Play Description

The Diviners takes place in the fictional Indiana town of Zion...population forty. Zion is a small, rural community with a few houses and farms along the river. It takes place during the 1930's in the middle of the Great Depression. The characters in this play are all good, simple people. Their lives and livelihood depend on the soil for they are farmers and small town workers. They don't own or covet "possessions". They are very hard workers and their sole purpose is to survive during a time in history when survival wasn't easy. The people in this town are therefore very close. Everyone knows everyone and they depend on each other to do his or her part. One person who definitely does do his part is Buddy Layman. Buddy is in his teens, but he is brain-damaged due to a near drowning that happened when he was only four...a traumatic event that resulted in the death of his mother. The effects of this event have left Buddy with some peculiar behaviors...the main one being that he never progressed psychologically or intellectually beyond the age of four. He is therefore a four-year-old boy in the body of a teenager. His speech, body movements, interests and outlook are all that of a four year old little boy. He sees the world only with the limited understanding of a very young child so his innocence is pervasive. Another result of the event is that he has an irrational fear of water. As a result, he refuses to bathe or even be touched by water. He is severely eaten up with ringworm and rashes and is dirty all the time. But the most interesting result of his near-drowning experience is that he has the divine power to "water-witch". He can accurately predict, to the minute, when it will begin to rain. He is invaluable to the community of Zion because he can pinpoint the exact spot to dig for water in the ground. When he tells the local farmers it's going to rain, they lay their fields in rows and know it will be a good season. He is the local water-witcher, seeker and diviner and he is invaluable to a community that is almost solely dependent on their crops.

Into the town of Zion walks C.C. Showers. Showers is an ex-preacher who figures the only way he can put the life of the pulpit behind him is to escape to a town where no one knows he's been a preacher. He wants desperately to begin fresh somewhere else doing something else...anything but preaching. When he first enters Zion he meets Buddy and begins an instant friendship with the boy, his sister, Jenny Mae and their father, Ferris. Ferris gives him a job as a mechanic in his shop and a room as a boarder in their home. Showers and Buddy form a bond and Showers begins working with Buddy to try to get him to let go of his fear of water in an effort to try and clear the boy's infestation of ringworm and rashes.

Unfortunately for Showers, word gets out in Zion that he used to be a preacher and the townspeople, being desperate for a preacher of their own, keep pressuring and pestering him to take up the pulpit once more. This pressure culminates in the last scene of the play when Showers finally gets Buddy to trust him enough to go into the river...the same river that took the life of his mother and very nearly his own. While down at the river, several of the townspeople approach and in their zest for a "baptizin" Buddy loses his footing and is overtaken by the one thing he feared the most...water.

It must be understood that this is a very spiritual and even lyrical play. Several church hymns are sung throughout the play and the prevailing theme revolves around spirituality, faith and purity. This is a play about having faith...faith in the future, faith in others, faith in oneself and most of all faith in the divine. The metaphor of purity and water is also very prevalent. We see it in the main synopsis of the play where the idea of avoiding water has had an extremely negative effect. We see it in the name of the character who tries so hard to bring Buddy back to water...C.C. SHOWERS. We see it in the idea that without water, this community would not and could not survive. Think of purity in every way...purity of mind, body, soul, perception, love...Jim Leonard Jr. touches on each and every one of these throughout the play. He calls for a very minimal set and very scaled down costumes...purity and honesty must be so obvious throughout the production that they are almost tangible. As the director, I will be very focused on this idea of purity and how it relates to one's spirituality. I will expect honesty from the characters and will be looking for honesty at the auditions. Think minimalist, natural, honest, back to basics, purity, only what is necessary. These ideas will help you at auditions and throughout rehearsals. Be very familiar with the audition pieces posted on this blog.

