs of each child as they work through their dreams and obstacles. Not so different than my real life. And with the chemistry we’re building nightly, our family is steadily growing.

Tickets are on sale now - please join us for this magical production BoHo Theatre's the Rainmaker.


 -- Robert Frankel, will be playing the role of H.C. in BoHo Theatre's production of the Rainmaker. Originally from Chicago, Rob is returning from Minnesota where he’s acted and written plays for the past 25 years.
www.robertalanfrankel.com