Seattle Pacific University Theater’s final main stage production of the year, “The Voice of the Prairie,” is nearly underway, opening Friday, April 25. The theater department’s future stands on shaky ground, but the excitement for the run remains eclectic.
The story follows two kids in 1823, Davey and Frankie, who go on fantastical adventures together. Years later, in 1835, an older David teams up with businessman Leon to create a radio show of stories from his younger years in hopes of finding Frankie again.
This multifaceted play evokes different feelings for all actors involved. Playing Frankie is first year Alamea Hill, who is pursuing a major in visual communications and a minor in theater. To her, the show goes far deeper than the whirlwind story of two wayward kids and their futures.
“It’s about so many things, but the power of storytelling is definitely what encompasses the whole thing,” Hill said. “From campfire stories to radio stories and how people are able to connect.”
Hill’s love of theater goes hand in hand with her attitude toward the show.
“Being part of this show, everyone is so amazing. There’s so many great leaders and great people in this group. And I feel like we have such a close bond with each other. I haven’t found close bonds like that outside of theater,” Hill said, “The power of storytelling in theater; it’s really reflective in the play.”
Sharing the stage with Hill is first year business marketing major Dutch VanOmmen, who was in “Anastasia” and “The Thanksgiving Play” earlier this year.
VanOmmen plays David, the storytelling farmer on the radio. His experience working on the show has been overwhelmingly positive, commenting on the bouts of laughter shared with cast and crew members. Beyond the good times, however, VanOmmen acknowledges how the show evokes thought-provoking themes.
“You’ve got your memory, which can be embellished in so many ways, and then you’ve got the actual thing; real life. Things that are happening now. And you suddenly realize, wow, it’s not like what your memory suggests,” VanOmmen said.
The way the show portrays people with disabilities is also an important aspect of the show.
“It raises blindness awareness in a couple of ways,” VanOmmen said. “The main female lead, Frankie, is blind, and a lot of the stories from David’s point of view point out how fascinating people can see the world when they don’t have the aid of sight.”
Another key actor is fourth-year Carson Wong, who will be graduating with a degree in Theater Performance this spring and is playing Leon and The Watermelon Man. Playing two characters, Wong’s favorite part of the show is exploring that dichotomy.
“Leon is a very dynamic and talkative character that just lights up the room with his energy and does so much to get what he wants, and he’s a big yapper,” Wong said. “But Watermelon Man is just very mysterious, a little bit crazy and very creepy. So, yes, the differences between the characters always keep me on my toes.”
This production will be Wong’s last at SPU. He has put everything he has learned over the past four years into this show. Wong is emotional at the prospect of leaving SPU theater and at theater leaving as a department.
“It’s really important for people to show up to this performance because it might be the last. SPU theater holds so much weight to this campus, and I feel like a lot of people don’t recognize the amount of work,” Wong said, “and I hope that can shine through everything that’s going on with SPU right now.”
Hill shares a similar sentiment.
“This could be the last show at SPU, so for me to be part of that is really special, and so heartbreaking. I saw a production last year, and coming here and knowing that this thing that I was so excited for and looking forward to, you know, not being here anymore. Just for it to go away, it’s really important that people see this,” Hill said.
“The Voice of the Prairie” runs from April 25-26, and May 2-3, at 7:30 p.m., with a matinee on Saturday, May 3, at 2 p.m. Tickets are on sale at https://sputheatre.ludus.com/index.php?show_id=200455307