Character Descriptions

Buddy Layman - as young as 14 years old or as old as 19 years old. Mentally-challenged. Very honest, loving, trusting, free-spirited, innocent, child-like

Jennie Mae Layman - late teens, possibly very early 20's if necessary. Buddy's sister. Loving, innocent, curious, responsible, mother-figure to buddy

Ferris Layman - 40's. Father of Buddy and Jennie Mae. Mechanic, hard-worker, dependible, honest, strong

C.C. Showers - Late 20's to mid 30's. Ex-preacher. Handsome, fast-talking, "preachy", lost, searching, caring, questioning

Norma Henshaw - 30's to older. Owner of the Hoosier Dry-Goods store, a "true believer", spriritual, Bible quoting, searching
determined, solid, unyeilding

Darlene Henshaw - teens to early 20's. Norma's neice. Questioning, flirty, prissy, dramatic, flair, rebellious

Goldie Short - early 30's to 40's. Owner of the Dine-Away-Cafe. Pretty, bossy, caring, honest, tells it like it is

Basil Bennett - late 40's to older. A farmer, the local "doctor", wise, backbone of the community, EF Hutton (when he talks...)

Luella Bennett - late 40's to older. Basil's wife. Doubter, arguer, steadfast, opinionated, hard

Melvin Wilder - teens to early 20's. a farmhand (works for Basil). not too bright, comic relief along with Dewey

Dewey Maples - teens to early 20's. a farmhand (works for Basil). goofy, naive, comic relief along with Melvin

Audition Scene 1 (Melvin, Dewey, Darlene)

Melvin: Now, you see how that is, Dew? Girls're tricky business. Real tricky business. But you gotta let 'em know how you stand, see? Now you want a take this girl dancin'. You want to take Darlene to the dance.

Dewey: I'm not sayin I love her or nothin.

Melvin: But you gotta let her know what you're thinkin'.

Darlene: Hey, Melvin.

Melvin: We're tryin to talk man to man. You understand?

Darlene: What're you talkin about Melvin?

Melvin: We're talkin on how nice you're lookin', Darlene. My pal Dewey, he can't hardly stand it. Now you see how that is, Dew?

Darlene: You really think I look nice, Dewey?

Melvin: Tell her how it is, pal. Tell her you mean business.

Dewey: (crosses to Darlene, very shy) Hey, Darlene.

Darlene: Hey, Dewey.

Dewey: I don't love you or nothin'.

Melvin: Dewey, what're you sayin'?! That's not what he's meaning, Darlene.

Darlene: (A little upset) Well, what are you meanin?

Dewey: I guess I'm kind a wonderin what you might think about dancin.

Darlene: (warming) I like dancin just fine.

Dewey: Me too. I don't know how or nothin but I sure like to watch.

Melvin: This guy puts the dance floor to shame.

Darlene: Maybe you could teach me a step or two, Dewey.

Melvin: (referring to Dewey) Hell of a dancer.

Dewey: Well, my feet're kind of sore. I got planters warts,see?

Melvin: Now, Dewey that ain't the way to her heart.

Dewey: (exiting) I can't dance if my feet hurt.

Audition Scene 2 (Basil Monologue)

Basil: The boy is dead, don't you see? Buddy Layman's gone. There's no tellin the weather. When he said it would rain we layed our fields in rows and we knew it would be a good season. You see, a man works, a man waits, and he hopes and plans, but it was the boy who told us the weather. And that boy...he was somethin. Somethin else for a fact. He couldn't talk for two cents or take the time to tie his shoes, but he seemed to know things you figured nobody knew. Without drillin rigs or men with machines -without nothin but a willow rod in his hands-Buddy Layman came onto my land in late spring and he set himself to witchin a well. Call it vein-findin, water-witchin, smellin, seekin or divinin,...the boy had a touch and a feel for water.

Audition Scene 3 (Buddy, C.C.)

Buddy: You think you're maybe gonna stick around awhile, C.C.?

Showers: It all depends, Bud.

Buddy: They's lots a stuff here you know?

Showers: There is, huh?

Buddy: Yeah! They's lots a good stuff. You see the woods over there don't you?

Showers: Bud, I sure do.

Buddy: Well that's where the birds live.

Showers: Do they, now?

