Singin' in the Rain

Everyone has at least heard of it, and most people have seen the famous Gene Kelley movie, but has everyone seen the play?

Singin' in the Rain is based off of the 1952 film starring Gene Kelley as Don Lockwood, Debbie Reynolds as Kathy Selden, Donald O' Connor as Cosmo Brown, and Jean Hagen as Lina Lamont. The show parallels the movie in almost every aspect except for a few added songs, and some changes to the script. But what really is wonderful about the staged musical as compared to its film counterpart is how it truly brings the audience into it. There is nothing quite like live theater, and this show truly makes the audience feel as if they are right there, "singin' in the rain".

When it opened on the west end in the early 80s (directed by Tommy Steele, and coreographed by Peter Gennaro), it was well received, but needed some work. After previews and rewrites, it was ready to open on the east coast. Directed and choreographed by Twyla Tharp, it was nominated for a few Tonys, and a few drama desk awards. It wasn't any Phantom, or Billy Elliot, but it did well. This may have to do with the fact that it wasn't Gene Kelley as the lead anymore, or perhaps it was that people had already been there, done that. However, no man alive can ever reproduce Gene Kelley, and if one is going to see the theatrical production of this show, keep a very open mind and don't compare to the movie. It is the actor's job to create their own character NOT to imitate. If you see a carbon copy up on stage, it is probably the result of an inexperienced, and untrained actor/actress.

Right now, being in this show, I have come to adore it. The music is rich, full, and really flows nicely with the story line. Yes, some of the lines are horribly corny, but it was the time period, and it works with the setting of the show. Because we have a wonderful choreographer like Morgan Mallory, almost every single number has tap dancing in it, which just makes my day. We also have some great vocalists in the cast, and some wonderful actors and actresses; I am truly blessed to work with them.