The dog days of summer have arrived.
It’s hot. It’s steamy. It’s unbearable.
But the South Arkansas Arts Center has something special to offer this summer with its musical “Singin’ in the Rain.” This classic Hollywood musical will run in the Callaway Theater from Thursday through Sunday and again July 18-22.
Filled with every memorable moment from the film and a downpour of unforgettable songs, “Singin’ in the Rain” is one of the best loved musicals of all time. The fun-for-all-ages show pours down delight, capturing the waning days of the silent-screen era as they give way to new-fangled “talkies.” In addition to the beloved comedy routines, dance numbers and love songs, attendees will be astounded by a real, onstage rain storm.
“’Singin’ in the Rain’ is a show for everyone! It’s just fun,” said director Lisa Newton. “It has dance numbers that will wow you, really good vocalists, technical aspects that you will talk about afterwards, and it all appeals to a wide audience range. You can bring everyone from the grandparents all the way to the little kids, because even if the kids don’t know the story, there is plenty for them to enjoy. You have the archetypal actors — the mean girl, the sweet girl, the comedic guy, the handsome lead guy, the big producer who is sketchy, the over-dramatic director character, and the great ensemble characters that are in and out of this world.”
Lead actor Alex Jeffery even brought his professional filmmaking skills to SAAC, filming a silent movie called “The Dueling Cavaliers” to be shown in the production.
“It is very cool how this season at SAAC has tied together so well, with ‘Sunset Boulevard’ and ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ both being about the advent of ‘talkies,’” Jeffery said.
Newton agreed, adding that “Sunset Boulevard” was about the death of the silent film without a happy ending, while “Singin’ in the Rain” offers the happy ending that was missed before.
“This really did happen in Hollywood where a lot of actors did lose their jobs because they did not have the skill set to actually act when the talkies came along,” Newton said.
The ensemble cast has been busy working on the songs and tap dance moves that are the highlight of this show. The actors playing the three main characters, Jeffery, who plays Don Lockwood; Brandon Wallace, who plays Cosmo Brown; and Laura Purvis, who plays Kathy Seldon; are tapping their toes nightly to learn something none of them had ever attempted before being cast in this show — tap dancing. Jeffery said it has not been easy, but they all have loved learning a new skill to add to their resume.
“We were all a little terrified about the tap dancing at first,” Jeffery said. “But Hannah Marsh, the choreographer, is a pro and is super patient and is coming at the process from a professional standpoint. She told us the first night that she would make us all confident and make us look good by show time, so that took some of the pressure off of us.”
Wallace added that the tap dancing requirement actually made him want to be in the show more.
“It’s something I’ve always wanted to learn,” Wallace said.
Jeffery, Wallace and Purvis had never met nor worked together before this show, but have formed a comfortable bond with each other since rehearsals began. Both Jeffery and Wallace have spent many hours gracing the SAAC stage in different productions. Purvis is new to SAAC, spending the summer in El Dorado with her grandparents, while spending the rest of her time studying music education with a vocal emphasis at college in Texas.
“The people here at SAAC are really welcoming and truly have a love for the arts, so it’s easy to fall in step with everyone here,” Purvis said.
When not rehearsing on stage, the trio can be found practicing their tapping in the ballet room or working on songs together. “Singin’ in the Rain” is a show that focuses on singing and dancing, as well as acting, and all three are very accomplished singers. Tying it all together with the dancing and acting is keeping them on their toes.
They are all very excited about the dance number for ”Good Morning,” in which they actually have to tap dance onto a sofa and flip it over as they cross it. The dance has taken many hours to perfect and is a highlight of the film, as well as the musical.
Wallace said he’d never played a Cosmo Brown type of character, meaning a comedic role.
“His funny side, personified by his song ‘Make ‘em Laugh,’ shows how good a friend he is to Don,” Wallace said. “I love that song — and it’s a very hard song to dance — and I’m really looking forward to doing it for everyone.”
Charlsie Falcon, music director, has had the task of helping Hali Pinson, a trained vocalist, learn to sing badly for her character, Lina Lamont.
“I think everyone will love these character pieces. Lina is a very beautiful silent movies star with a terrible voice,” Falcon said. “Hali has done a great job with this!”
She also has been extremely impressed with the ensemble and how quickly they have learned the songs and dances in this primarily dance musical. A standout moment for her is the song “You Stepped Out of a Dream.”
The SAAC box office is open for tickets to “Singin’ in the Rain,” sponsored by Murphy USA. For reservations or more information, call the SAAC office at 870-862-5474.