Rain will soon shower on the Patchogue stage, as "Singin' in the Rain" prepares to open at the Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts, today, July 24-Aug. 10.
Adapted from the original screenplay by Betty Comden and Adolph Green with songs by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed, "Singin' in the Rain" is a romantic comedy which follows fading silent screen stars Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont as they try to resurrect their once-prosperous tinseltown careers, after the premiere of 'The Dueling Cavalier" - which reveals Lamont's dissonent voice. A fallen Lockwood is joined by song-and-dance man CosMo Brown and aspiring actress Kathy Selden to re-make 'The Dueling Cavalier' into 'The Dancing Cavalier,' with Selden performing Lamont's vocals.
The original 1952 film, with
Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor and
Debbie Reynolds, ranks near the top of the American Film Institute's "Top 100" lists, and holds the number one spot in the Greatest Movie Musicals category. In 1989, it was one of the first 25 films deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress and was preserved on the National Film Registry. On the film's 60th anniversary, Time Magazine named it "the Greatest Musical of Ever."
The live musical adaptation first premiered on the West End in 1983, followed by a Broadwayengagement in 1985, which was directed and choreographed by
Twyla Tharp. The show includes iconic songs, like "Fit as a Fiddle," "Make 'Em Laugh," "Good Mornin'," "You are my Lucky Star" and, the titular song, "Singin' in the Rain."
Gateway's production is directed by Rick Conant, with choreography by
Kelli Barclay. Conant has staged productions around the world, including Moscow, Vienna, Paris, Stuttgart, Tokoyo and Beijing. Conant and Barclay were both nominated for
Kevin Kline Awards (Outstanding Director of a Musical and Outstanding Choreography) for "Singin' in the Rain" at the MUNY in 2011. As an actor, he performed in the original Broadway company of "42nd Street" and played Cos
Mo Brown in the 1986 national tour of "Singin' in the Rain."
Barclay received a second
Kevin Kline nomination for her choreography of "Cabaret" at Stages, St. Louis and choreographed the multiple award winning "My One and Only" for which she won the Connecticut Critics Circle Award for Best Choreography, and was nominated for another Connecticut Critics Circle Award for "How to Succeed in Business."
Goodspeed Opera House productions include "Hello My Baby" at the
Norma Terris, and "Hello Dolly" playing through September. She has extensive teaching and choreography credits in all forms of dance including at American Ballet Theater Intensive in NYC. She was the Associate Choreographer for four Broadway shows and four Encore productions. At Goodspeed, she helped to develop their prestigious Musical Theater Dance Intensive, offered annually each August.
Music direction is by Jeff Hoffman, who also serves as musical contractor for The Gateway, and has worked on over a dozen shows at the Bellport theatre.
Lighting design is by
Marcia Madeira, who designed Broadway's "Nine," "My One and Only" (with
Tommy Tune) and "The Music Man" (with
Dick Van Dyke). Costumes are by Trevor Bowen, whose previous work includes last season's "9 to 5," starring
Sally Struthers.
Jeremy Benton plays Hollywood lead Don Lockwood, joined by
John Scacchetti as funny-man Cos
Mo Brown. Benton was featured in the Broadway revival of "42nd Street," and was a part of the "Anything Goes" national tour, produced by Roundabout Theatre Company. Scacchetti was part of the recentGypsy revival, starring
Patti LuPone and directed by
Arthur Laurents.
Gretchen Bieber is silent screen superstar Lina Lamont and Shannon O'Bryan plays the up-and-coming Kathy Selden. Bieber was featured in the original Broadway production of "Hairspray." O'Bryan performed the leading role of
Judy Haynes in the world premiere, the original Broadway production, and the west coast premiere of "
Irving Berlin's White Christmas."
Steve Brady is Hollywood director RF Simpson. Brady has appeared in numerous Gateway shows, including Gen. Waverly in "
Irving Berlin's White Christmas" and Col. Pickering in "My Fair Lady." In 2006, he was nominated for a
Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Resident Production and, in 2007, appeared with Brian Dennehey in the Broadway revival of "Inherit the Wind."
David Arthur plays Monumental Pictures director Roscoe Dexter.
Richard Riaz Yoder is dance captain and David Raimo is the production tenor. Katie Blessing,
Leanne Borghesi, Alicia Hemann, Chan
Don Jones,
Megan Kelley, Andrew Leggieri, Ryan Patrick Lingle, Deborah McCasland,
Jake Primmerman, Angela Sauers, Caleb Teicher,
Amy Van Norstrand and Stephanie Vertichio complete the professional cast.
Local actors Julia Bellante, Thomas Buono, Ryan Koerber, Adam Lawrence, Shanna Malwitz, Dominic Mondi, Moriah Ritchie, Shannon Torre and Aidan Weiler comprise the show's youth ensemble.
Comments
To post a comment, you must
register and
login.
