Faith floats

Humans have an amazing tendency to search: for faith, for a job, for self-esteem, for happiness. California Stage Company’s new production of Jim Leonard Jr.’s The Diviners, directed by Michael R.J. Campbell, tells the story of what people are willing to go through in order to achieve completeness. The play details the fortunes of a Depression-era Indiana community trying to get by with little water and even less spiritual guidance. When a handsome ex-preacher comes to town, people start to get the wrong idea. The set is covered in tattered bits of fence that create a stage worthy of a Faulkner short story. The ensemble cast is held together by the central performance of Joseph Boyette as Buddy Layman, a mentally disabled boy. Boyette’s tender and ardent performance creates a stage presence that brings relevance to the play.

The Diviners, 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. $12-$20. California Stage, 1723 25th Street; (916) 451-5822; www.calstage.org. Through July 31.