Review: 'Singin in the Rain' by Cheshire High School Drama

Cheshire, CT - Cheshire High School Drama decided to launch a production of ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ despite the fact that it requires lots of strong tap dancing and the little detail of making it rain onstage. Director Dawn DeMeo, her assistant Taryn Chorney, and the Cheshire HS students were up to every technical challenge and Choreographer John E. Carter made sure that every one of the talented tappers performed perfectly. Add in the fabulous costumes that invoked the silent screen era beautifully and the result is a happy romantic comedy that delighted the packed audience in the school’s Thorpe auditorium.

‘Singin’ in the Rain’ was adapted from the iconic 1952 movie of the same name; the plot adheres closely to the original that is set in the final days of the silent screen era. It focuses on the actor Don Lockwood, his sidekick Cosmo Brown, aspiring actress Kathy Selden and Lockwood’s leading lady Lina Lamont, whose voice will preclude her from making it in talking pictures. The musical ran on Broadway at the Gershwin for 367 performances and was directed and choreographed by Twyla Tharp. Familiar songs include “Good Morning,” “Make ‘em Laugh,” “You Stepped Out of Dream,” and “All I Do is Dream of You.”

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The large cast included six dance captains, 30 young women in the female ensemble and 13 young men in the male ensemble; an impressive 33 of them were denoted as featured dancers. The tap dancing was in superb unison and the choreography was up to the challenging level of the inimitable Mr. Carter. I enjoyed every minute of the production numbers, but “Broadway Melody” was a standout for me. The adult orchestra played the songs by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed and added much to the overall feel of this fine production.

Nancy Sasso Janis is a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle and continues to contribute theatre news on local Patch sites. Follow her on Twitter at @nancysjanis417 and at her Facebook page Connecticut Theatre Previews.