Review: SINGIN' IN THE RAIN is a Hale Centre Hit!

The critically-acclaimed 1952 musical SINGIN' IN THE RAIN was painstakingly adapted from film-to-stage and made its way to Broadway in 1985. It received two Tony Award nominations and started touring a year later.

Now, the Hale Centre Theatre in Gilbert has put a pot of gold at the end of this musical rainbow!

As the story goes, silent film star Don Lockwood (Vaughn Sherman), his vaudevillian sidekick Cosmo Brown (Allan DeWitt) and self-professed stage actress Kathy Selden (Abbi Cavanaugh) collide during the advent of talking pictures in late 1920's Hollywood.

Lockwood makes the transition, but his leading lady Lina Lamont (Erica Parrish) is...shall we say..."vocally challenged" and must be dubbed over by Lockwood's new-found flame Selden. Lamont believes the tabloid stories that she and Lockwood are actually engaged, so this makes for both a hilarious and rivalrous love triangle.

Patrons will be thrilled by the iconic scenes recreated by director-choreographer Cambrian James and musical director Lincoln Wright. Sherman shines while "Singin' in the Rain", DeWitt brings the house down in "Make 'em Laugh" and Cavanaugh joins them for a raucous rendition of "Good Morning" that leaves the audience breathless.

You know you've got a hit on your hands when DeWitt and Parrish are on par with the romantic lead couple. As well, Joey Morrison is perfectly cast as movie studio executive R.F. Simpson and Julian Mendoza does a remarkable rendition "Beautiful Girl" in the role of Production Tenor.

There are few, if any, soft spots in this production. From costumes to scenery, a truly remarkable rain sequence and an ensemble that does not disappoint, SINGIN' IN THE RAIN is a hit at the Hale!

This production ends March 30 and performances are selling out quickly, so order your tickets online or by calling the box office at 480.497.1181.

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