I WILL SEND RAIN

As the Dust Bowl descends on Mulehead, Oklahoma, the Bell family struggles to maintain hope. Through Emily Sutton-Smith's narration, listeners experience the figurative and literal dust settling deep within the family members. Annie Bell and her 15-year-old daughter, Birdie, are moving on opposite trajectories. As the initially pragmatic Annie's optimism increases, Birdie's flighty romanticism descends into disillusionment. Sutton-Smith's portrayals of the characters are strong. Especially noteworthy is the soft, uncertain voice of Samuel Bell, the father, as well as that of young Fred, a mute asthmatic whose world turns on him. Through the Bells and other characters, Sutton-Smith delivers a portrait of yearning as penetrating as the dust storms she describes. While numerous obvious edits detract from the production, Sutton-Smith's performance triumphs. K.W. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2016]