Jonathan Pouliot stars as Don Lockwood in Eight O’Clock Theatre’s “Singin’ in the Rain.”
For the next few weeks, the forecast calls for intermittent nostalgia, melodic refrains, spirited dance routines and perfectly timed downpours – all on stage at the Tonne Playhouse in Largo Cultural Center.
Eight O’Clock Theatre’s production of “Singin’ in the Rain” runs through Nov. 15 at Largo Cultural Center, 105 Central Park Drive.
Performances are Thursday through Saturday, 8 p.m. Matinees are Sunday, 2 p.m.
A musical with a book by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, lyrics by Arthur Freed, and music by Nacio Herb Brown, “Singin’ in the Rain” basically follows the storyline of the celebrated 1952 movie of the same name showcasing the talents of Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds.
Eight O’Clock Theatre’s production features more than 30 cast members, with Jonathan Pouliot starring as Don Lockwood, George Cahill portraying Cosmo Brown, Katie DeHetre playing Kathy Selden and Jessica Bishop taking on the role of Lina Lamont.
The show is a depiction of 1920s Hollywood, centering on Lockwood and Lamont, a silent film duo under contract to Monumental Pictures. The studio generates publicity suggesting the couple is romantically connected, though Lockwood in fact loathes his colleague.
When a rival studio produces the first talking picture, “The Jazz Singer,” Monumental Pictures realizes that to stay competitive, it will have to follow the trend. While Lockwood is perfectly suited to make the transition, Lamont has a problem: Her harsh voice and colloquial speech signal certain doom in the coming age of talkies.
Lockwood’s lifelong friend Brown hatches a plan involving Selden, a lowly chorus girl with stage aspirations. As the story progresses, romance blooms between Lockwood and Selden, infuriating Lamont.
Pouliot, who recently appeared in EOT’s “The Melody Lingers On,” gives a gratifying performance. He frequently shares the spotlight with Cahill, serving up classics like “Fit As a Fiddle.” Aside from his wonderful rendition of “Singin’ in the Rain,” some of Pouliot’s best moments materialize between the song-and-dance numbers when he’s showing off his acting talents.
Cahill clearly has the heart of a master vaudevillian. His triumphs in this production include an animated “Make ’em Laugh” and the tongue-twisting “Moses” with Pouliot.
Due to the storyline, casting the part of Selden required someone with a better-than-average singing voice. DeHetre fills that bill.
Whether she’s singing lead with a chorus supporting her, as in “All I Do Is Dream of You,” or going solo as she does when she sings “Would You,” DeHetre proves she is the right choice for this production.
Although Bishop has plenty of lines, she gets only one song: Her comedic delivery of “What’s Wrong with Me” may help establish her character’s shortcomings, but it also demonstrates her ability to sustain an arduous enunciation.
The production boasts plenty of other fine performances, too, serving to evoke the glory days of Hollywood’s greatest musicals. As director Rand Smith mentions in his notes, “Singin’ in the Rain” is “an enduring piece of Americana” and “a cornerstone of the American musical tradition.” Smith has recaptured the heart of that era.
Credit also is due musical director and orchestra conductor Emi Stefanov and choreographer Amy Phillips for making the production sound so sweet and move so gracefully. Finally, audiences should shower praise upon technical director C.J. Marshall, stage manager Cathy Winchester and the theater crew members who made the improbable possible: As Pouliot delivers the title, rain pours down onto the stage.
The indoor cloudburst is quite a spectacle, but it’s only one of many delightful moments in this production. Eight O’Clock Theatre is known for the pomp and circumstance of its musical productions, and “Singin’ in the Rain” is no exception.
Tickets are $26 for adults, $16 for children age 19 and younger with identification. Call 587-6793 or visit www.eightoclocktheatre.us.
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