Preview: Singin' in the Rain from Broadway at Music Circus
By Patti Roberts
Noah Racey is Don Lockwood, the silent film star originally played by Gene Kelly in the 1952 film.
Photo courtesy of Charr Crail
Forecast for the Wells Fargo Pavilion calls for continued showers through Sunday in Broadway at Music Circus' Singin' in the Rain, opening this week. The talented cast will sing and dance through actual light rain, completely surrounded by the audience watching in-the-round. But don't worry, you won't need an umbrella.
"The production crew installed a special deck on the stage to allow it to drain off and not douse the folks in the front rows," explained Music Circus Marketing Director Matt Hessburg.
This production is a tribute to the 1952 Hollywood classic and its legendary star Gene Kelly—who made tapping down a wet street while twirling an umbrella an iconic film scene. Also included are the well-known tunes from the movie: "Make 'Em Laugh," "Good Morning" and the show-stopping umbrella-twirling title song.
In fact, Singin' in the Rain is ranked No. 1 on the American Film Institute's Greatest Movie Musicals list.
The plot is pure Hollywood—set in the late 1920s when three silent film stars have to navigate the new world of talking pictures. Two of the leads have previously trod on the Music Circus stage—Noah Racey, who was the lead in the 2012 local production of Crazy for You, is Don Lockwood, while Matt Loehr, who was in last year's local production of On The Town and 2016's Nice Work If You Can Get It, is Cosmo Brown. New to the Sacramento stage is lead Kara Lindsay as Kathy Selden. Thu 6/14 2pm & 7:30pm, Fri 6/15 2:30pm & 7:30pm, Sat 6/16 2:30pm & 7:30pm, Sun 6/17 3pm; $45-$96; Wells Fargo Pavilion, 1419 H Street; (916) 557-1999; broadwaysacramento.com.
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