Buddy: Yeah! Way up the trees they do. Way up the leafs.

Showers: Now that's a good thing to know.

Buddy: You see the ground right there don't you?

Showers: Mr. Layman, I do.

Buddy: Well that's where the doddle bugs are.

Showers: Well, you're just chock-full a knowledge, my friend.

Buddy: He thunk he might be.

Showers: (as if he didn't hear right) I beg your pardon?

Buddy: He says he thunk he might be.

Showers: (unsure) Now, you're talkin about you?

Buddy: Yeah. Can't you hear him?

Showers: Yeah. Yeah, pal, I hear you.

Buddy: You see the sky up there, pal?

Showers: Bud, I'm lookin right at it.

Buddy: You know who lives up there?

Showers: Who?

Buddy: (amazed) Jesus.

Showers: Way up there?

Buddy: Jesus Son a God does.

Showers: What do you figure he does up there, Bud?

Buddy: (thinks this over) Well...he's maybe got him a little house.

Showers: (interested) Yeah?

Buddy. Yeah. Maybe got him a runnin toilet inside.

Showers: Now that's a good thing to have.

Buddy: He thunk it might be.

Showers: Mr. Layman, it does my heart good to meet a man who knows his way around the Church.

Buddy: We ain't got no Church, C.C. Don't you know nothin?

Showers: Your Mom taught you the Gospel at home, huh?

Buddy: His Mama?

Showers: Yeah.

Buddy: (Concerned) You seen her, C.C.? You seen his Mama?

Showers: No...

Buddy: He can't find her nowhere, C.C.

Showers: (gentle concern) How long she's been gone?

Buddy: Well he ain't sure no more. He looks in his house and his yard and the woods and he can't find her nowhere.

Showers: Well, I'd imagine she'll be home before long, don't you think?

Buddy: Sometimes he hears her. Sometimes at night he hears her right there...and her voice is right there...like he can touch her almost when he's sleepin...

Showers: (gentle) You mean your Mama's passed away, Bud?

Buddy: You know where she is?

Showers: Well...I'd imagine she's livin in Heaven. You know what angels are don't you?

Buddy: What?

Showers: Angels're what we call the people in Heaven. The folks on beyond us, you see?

Buddy: What's angels do?

Showers: For the most part, they all tend to fly around singin.

Buddy: (likes this idea) Angels can fly?

Showers: That's what they say.

Buddy: Like the birds?

Showers: Like the birds.

Audition Scene 4 (Ferris, Buddy, Goldie)

Buddy: He ain't goin nowheres till his dogs feel better.

Ferris: What's a matter?

Buddy: He's itchin.

Ferris: Looks like a touch a the ivy.

Buddy: Itchin like crazy.

Goldie: All the boy needs is a tub a hot water. I been sayin that much for years.

Buddy: Huh?

Goldie: Fever weed, salts, and a hot tub a water.

Buddy: (lying) He ain't itchin no more.

Goldie: You'll be itchin all over, you don't soak those feet.

Ferris: Hell, I'm dirt head to toe and I'm fine.

Goldie: It ain't right not to wash.

Ferris: Does he smell? Does he stink?

Goldie: That ain't the point, Ferris.

Ferris: Half the world's made a dirt and it ain't hurtin nothin. The damn roads're all dirt, the fields're dirt. Hell, even Hoover's got a mud pie for brains.

Goldie: Don't you make fun a Mr. Hoover in my diner, Ferris Layman. Badmouthin the president's the same thing as cussin. Same exact thing to a T.

Ferris: Kind a fond of him, are you?

Goldie: I couldn't care less if Herb Hoover got hit by a truck in his sleep. But he's still the president and I won't have him badmouthed

Ferris: Now what'd I say that's so awful, Goldie?

Goldie: I'm not about to repeat it.

Buddy: Said hell, said damn, said Hoover-

Goldie: You see there! You see what it leads to?

Ferris: Bud can cuss if he wants.

Goldie: He's just a boy, Ferris.

