Grab Your Umbrellas, ‘Singin’ In The Rain’ Blows Into Town

You might call this a splashy musical comedy.

The touring version of “Singin’ in the Rain” arrives at the Spokane Opera House for two performances, Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. The big draw: Real rain, live and onstage!

Maybe that doesn’t sound too impressive to audiences weaned on films. Movies seem to use rain every other scene, or whenever the director wants the atmosphere to be moody or romantic. And, of course, the 1952 MGM musical of “Singin’ in the Rain” had the most famous movie rain scene of all time, starring Gene Kelly and an umbrella.

However, the people putting this touring musical together claim that rain is unprecedented in live theater.

“There is no other show where it rains on stage and people dance in it,” said Michelle Yaroshko, the assistant choreographer.

Rain has been simulated plenty of times on stage - running down windows, for instance - but this will go far beyond that. Yaroshko said the rain scene will be even more spectacular than the movie version.

“Instead of just having Don Lockwood (the main character) dancing in the rain, we will have a lot of the company out there, too, as it would be in a street scene,” said Yaroshko.

She said the choreography is not based on the famous Gene Kelly choreography in the movie. The choreography by John Dietrich is original to this production.

“We thought that was important, because we wanted a fresh approach,” said Yaroshko, during a break in rehearsals in Rhode Island.

The story line, of course, will be faithful to the movie. It’s set in Hollywood in the 1920s, as talking pictures are beginning to transform the movie industry. The fictional Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont are worried that their film careers are in jeopardy; meanwhile, everyone else in Hollywood is trying to cash in. Comedy and romance ensue.

The stage version also will have all of those great Nacio Herb Brown-Arthur Freed songs from the movie, including “You Were Meant for Me,” “Good Morning, Good Morning,” “Broadway RhythmBroadway Melody” and “Make ‘em Laugh.” And, of course, the famous title song.

Many of these songs actually date from the ‘20s and were recycled for the 1952 movie project.

Despite the phenomenal success of the movie - many critics consider it the best movie musical of all time - “Singin’ in the Rain” didn’t become a stage musical until 1983, when it became a long-running hit in London. It moved to New York in 1985.

In this tour, Keith Mahoney plays Lockwood and Meredith Patterson plays Cathy Selden.

This tour is produced by the fittingly named RainDance Company, associated with Musicals America, which is the same group that brought “Crazy for You” to Spokane last year. It’s a non-Equity production, traveling with a seven-piece orchestra.

This is one of several “optional” shows in the G&B Presents the Best of Broadway series; it is not part of the four-show subscription series.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: “Singin’ in the Rain” will be staged at the Spokane Opera House at 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $34 and $31 on Saturday, and $29 and $26 on Sunday, available at G&B Select-a-Seat outlets or call (800) 325-SEAT.