The scenery and staging of theater performance are used to enhance a performer’s monologue.

Now, imagine a show that is comprised completely of monologues. 

Much to my surprise, I discovered that there was such a play titled “Faith Healer,” written by Brian Friel. When I first came to Wichita State in 2010, associate professor Bret Jones assigned that reading in a playscript analysis class that I took. 

Now, three years later as a senior, I’ve had the pleasure of seeing “Faith Healer” on stage. It turned out to be another quality production from the WSU School of Performing Arts. Amber Creasser directed the show.

As I mentioned before, “Faith Healer” is unconventional in its method of telling a story, as three separate characters each bring their own unique perspective on life as a traveling act. 

Damian Padilla played the title character, Francis Hardy. He had the character’s Irish accent down pat and made a great use of the stage area, along with stepping out to the audience itself, just as a faith healer in real life would likely do to engage his audience. 

The second character to appear on the stage was Hardy’s very bitter wife named Grace, portrayed by Sheena Monroe. What struck me the most about Monroe’s performance was her ability to produce real tears and be convincingly upset when the script demanded it. That’s the sign of a truly great actor, someone who can summon tears on command.

Lastly, Hardy’s cockney-accented manager, Teddy, provided his perspective about the joys and sorrows of being in show business. Teddy was brilliantly played by Caleb Coffman, who could make the audience laugh heartily at his amusing anecdotes one minute and the next, completely move them with sorrow as he recounted having to identify a dead body.

The Welsbacher Theatre at the WSU Metropolitan Complex is perfect for a show like “Faith Healer.” The small staging area and seating arrangement allow the audience to be close to the actors, able to see every facial expression and moment in their performance.

The scenic design, handled by Jonathan Standridge, along with the lighting crew, supervised by David Neville, were magnificent in making the theater closely resemble an old-fashioned traveling show housed in a tent. 

When I had to read “Faith Healer,” I wondered if a show that consisted only of monologues could effectively strike a chord with the audience. Well, it took three years to have that question answered, but it’s yes, especially when you have a cast and crew willing to give quality work to the production.