Ferris: When I was his age I cussed all the time. And I'll tell you what else, I'm a better man for it.

Goldie: You are the most bull-headed man in the world, Ferris Layman.

Ferris: A man can't cuss, he can't hardly talk.

Goldie: What would your wife say? (pause. with true concern) The way you raise the boy, Ferris...it ain't right for him.

Ferris: (softly) Well Sara ain't here no more, Goldie.

Buddy: (softly) Dad?

Ferris: What ya need, Son?

Buddy: Dad? S'gonna rain.

Ferris: (gentle) Change a the weather'd be nice, Bud.

Buddy: They's clouds up there, Dad. S'gonna rain somethin awful. Can't you feel the clouds? It's gonna storm somethin awful.

Goldie: Lord knows we could use it.

Audition Scene 5 (Jennie Mae, C.C.)

Jennie Mae: Don't worry about Buddy. He's alright. He gets in the woods he's not about to sit still.

Showers: Well...this old back a mine ain't about to go chase him.

Jennie Mae: Oh, you're not that old, Mr. Showers.

Showers: I been feelin it lately.

Jennie Mae: Well, come here. I'll rub your back some.

Showers: (a little embarrassed) oh...

Jennie Mae: Now stop moanin and groanin and sit yourself down. Come on. It'll do you some good to sit still. (Showers sits. She rubs his shoulders) There you go. How's that now? A little better maybe?

Showers: Oh...I'm dead and in Heaven.

Jennie Mae: You just been workin too hard.

Showers: Naw-

Jennie Mae: Yeah, you have.

Showers: Oh-

Jennie Mae: You like to work all the time, Mr. Showers.

Showers: (softly, dismissing the idea) Shit.

Jennie Mae: What?

Showers: Little work never hurt nothin.

Jennie Mae: I never heard you talk like you been today.

Showers: Use those kind a words all the time when I'm thinkin.

Jennie Mae: You think in swear words?

Showers: I think worse things'n that.

Jennie Mae: Is that why you give up on preachin?

Showers: That ain't quite how I'd put it.

Jennie Mae: Don't you believe in the Bible?

Showers: I was raised on the Bible, Miss Layman. My Daddy's a preacher and his Daddy before and his Grandad and right down the line. Boy comes to be seventeen or eighteen there's no questions asked - hand him a Bible, turn him loose on the world. He'll make his way fine. Be an awful fine preacher. (slight pause. To himself) Be just like his Daddy I guess... (he begins to preach as the memory builds) My Daddy...now he was a preacher. He had folks up on their feet and out a their seats and singin and stompin and life was just fine. Man took to the Bible like he was there just to shout it. Gonna tell everybody! Gonna tell everybody bout the wonder and the miracle and the sweet love a Jesus! He'd say now you there, Miss Layman, don't you love that sweet Jesus? Don't you love him so much you could cry? Well sure you do! I said sure you do! I said come on up front here and tell us about it! Tell the whole Church how you love that sweet story! Bring em all up front! Let em all tell the story! No sin's a great sin cause all men are sinners! Yes, Ma'am! That's all men! I said all men! I said every last man is a sinner! (He catches himself, slight pause) Then there's me... I'm up front the Church and I'd shout somethin out and they'd "Amen!" right to me. I'd shout and they'd shout and then all a sudden...it's dead quiet. I mean they're lookin and waitin and all ready to holler. And there's me up there...thinkin! Plain forgot I was preachin.

Audition Scene 6 (Norma, Luella, Goldie)

Norma: Just wait'll you hear.

Luella: That man is amazin.

Norma: When you hear what happened not half an hour ago you'll say it's just like I told you all summer.

Luella: I'd just as soon tell her myself.

Goldie: Let me get you some coffee.

Luella: Just half a cup, Goldie. Too much'll give me the skitters.

Norma: After what she's just been through.

Luella: (Quickly) I can tell her myself!

Norma: She fell right off her bike in the road!

