“Singin’ in the Rain, just Singin’ in the Rain …”. The 1952 film, starring Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, and Debbie Reynolds, was a modest success when first released. However, the great songs and performances granted the film its current high status in film history. According to the American Film Institute, it is the #1 Musical Film of all time and #5 American Film overall.

The plot tells the tale of silent film star Don Lockwood who worked his way up in show business with his best friend Cosmo Brown. Don’s leading lady, Lina Lamont, is dense and vapid with an annoying voice. She believes the studio’s publicity about her and Lockwood’s romantic relationship no matter how many times Don tries to protest. Soon Don happens to meet Kathy Selden and becomes smitten with her. To Lina’s chagrin, Lockwood and Brown begin helping Kathy’s acting career, leading to the main action of the play taking off.

The set design by Nathan Dibben and Lauren Morgan, is SSG’s production is effective for establishing many different locations. Four large wagons comprise the majority of the set and rotate to reveal different settings. Also the configuration of the wagons helps create the various scenes. This also provides plenty of open space for dancing. However it leaves many scenes feeling empty and the space underutilized. I also question the use of a cosmetic door that is never used. This is particularly bothersome when Cosmo Brown walks through an invisible wall into a room when a door is clearly present upstage.

Jessica Taylor ‘s choreography is fun and entertaining. The tap routines in the eponymous “Singin’ in the Rain” have some good combinations but other dances, like “Good Morning,” come off stale and not original. Some dance steps were downright treacherous as there were several moments a dancer would slide and nearly fall. Jessica Taylor’s choreography truly comes to life in the modern and ballet sections of “Broadway Melody.” The duet dances with Jared Kyle and Alexandra Cassens are captivating.

Lauren Morgan’s costume design goes from the conservative dress of the theater audience to the cute, pink, short skirts for the performers of “All I Do Is Dream of You” to the elaborate film costumes worn by Lina Lamont, Morgan’s costuming is great and period appropriate. There are missteps, however. The hats worn by a couple ensemble women come too far down and cast unfortunate shadows across their faces.

The lighting design by Nikki DeShea Smith is simple with a few defined areas used to separate scenes. However this could have been used more effectively to limit R. F. Simpson’s office to a more defined area. The coloring is very subtle, to the point of being nearly unnoticeable. However, a nice twinkling effect is used to give the impression of rain during “Singin’ in the Rain.” The timing of the transition lights is slightly too slow for their purpose. Often the cues come too late, leaving actors frozen in place for a second or two, and the fade takes too long, elongating the scene changes. This often jars the audience out of the performance.

Sound design for the new “talking pictures” is fun and highlights the comedic aspect of Lina Lamont’s inability to grasp the function of a microphone. There is also a fine rain sound effect at the end of “Good Morning” that should have carried over into “Singin’ in the Rain.” Including a rain sound in the titular song would add more depth to the scene and would not be difficult to add.

Jared Kyle as Don Lockwood is charming. He dances well and sings impeccably. The chemistry between him and Ally Van Douren is fantastic.

Kyle’s on-stage counter-part, Ally Van Douren as Kathy Selden, has the finest voice of the whole cast. Her renditions of “Lucky Star” and “Kathy’s Would You” leave the audience enchanted.

Tyler Jeffrey Adams is a whirlwind of activity as Cosmo Brown, Don Lockwood’s closest friend. He’s funny in a broad, clown-like way but, in an attempt to demonstrate how zany is the character, his behavior is frenetic beyond belief.

Lina Lamont is, of course, the most memorable character of the show and she is played wonderfully by Emmie Kivell. Kivell’s nasal pitch character voice is expertly sustained through “What’s Wrong with Me.”

The whole cast is filled with incredible talent. Voices that blend beautifully, thanks to the work of Lauren Morgan, dances that delight, and comedic instincts that pepper the show with laughs. Kyle Sapienza as the movie villains steals the projected scenes of “The Royal Rascal,” while Quinn Angell as the film director has a clever exchange with Tyler Jeffrey Adams and Kelley Garland, while trying to name the re-imagined film. As the sound engineer, Jonathan Speegle draws laughs by simply getting lost in Ally Van Douren’s voice during “Kathy’s Would You.”

Singin’ in the Rain from Stolen Shakespeare Guild has technical glitches, like lights fading to black unexpectedly at the reviewed performance. However, the performances are excellent. I recommend seeing the show.

SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN

Stolen Shakespeare Guild
1300 Gendy St.
Ft. Worth, TX 76107

Runs through August 28th

Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00pm. Saturday and Sunday matinées at 2:00pm

Second Weekend Tickets: $20 for Adults, Seniors and Students $18, and Matinée performances $16
Third Weekend Tickets: $22 for Adults, Seniors and Students $20, and Matinée $17

For tickets and information, go to stolenshakespeareguild.org or call Theatre Mania at 866-811-4111.