Tap-dancing enthusiasts rejoice! The current production of the musical Singin’ in the Rain, playing at West Hartford’s Playhouse on Park through August 17, is bursting with one dynamic number after another. The show, a slimmed down, re-imagined production of the movie classic, is entertaining and an ideal musical for the intimate Playhouse stage.
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| Daniel Plimpton, Lindsay Gloriana Bohon, Robert Mintz and members of the cast of Singin' in the Rain. Photo by Meredith Longo. |
The show begins as a screening of the film goes awry. A few “super-fans” in the audience scurry about, deciding to recreate the movie, which gives the production a fun, opening premise. However, audiences would not know this unless they read the Director's note before the start of the show. There is no transitional exposition so audience members, unfamiliar with the movie, are left scratching their heads about what is happening. If Director Evan Hoffman would have added 30 – 60 seconds of dialogue for the actors, the stage would have been properly set. Once the production finds its momentum (about 15 minutes into the show), the plot becomes more straightforward and is easy to understand.
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| Lindsay Gloriana Bohon and members of the cast of Singin' in the Rain. Photo by Meredith Longo. |
The original screenplay by Betty Comden and Adolph Greene utilizes the trunk songs of Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed to depict Hollywood’s bumpy transition from silent films to talkies. It’s a classic take on boy meets girl, boy loses girl and, finally, boy wins girl. Don Lockwood (the Gene Kelly character in the film) and Lina Lamont are silent screen stars whose on-screen chemistry is far from the truth in real-life. Lockwood accidentally meets Kathy Seldon (the Debbie Reynolds character), an aspiring actress, and is smitten. Lina Lamont is not too happy about their dalliance, but tolerates the young ingenue when she is hired to dub her voice, which is unsuitably grating, as the movies suddenly transition to talkies. Will this move ruin Ms. Selden’s blossoming Hollywood career? Will Don and Kathy find true love? Can Cosmo Brown (the Donald O’Connor character) help his best friend, Don, succeed? Will Lina be thwarted in her scheming ways?
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| Daniel Plimpton and Robert Mintz in Singin' in the Rain. Photo by Meredith Longo. |
Hoffman has infused the musical with imaginative sequences, creative shenanigans, and an endless array of props (nod to Prop Master Sara Dorinbaum) that helps fashion a charming and, often, amusing show. He is assisted by Forest Entsminger’s utilitarian Scenic Design, with an exposed backstage area filled with an assortment of props, and Michael Frohling’s adroit Lighting Design.
Most of his embellishments and inventiveness work. This is exemplified with two of the best-known songs from the movie, “Make ‘Em Laugh” and the title number. In the former, Robert Mintz, who is outstanding as Cosmo Brown, delivers an energetic, athletic routine that hilariously conjures up Donald O’Connor’s iconic movie sequence. In the song “Singin’ in the Rain” [Spoiler Alert: it does rain on stage, abet, slightly], the Director teases the audience with squirt bottles, a fire hose, and a watering can.
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| Robert Mintz, Parker Joh, and Daniel Plimpton in Singin' in the Rain. Photo by Meredith Longo. |
While most of his choices find their mark, there are a few mishits. The cake Ms. Seldon is suppose to pop out of is, instead, a hard-to-recognize drawing. The cue cards displayed during the filming of a silent movie scene are too hard to follow.
The show contains one classic song after another, many of them set to Choreographer Robert Mintz’s scintillating, crowd-pleasing tap-dancing schemes. Even with just a keyboardist (Melanie Guerin) and drummer (Honoka Masuyama), the songs are handsomely presented. They include "Beautiful Girl," "I've Got a Feelin' You're Foolin'," "Make 'Em Laugh", "You Are My Lucky Star," "Moses Supposes," "Good Mornin'," and "Singin' in the Rain."
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| Robert Mintz and members of the cast of Singin' in the Rain. Photo by Meredith Longo. |
The four leads successfully bring the essence of the movie classic to life. Daniel Plimpton brings confidence, charm, and terrific dancing feet to the role of Don Lockwood. Lindsay Gloriana Gohon imbues the role of Kathy Selden with innocence and determination. She also has a lovely singing voice. Carolyn Burke’s Lina Lamont is sufficiently daffy, but also brings the necessary nastiness and vindictiveness to her portrayal. Her performance, however, would have been funnier if her voice was more strident. Robert Mintz is a comedic whirlwind as Cosmo Brown. And his dancing – superb!
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| Parker Joh and members of the cast of Singin' in the Rain. Photo by Meredith Longo. |
The ensemble – Parker Joh, Julia Solecki, Juno Brosas, and Patric MacLennan – fill a variety of roles, providing indispensable support and an abundance of humorous energy to the production.
Singin’ in the Rain, playing at Playhouse on Park through August 17. Click here for dates, times, and ticket information.
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