Festival Theatre to Present SINGIN' IN THE RAIN

Summer is only eight weeks away but it will be raining on stage in the Festival Theatre when the hit West End stage production SINGIN' IN THE RAIN previews from 1 December in at the Festival Theatre for a limited pre-Christmas season. It will be the first time in almost fifteen years that a production of the show has been seen on the main stage in Adelaide.

Final tickets for the Adelaide season will be available from today (Monday 10 October) through BASS with the show's producers offering six innovative ways to see one of the greatest musicals. Patrons can choose from specially priced school holiday mid-week matinees; a Hollywood Package including A Reserve tickets program and beverage; two special group discounts offers (when purchasing four tickets or ten or more tickets); a Virgin Holiday package including accommodation and gift vouchers.

The not to be missed production garnered three Helpmann Award nominations including Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical for Jack Chambers and Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical for Erika Heynatz in addition to Best Choreography in a Musical.

Sharing the role of Don Lockwood are talented actors Grant Almirall and Rohan Browne. Grant has starred in many international productions around the world, and has performed the lead role of Don Lockwood in Singin' in the Rain over the past 18 months on its international tour to South Africa, New Zealand and Hong Kong, to great popular and critical acclaim. He has been part of the Australian company as the stand-by Don Lockwood. New Zealand critics praised his combination of 'balletic elegance ... with gleeful exuberance', his 'sweet tenor voice carrying the delicate emotions of You Were Meant For Me' and his 'charming and joyful rendition' of Singin' in the Rain. Rohan, who will play the role for Brisbane's opening night, has enjoyed an extensive and successful career having starring roles in countless productions including Melbourne Theatre Company's The Drowsy Chaperone, West Side Story, A Chorus Line, The Production Company's Nice Work If You Can Get It, amongst others. Rohan also originated the role of Ken Railings in Strictly Ballroom the Musical and more recently was a featured artist alongside Hugh Jackman for his Broadway To Oz concert tour.

In the role of Don's sidekick CosMo Brown is the dynamic Jack Chambers. Earning a place in Australian entertainment history when he won the first So You Think You Can Dance in 2008, Jack went on to spend 14 months in New York working as a choreographer and teacher at the prestigious Joffrey Ballet School, returning to Australia to star as Link Larkin in Hairspray the Musical.

The role of aspiring actress Kathy Selden will be played by the extraordinary Gretel Scarlett, star of Grease, Wicked and Mamma Mia! One of Australia's emerging leading ladies, Gretel was a finalist in 2011's 'ANZ Trustees Rob Guest Endowment Award' and last year released her debut album Hopelessly Devoted.

Erika Heynatz, previously nominated for a Helpmann Award for her role as Brooke Windham in Legally Blonde and earning rave reviews for her portrayal of Magenta in The Rocky Horror Show, will play Lockwood's vapid leading lady, Lina Lamont.

With a comprehensive and full career that spans more than 40 years, Robyn Arthur joins this stellar cast as Hollywood gossip reporter, Dora Bailey.

Acclaimed actors also joining the cast include Rodney Dobson as Roscoe Dexter and Mike Bishop as RF Simpson alongside an incredible supporting cast; Ben Brown, Nadia Coote, Stefanie Turner, Jan Di Pietro, Samantha Leigh Dodemaide, Ben Gillespie, Jillian Green, Melanie Hawkins, Matthew Jenson, Lauren Jimmieson, Rob Mallett, Sam Marks, Hayley Martin, Meghan O'Shea, Glen Oliver, Nathan Pinnell, Jordan Pollard, Romina Villafranca, Rachael Ward and Lyndon Watts.

Produced in Australia by Lunchbox Theatrical Productions, Michael Cassel Group, David Atkins Enterprises and TEG Dainty, the popular musical will thrill audiences as they experience high-octane choreography, sumptuous sets and costumes and the exhilarating spectacle of rain live on stage!

Making a splash from the moment it premiered, this sensational production of SINGIN' IN THE RAIN extended its original run at the Chichester Festival Theatre in the UK due to unprecedented public demand, before transferring to the famous Palace Theatre in London in 2012. Now, after a sell-out West End season, unparalleled praise from critics and audiences alike, four Olivier Award nominations, a major UK tour, New Zealand season and Asian Tour, SINGIN' IN THE RAIN is delighting Australian audiences.

***** "A night of sheer delight. The perfect pick-me-up" Daily Telegraph (UK)

***** "A splash hit! Take cover as the cast kick up a storm" Daily Express

**** "Jonathan Church's production has feel-good factor galore" Daily Mail

**** "Exhilarating... with infectious brolly-twirling glee" Evening Standard

This spectacular production is based on the iconic 1952 MGM movie of the same name starring Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds. It is packed full of the charm, romance, comedy and Tinseltown glamour of the much-loved movie and features all the songs from the glorious MGM score including 'Good Morning', 'Make 'em Laugh', 'Moses Supposes' and the classic 'Singin' in the Rain'.

With the help of 12,000 litres of recycled water, the audience can enjoy one of the most famous dance scenes live on stage, with some leaving the theatre a little wetter than when they arrived! To achieve the famous 'Singin' in the Rain' scene, the production uses over 800 metres of flexible pipe work, a 9000kg water tank and a water system that creates a downpour from above as well as flooding from below the stage, in total 'raining' over 12,000 litres of recycled water per performance.

Set in 1927, it tells the story of the first Hollywood musical, when the silver screen found its voice and left silent movies - and some of its stars - behind. Don Lockwood is a silent movie star with everything he could want - fame, adulation and a well-publicised 'romance' with his co-star Lina Lamont. But Hollywood is about to change forever. There is rumour in the studio of a new kind of film, where the actors actually talk...and sing...and dance. Can Don and the uniquely voiced Lina make the transition and will chorus girl Kathy Selden fulfil her dream of stardom and capture Don's heart along the way?

The stage production of SINGIN' IN THE RAIN is based on the classic Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film by special arrangement with Warner Bros Theatre Ventures, Inc. Music Published by EMI. Produced by arrangement with Maurice Rosenfield, Lois F Rosenfield and Cindy Pritzker Inc. This production is directed by Jonathan Church, with Olivier Award nominated choreography by Andrew Wright; it is designed by Simon Higlett, with RoBert Scott as Musical Supervisor.

With high-energy performances, a superb score and a joyous story, SINGIN' IN THE RAIN showers you with everything you could wish for in a hit musical.

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