I don’t know if I’d agree that it is (as some have called it) the “Greatest Musical of All Time,” but I do know that the New Tampa Players’ production of “Singin’ in the Rain” at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC) offers a super-fun evening (or afternoon) of entertainment!
The Neighborhood News was on hand for last night’s opening night of “Singin'” and there’s no doubt that the talented cast and crew of NTP’s production of the show ā which originally was one of the first great movie musicals starring Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O’Connor and Jean Hagen ā do justice to this story of two Hollywood stars trying to transition from silent films to “talkies.”
With great singing and dancing by Kyle Billington in Kelly’s role as Don Lockwood, Olivia Carr in the Reynolds role of talented starlet Kathy Selden, Rhett Ricardo as Lockwood’s best friend Cosmo Brown (the role made famous by O’Connor), and the scene-stealing Melanie Bierweiler absolutely nailing the Oscar-nominated Hagen role as Lina Lamont ā Ā the silent film starĀ who can’t sing or dance ā and an outstanding ensemble cast, 12-piece orchestra (a record for the Players) and crew, “Singin’ in the Rain” gives you plenty of value for your entertainment dollar. NTP producing artistic director Nora Paine directs and fellow Players veterans G. Frank Meekins (musical director) and Sarah Walston Pilllips (choreographer) deliver a toe-tapping, tap-dancing, rollicking good time.Ā
The title song, of course, is a timeless classic, but we also loved Ricardo’s “Make ‘Em Laugh,” Kyle and Olivia’s “You Were Meant for Me,” NTP vet Kyle Fisher singing “Beautiful Girls,” Olivia’s turn on “Good Morning” and the full company’s take on both “Broadway Melody” and the reprise of “Singin’ in the Rain” that closes the show.
If you haven’t yet bought your tickets, there were seats still available for all of the following performances:
Tonight at 8 p.m.
Tomorrow (Sunday, July 20) at 3 p.m. (only a couple of single seats left)
Friday-Saturday, July 26-27, at. 8 p.m.
Saturday, July 27, at 3 p.m.
Sunday, July 28, at 3 p.m.
Visit NewTampaPlayers.org to get yours or visit the NTPAC box office at 8550 Hunters Village Rd., Tampa 33647!
Melanie Bierweiler plays Lina Lamont and Kyle Billington is Don Lockwood in the New Tampa Playersā production of āSinginā in the Rain,ā which has six performances the weekend of July 19-21 and July 26- 28 at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center. (Photo courtesy of New Tampa Players)Ā
As someone who previously performed a tiny part in a New Tampa Players (NTP) production, I can only tell you how much hard work it took to make community theater look and sound as good as it does when it finally hits the stage.
What I canāt tell you is how much hard work it takes to blend together more than 30 cast members ā some of whom sing only, others who dance only and still others who do both ā and how to make it all come together seamlessly on stage after only a few weeks of rehearsals.Ā
But, based on my experience performing in NTPās production of āGreaseā ā the first Players performance held at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (NTPAC) off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. last summer ā I have no doubt that director (and NTP producing artistic director) Nora Paine, musical director Frank Meekins and choreographer Sarah Walston will make it happen when NTP presents the classic musical āSinginā in the Rainā at the NTPAC for two consecutive weekends ā July 19-21 and 26-28.
Although Meekins was both director and musical director for āGrease,ā Paine was the producer and stage manager for that show and Walston was the choreographer. In other words, the trio is comfortable working together, āand we all had an interest in working on āSinginā in the Rainā together,ā Meekins says. āSo, it all just kind of worked out. Although the tap dancing definitely makes it more challenging, weāre all very excited about this show.ā
According to Wikipedia, āāSinginā in the Rainā is a stage musical with story by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, lyrics by Arthur Freed and music by Nacio Herb Brown. Adapted from the 1952 movie of the same name, starring Gene Kelly (and directed and choreographed by Kelly and Stanley Donen), the stage musicalās plot closely adheres to the original film.āĀ
Set in Hollywood in the waning days of the silent screen era, āSingināā focuses on romantic lead Don Lockwood (played by Kyle Billington), his sidekick Cosmo Brown (Rhett Ricardo), aspiring actress Kathy Selden (Olivia Carr, who played Sandy in āGreaseā), and Lockwoodās leading lady Lina Lamont (Melanie Bierweiler), āwhose less-than-dulcet vocal tones make her an unlikely candidate for stardom in talking pictures,ā again, according to the āSingināā entry in Wikipedia.Ā
The stage show had its world premiere in 1983 at the London Palladium, where it ran for more than two years, and has spawned a Broadway production and many stagings worldwide. It has been called, āThe greatest movie musical of all time.ā
According to NTPās NewTampaPlayers.orgwebsite, āEach unforgettable scene, song and dance is accounted for, including the show-stopping title number, complete with an onstage rainstorm! Hilarious situations, snappy dialogue and a hit-parade score of Hollywood standards make āSinginā in the Rainā the perfect entertainment for any fan of the golden age of movie musicals.āĀ
All of the photos on these pages were taken during rehearsals for the New Tampa Players production of āSinginā in the Rain,ā which will have six performances at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center over two weekends ā July 19-21 & July 26-28. (Photos by Charmaine George & Gary Nager)
Meekins says that in addition to the title number ā āAnd yes, it will be raining,ā he says ā many of the songs are well-known, memorable and can be considered āshow stoppers,ā including āYou Are My Lucky Star,ā āWould Youā and especially āBroadway Rhythm.ā
āThe title song is actually performed twice ā once by Don Lockwood at the end of the first act and the second time by the entire cast (at the close of Act 2), all of whom who will be singing and dancing together in the rain,ā Meekins says. āI
know it will be amazing to see this cast come together for that finale. All of the cast members have different levels of experience, but I have no doubt that it will all come together.ā
Get your tickets now for āSinginā in the Rainā at the New Tampa Performing Arts Center (8550 Hunters Village Rd., off Bruce B. Downs Blvd.). The show (presented through the generous support of Hillsborough County and Florida Arts and Culture and with special arrangement through Music Theatre International) will be performed Fri.-Sat., July 19-20 and July 26-27, at 8 p.m., and at 3 p.m. on Sun., July 21 & 28. Tickets cost $21-$35 and are available at NewTampaPlayers.org.Ā
For more information, call (813) 543-6252 or see the ad below.Ā
