Richmond Hill Players continue their 2026 season with the romantic comedy-drama “The Rainmaker” by N. Richard Nash. The show is presented Thursdays through Sundays, June 4-14 at the Barn Theatre in Geneseo, directed by Joe DePauw.

In the story (which premiered in 1953 as a live TV play), during a paralyzing drought in the American West, a lonely young woman’s father and two brothers are as worried about her becoming an old maid as they are about their dying cattle. For, in truth, she is plain. The men try every possible scheme to marry her off, but without success, nor is there any sign of relief from the dry heat, according to a synopsis.

Suddenly, from out of the blue, a picaresque character arrives, with a mellifluous tongue and the most grandiose notions a man could imagine. He is a rainmaker, and he promises to bring rain for $100. It’s a wacky idea, but the rainmaker is so refreshing and ingratiating that the family finally consent.

Jacob Lund and Sally Hamer in “The Rainmaker” at Richmond Hill, Geneseo.

They bang on big bass drums to rattle the sky, while the rainmaker turns his magic on the girl, persuading her that she has a very real beauty of her own. And she believes it, just as her father believes the fellow can actually bring rain. But will the rain come, and will love?

The cast features Sally Hamer and Ethan Sundeen (Geneseo); Alex Claus (Colona); Gregory O’Neill (Rock Island); Gary Talsky (Spring Valley); Jacob Lund (Davenport), and Perin Royalty (Bettendorf).

Perin Royalty, left, Alex Claus, and Gary Talsky in “The Rainmaker” at Richmond Hill, Geneseo.

The staff includes stage manager Sarah Carrington (Galesburg); light/sound designer/operator Jennifer Kingry, costumer Suzanne Rakestraw, set builder Mike Skiles, crew person Evan Sundeen (all Geneseo), and set builder Jim Skiles (Colona).

Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, the doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the show beginning at 7:30 p.m. Sundays are 3 p.m. matinees with the doors opening at 2. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling the Richmond Hill box office at 309-944-2244 or by visiting the website at rhplayers.com.

Late seating is not permitted; no one will be admitted to the theater after the show has started. Admission to all performances is $12. An audio description performance will be held Friday, June 5. Richmond Hill also offers Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs), which can be requested at the time that reservations are made.

Ethan Sundeen, left, Jacob Lund, and Gregory O’Neill in “The Rainmaker” at Richmond Hill, Geneseo.

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Jonathan Turner

Jonathan Turner -- who has called the Quad Cities home since 1995 -- has decades of experience as a professional journalist and pianist. His experience writing for daily newspapers, public radio and local TV encompasses a wide range of subjects, including the arts, politics, education, economic development, historic preservation, business, and tourism.

Jonathan most loves writing about music and the arts (which he now does as a freelancer for the River Cities Reader and Visit Quad Cities). He has a passion for accompanying musicals, singers, choirs and instrumentalists, including playing for QC Music Guild's 2023 productions of RENT and SWEENEY TODD. He is assistant music director and accompanist for the spring 2025 Music Guild show, ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE. He wrote an original musical based on The Book of Job, which premiered at Playcrafters in 2010. Jonathan penned a 175-page history book about downtown Davenport, that was published by The History Press in 2016, and a travel guide about the QC published by Reedy Press in 2022.