Luella: I was maybe half way to Zion when it started to rain, see? So I says to myself as I'm pedalin along-I says, "Luella, the thing to do here is use your umbrella." But to hold the thing up and ride the bike all at once I had to steer with just my left hand, see?

Goldie: No wonder you fell.

Norma: Right down in the road.

Luella: And when I go to get up, I can't move!

Norma: She can't move...

Luella: First I'd wiggle at my left side and then give a shake at the right. Tried her backwards and forwards and I can't budge an inch!

Norma: Now, this is the part that's amazin...

Luella: There I am on my rump in the road, and I've just about given up hope-

Norma: The part where she meets him.

Goldie: Meets who?

Norma: You know!

Luella: I look up through the rain, Goldie, and who do you think I see comin?

Norma and Luella: The new preacher!

Norma: (charging on) Ain't it amazin, Goldie? Ain't it just like I told you? (pause, quietly) You go on, Luella.

Luella: So he says to me, "Mrs. Bennett," he says, "Get up off the road, you're just fine." So I says, "I'm not fine-I can't budge, I fell off my blame bike." I says, "if you want a help me, you go get my husband."

Goldie: You must a hurt somethin awful.

Luella: But the longer I'm talking the more the preacher keeps starin, till I seen he's starin right in my eyes.

Norma: Lookin right in her eyes, Goldie-

Luella: And it was the funniest sort of a feelin, I tell you-like when he looked in my eyes he saw way down deep inside em. Like he's lookin and seein clean through me.

Norma: Lookin clean through her, Goldie...

Goldie: Did he "touch" you?

Luella: He says, "I'm gonna hold my hand out here, Ma'am, and I want you to take it. Just grab hold and we'll boost you rght up." And his voice is real quiet and his eyes're real calm, and he says, "Mrs. Bennett, get up." And I'm up...!

Goldie: (Amazed) And your back was alright?

Luella: I tell you, I never felt better. I might a been a little lightheaded, but-

Norma: Bein lightheaded's a good sign, don't you think?

Goldie: You say the pain was all gone?

Luella: Goldie, I'm as fit as a fiddle. Course now the Schwin's quite a mess...

Norma: Folks can give up farmin or minin or schoolin or what have you, but a man can't just toss off the spirit. We could build us a new Church in no time at'all. The Lord's brought him to town for a reason.

Goldie: A Church back in town'd be darn good for business.

Norma: Be good for us all, don't you think?

Luella: I think the sky's gonna clear.

Norma: I beg pardon?

Luella: I says the sky's clearin up some. The sun's pokin through.

Norma: Now you see there? You see? That's a good sign if ever there was one.

Luella: Zion looks awful nice after a good summer rain.

Goldie: It's a nice town.

Norma: And when you think a how long we been with no preacher.

Audition Scene 7 (Jennie Mae, C.C.)

Jennie Mae: How long?

Showers: This long at least.

Jennie Mae: Oh, C.C.

Showers: Well, maybe this long. But I'll tell you that fish was a fighter. By the time we got him to shore and netted alright he like to bruised up a good dozen men.

Jennie Mae: Well little sunfish and bluegills about all you can catch here. Fish bottom you might find a carp.

Showers: Sure looks awful pretty.

Jennie Mae: It's a nice spot for fishin.

Showers: Now look at this, will you? I just here touch bottom. Must get to ten or twelve foot just a couple yards out there.

Jennie Mae: It gets awful deep towards the middle. Lot a boys like to come here and swim.

Showers: Now if boys in Indiana are halfway like the boys in Kentucky I wouldn't imagine they bother too much with swim suits.

Jennie Mae: Yeah, they're the same then.

Showers: (smiles) I had a feelin they might be. When it comes to swimmin, I'm lucky to float. Do a little dog paddlin-that's about it.

Jennie Mae: I stick to wadin, myself.

Showers: Be happy just dangling my toes in the water. Been a while, I tell you. Too long, I figure.

Jennie Mae: I thought you fished all the time.

Showers: Well, I used to when I was a kid anyway. But when I had a church I was so full a worry. I never found time to do nothin.

