I have always been partial to a tragedy.
Growing up, my favorite movies were the sad and depressing classics of “The Fox and the Hound” and “Bambi.” It’s always been something of a rule: if a show, film or book can make me cry, it instantly becomes amongst my favorites.
After watching theater’s silver company performance of “The Diviners,” I can add another story to my list.
This show is nothing short of tragic, following teenager Buddy Layman (junior Grant Koch), who — after almost drowning when he was young — is unable to mentally mature past 3 years old and has a deathly fear of water. In the beginning of the Great Depression, he meets former preacher C.C. Showers (senior Jimmy Sanchez) and the two form a close bond.
The leading two characters are remarkable actors who earn their moment in the spotlight in every scene. Each time Koch stepped on stage, I could not help but want to give him a hug. Sanchez stole the audience’s heart with his caring nature and smooth talking. The two’s chemistry was off the charts; I loved every happy moment turned tragic.
The ensemble was lively and kept energy through every scene and set-change, keeping the audience invested the entire time and creating an authenticity that grounded the show in reality. Playing the lovable duo Dewey and Melvin, junior Hayden Back and sophomore Zach Carvajal captured the rest of my heart through their goofy, heart-warming performances.
It’s hard to believe this is assistant director Logan McGraw’s first time directing a Hebron show because of how well his vision came to life. The always-changing lighting added the perfect amount of detail to each deep scene, and the fluid set was beautifully abstract.
The choreography has stunning moments, especially at the beginning and end of the show. Watching the ensemble interact with the lead character during the finale broke my heart more and more with every move. The one thing I wished for was more moments around the entire stage, so they can fully embrace their new black box setting. Many of the scenes were geared toward the middle audience section, leaving the other two sides to watch performances with half of the characters’ faces.
A stunning performance that surpasses the “junior” part of junior varsity, “The Diviners” is a must-watch, powerful play that will leave all tragedy lovers with chills. For a show all about water, this show is straight fire.
