Rain Dance April 8, 2009

Lanford Wilson's play, 'Rain Dance,' focuses on the long, nervous night before the testing of the first atomic bomb in the lonely desert of Los Alamos, New Mexico. Set in a cantina during the year 1945, the play follows the dramatic histories of a young American scientist, a Native-American military police officer, and two German immigrants, all of whom congregate in the small bar, each having contributed in some way to the development of the bomb. As a result, the expected repercussions of their work weigh heavily on the characters' consciences. Not only have they assisted in the creation of a weapon with massive fatal implications, but they also come to realize that the testing of the bomb will destroy the already dwindling Native American culture of Los Alamos. Ultimately, the play is a story about the ramifications of careless cultural exploitation and destruction.