Jennie Mae: What'd you worry about?

Showers: Everything.

Jennie Mae: Oh...

Showers: You name it, I worried over it. Like I'd see a family loadin down and taking off for California-they'd say, "Pastor, we ain't got no room for the dog." Well, I'd worry a while, then I'd take the dog. Must had near to a dozen old hounds at once for a while. Good dogs, though. I'd line em all up in the front room and practice my preachin on em. Dogs kinda like bein talked at.

Jennie Mae: Well you talk real nice.

Showers: I talk too damn much, Jennie Mae.

Jennie Mae: It's not your fault, C.C. It's the river. My Mama used to say people sit by the water they can't help but be talkin. River's kinda magic like that.

Showers: Your Mama was right.

Jennie Mae: I don't think she ever liked any place so much as the river. Be down here every other day through the summer. And come fall-well you never been here in the fall, but when the leaves start to changin and the air's gettin cooler...

Showers: Wont' be too long now...

Jennie Mae: And as long as you're here you might as well stay on through winter. Everythings's nice in the spring.

Showers: Sounds like I might have to stay.

Jennie Mae: Less you're missin Kentucky.

Showers: Naw. I tell you what I do miss, though, is them dogs.

Jennie Mae: What'd you do with em all?

Showers: Well, right before I left I gave em all to my kids.

Jennie Mae: You have kids in Kentucky?

Showers: Oh yeah. Must a had a good couple dozen spread clear cross the county.

Jennie Mae: Couple dozen?

Showers: Don't get so darned riled, Jennie Mae. They were church kids.

Jennie Mae: Wll I ought to use you for bait, C.C. Showers, but I can't be so mean to the fish.

Showers: Well... I'm happy just to sit by the water.

Jennie Mae: Alright. (pause)

Showers: You know, Jennie Mae,...you know you're awful nice.

Jennie Mae: Oh...

Showers: Yeah you are, and I been meanin to tell you.

Jennie Mae: You have?

Showers: I sure have. You're real nice, Jennie Mae...and you're also...(they are both about ready to kiss)...real young.

Jennie Mae: I'm nineteen.

Showers: I know. That's awful young, don't you think?

Jennie Mae: I don't feel real young.

Showers: Well you are. You don't know how young, Jennie Mae, let me tell you.

Jennie Mae: My mother was only seventeen when she got married.

Showers: Got Married?

Jennie Mae: Yeah.

Showers: Listen, I think we better head back to the house now.

Jennie Mae: But we just got here.

Showers: I know, but it's gonna be dark before long and I think we best get home before...

Jennie Mae: Are you tired or somethin?

Showers: Miss Layman, I am worn to a T.

Audition Scene 8 (Jennie Mae, Darlene)

Jennie Mae: Did you sneak out the house?

Darlene: (Innocent) I'm just lookin for trouble.

Jennie Mae: At this time a night?

Darlene: It's the best time I know to find trouble. I seen the preacher man standin out here on the porch. He couldn't be no better lookin, Jennie Mae.

Jennie Mae: Oh, Darlene.

Darlene: I'd be up all night long if that guy lived at my house. Be walkin in the stars so bad I'd bump into walls. I tell you, for a preacher he sure is good lookin -

Jennie Mae: His eyes sure are somethin. It's like they change colors sometimes when he sees you.

Darlene: (impressed) Jesus. There's just something about an older type man.

Jennie Mae: (worldy) Yeah, he's pretty mature.

Darlene: Not like thse boys around here.

Jennie Mae: Who you courtin, Darlene?

Darlene: Just these boys around here.

Jennie Mae: Not Melvin Wilder?

Darlene: (coy) I might be.

Jennie Mae: Dewey Maples?

Darlene: I could be. Why don't you come see?

Jennie Mae: I'm awful tired, Darlene.

Darlene: Well you don't have to be so darn prissy about it.

Jennie Mae: (exiting back into the house) I been up half the night.

Darlene: (mocking) "I been up half the night." She just got eyes for that preacher.