Rain Showers and Digital Magic Set for Garden Theatre's SINGIN' IN THE RAIN

The Garden Theatre (160 West Plant Street) is proud to present the beloved musical SINGIN' IN THE RAIN showing April 29 - May 29, 2016. SINGIN' IN THE RAIN is presented by Florida Hospital Winter Garden. This show is also sponsored by Insight Credit Union and Toole's Ace Hardware.

This musical has all the makings of a Tinseltown tabloid headline -- the starlet, the leading man and a love affair that could change lives and make or break careers. In silent movies, Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont are a hot item, but behind the scenes things aren't always as they appear on the big screen. Meanwhile, Lina's squeaky voice might be the end of her career in "talking pictures" without the help of a talented young actress to do the talking and singing for her.

This timeless musical is produced by Garden Theatre, which fatefully was the first theatre in Central Florida specifically built for talking pictures, or "talkies." The show is directed by Rob Winn Anderson, who also serves as the Garden's Consulting Artistic Director.

"This is a story the audience knows and loves, on a stage that is known and loved," said Anderson. "SINGIN' IN THE RAIN is, arguably, the movie musical by which all other musical films are judged, and this stage version has all the aspects you love in the original film with some added digital magic from the Garden Theatre."

In addition to witnessing, for the very first time, actual rain on the Garden Theatre stage, audiences will experience a sprinkling of digital effects.

"While last season's Peter Pan employed extensive digital effects to fly the audience out of the nursery window, its use in this show will bring the rain part of the SINGIN' IN THE RAIN to life in a way you never imagined," said Anderson with a wink and a smile.

SINGIN' IN THE RAIN will be the second show produced by the Garden Theatre which employs digital effects as part of telling the story. Last season's Peter Pan broke new ground as the Garden was the first theatre of intimate size to use digital mapping for a classic play to enhance the audience's experience and immerse them in the story. Winter Garden-based digital partners Nth Degree, Good Theory and Birket Engineering have once again partnered to create magical digital moments. Joining the team this year is Orange Technical College, which has provided their motion-capture capabilities in order to create unique visuals for the production.

The 18-person cast includes: Nigel Columbus as Don Lockwood, Erin Elizabeth Stillson (The Music Man) as Kathy Selden, Alex Rader as Cosmo Brown, Jana Lugar as Lina Lamont, Frank Siano (Little Shop of Horrors) as R.F. Simpson, Stephen Pugh (Biloxi Blues for Beth Marshall Presents) as Roscoe Dexter/Diction Coach, Beryl Rochatka (The Music Man, The Wizard of Oz, Christmas by Committee) as Dora Bailey/Phoebe Dinsmore, Tara Osbourne as Zelda Zanders, Tori Lucas as Flack, Tyler Ilgen (Miracle on 34th Street, La Cage aux Folles) as Rod, Jeremiah Gibbons as Tom Mix, Vicky Campadonico as Olga Mara, Casey Faulkner as Sam the Butler, and an ensemble cast that includes Ellis Endsley (La Cage aux Folles), Melanie Farber, Sarah Rose Hackshaw, Megan Brophy, and Brandon Hofmann.

Tickets are $33 for adults and $29 for seniors and students, with special pricing of $29 for adults and $25 for seniors and students for opening night. Tickets are $15 for ages 12 and under on Saturday matinees. Show times are Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 2pm & 8pm and Sundays at 2pm. There will be an Industry Night performance on Monday, May 9 at 8pm with $15 tickets.

For tickets, visit gardentheatre.org or contact the Box Office at 407-877-GRDN (4736). Groups of 10 or more are eligible for discounts of up to 25% by contacting group sales manager Jana Goupil at 407-877-4736 x208.

Located in the heart of historic downtown Winter Garden on Plant Street, the Garden Theatre is a not-for-profit organization committed to enriching, engaging and entertaining through creative experiences. The 299-seat theatre, which re-opened in 2008, is a historic, atmospheric, professional performing arts venue in a Mediterranean Revival style. The Garden Theatre hosts live plays, concerts, movies and more to the residents of and visitors to the city of Winter Garden. For tickets or additional information, contact the Garden Theatre Box Office at 407-877-GRDN (4736) or visit gardentheatre.org.

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