Moments blossom in village playhouse’s

‘lilies of the field’

By Steve Rank 

Published Dec. 17, 2019

When I sat down for the performance of “The Lilies of the Field” this past weekend with Village Playhouse in West Allis, I had to divorce
Sidney Poitier’s performance in the film from my mind. Appreciators of the film will undoubtedly remember Poitier’s charismatic and smooth performance, singing a call and response of “Amen” with the German sisters as they labored on their farmstead. That performance won Poitier the Academy Award for Best Actor. While Poitier does not make an appearance in this West Allis production, the cast under director Deanna Strasse, manages to find moments of light, warmth and reflection.

The story centers around ex-G.I. Homer Smith (an energized
Randall J.  Tranowski), lovingly referred to as “Schmitt” by the Eastern German nuns he stumbles upon in the Arizona desert. Observing their labor, Homer meets the head of the order, Mother Maria
(a stern and stoic Mary Lynn Ferwerda) and decides to take on a job cleaning the foundation of the site of what will be a chapel the sisters are attempting to build. A temporary job for Homer quickly turns into the task of constructing and designing the unbuilt chapel, as Mother Maria believes Homer has been sent by God to be their architect and savior. But Homer is a man with newfound freedom he’s never known, and this task and these nuns help Homer decide what
kind of life is worth living.

Tranowski plays Homer with a very different charisma than
traditional portrayals. A spring in his step, Tranowski exudes an optimistic confidence at all times, whether it’s negotiating for more supplies for building the chapel or in the very delightful scene in which he teaches the nuns English. Contrasting his wide-eyed innocence, Tranowski also manages to bring Homer’s uncertainty and fear very effectively to light, delivering Homer’s monologues with quiet and grounded sadness. 

Ferwerda leads the ensemble of sisters with determination
and strength. Ferwerda is often stony and stoic, with the occasional twinkle in her eye that reflects her steady faith that Homer will build the sisters the chapel that will change their lives. The moments between Homer and the sisters shine throughout the performance. In one particular section, the sisters, led by Sister Gertrude (a pleasant voiced Joanna Langworthy) sing hymns to Homer, who also sings to them songs of when he was in the Army. It was quite an enjoyable scene.

The production struggles with the many dialects that are needed by the characters in the story. While the German dialect of the sisters
was mostly solid throughout the production, the Spanish dialects often missed the mark. The cook of the local restaurant Jose (played by Evan Prier) sounded as though he should have been serving breakfast at a restaurant in India.
Technical production elements also plague this production as well. Between each scene, traditional Catholic music blasts through the speakers, as characters make set changes in the dark. The tone of the music does not match the tone of the production. The production team would have been more successful if they had incorporated their intermission music into the scene changes.

Lilies of the Field plays through December 22nd at
Inspiration Studios, located on 73rd and Orchard in West Allis. Tickets can be bought at the door or by going on to inspirationstudiosgallery.com.