Olney Theatre Center Presents SINGIN' IN THE RAIN

Olney Theatre Center presents its biggest, most technically challenging musical to-date when it produces Singin In The Rain, November 8, 2019 - January 5, 2020, directed by Marcos Santana. Santana, who directed and choreographed In The Heights, which won the 2018 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Musical Production, is joined by choreographer Grady Bowman who choreographed 2017's My Fair Lady. Press is invited to attend the performance on Thursday, November 14 at 8:00pm. Keeping with its tradition of partnering with community oriented non-profits during its holiday productions, Olney Theatre will be accepting donations of new or gently used coats to be distributed to community members in-need by One Warm Coat.

Based on what is widely regarded as the greatest movie musicals ever, Singin' In The Rain is Betty Comden and Adolph Green's ingenious tale of Hollywood's transition out of the silent era through a classic love story filled with some of the best-loved songs in the American canon by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed, including "Make 'Em Laugh," "Moses Supposes," and of course, the title song.

Jason Loewith, Olney Theatre's Artistic Director says, "Bringing multiple generations together for a rousing musical is now a solid holiday tradition at OTC. Marcos Santana, who directed and choreographed In The Heights, our most popular musical ever is the perfect person to match the energy and optimism that Singin' In The Rain brings with it."

Rhett Guter, who amazed audiences as the fleet-footed Burt in Mary Poppins and as the balletic Gabey in On The Town, returns to Olney Theatre as Don Lockwood, the role made famous by Gene Kelly. In addition to his work at OTC, Guter has starred in leading-man roles at many regional theatres including the Goodspeed Opera House (Curly in Oklahoma, Conrad Birdie in Bye Bye Birdie), The Wolf/Cinderella's Prince/Lucinda in Into the Woods at the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, Mr. Darcy in Christmas at Pemberley at St. Louis Rep, and Tulsa in Gypsy at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

Amanda Castro makes her OTC debut as Kathy Selden, the aspiring actress with whom Don falls head-over-heels in-love. Kathy soon finds herself as the on-screen "voice" of the scheming Lina Lamont who wants to hold onto her stardom (and Don) as the silent era comes to a close. Castro has been a company member of the Urban Bush Women and most recently starred as Anita in the Lyric Opera's production of West Side Story. In that role she earned rave reviews from the Chicago Tribune who praised her as "an excellent dancer... Castro shows us a depth of anxiety; watch her and you'll think about Anita's own hopes and dreams, the extent to which Maria is really an extension of her own self. It's very touching in a way you may not have noticed before."

Returning to OTC are Chris Genebach (Mary Stuart) as the Hollywood Director Roscoe Dexter and Michael Russotto (The Crucible) as studio chief R.F. Simpson. Also making OTC debuts are Jacob Scott Tischler as Don's sidekick Cosmo and Farrell Parker as the threatened silent starlet Lina Lamont.

The ensemble includes Jennifer Flohr, Andre Hinds, Allie O'Donnell, Olivia Reed, Connor James Reilly, Louisa Tringali, Shawna Walker, Ashleigh King, Michael Wood, Ian Anthony Coleman, Ian Saunders and Max P. Fowler. Ariel Meseca and Sarah Anne Sillers serve as swings.

Santana's creative team, in addition to Bowman, includes Angie Benson (Music Director), Daniel Conway (Set Designer), Rosemary Pardee (Costume Designer), Andrew F. Griffin (Lighting Designer), Roc Lee (Sound Designer), Casey Kaleba and Robb Hunter (Fight Choreographers) and Ann Nesmith (Wig Designer). John Keith Hall is the stage manager.

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