Last weekend, the APA Musical Theatre department presented its final musical of the 2023-2024 school year: “Singin’ in the Rain.”
First performed in 2010, the musical has made a return to HBHS. Glamorous costumes, amazing dances, and musical performances all put together by the talented APA students make the musical an outstanding performance. Comedic, romantic, and with a little bit of drama, the show encapsulates the glamor and glitz of the golden twenties perfectly.
“ ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ is about dreams, love, and glamor. It’s a taste of stardom and a glimpse behind the scenes of what it might have been like to be famous in the 1920s, but it also shows the hardships of a life of stardom when major change is introduced. Throughout all that happens, love for acting and romance continue to prevail,” says Catherine Dosier, starring as Lina Lamont, one of the lead roles.
Her character Lina Lamont, a famous silent film actress involved in a love triangle, suddenly faces new challenges when movies are not only pictures but also include sound.
“The show is about the transition from silent films into “talkies.” This leads to many difficulties for the actors and directors in trying to adjust to the transition.” says Geneva Longheyer, starring as “Make-UP Lady” in the show.
The musical follows the lives of Lina Lamont and Don Lockwood, two silent movie stars, whose relationship on and off the camera is very different than what it seems. Lina Lamont faces new challenges when R.F. Simpson, the producer wants to introduce sound to their movies. On top of that, Don creates a complicated love triangle between him, Lina, and Kathy Selden.
“The show itself is a stage adaptation of an old movie,” says Dave Elliot playing R.F. Simpson in the musical.
“The most fun part of the show process is getting to be transported into another era. The costumes, music, and plot are focused around 1920s Hollywood, so we get the opportunity to play around with characters from a century before our time,” says Dosier. Matching to that all the set designs and costumes fit the vibe of the 1920s.
Photo by Vincent Aniceto
“My favorite part of the process is costuming. I love going to my costume fitting and getting all dressed in hair and makeup. Our costuming department is amazing and does great work,” Adds Longeheyer.
All musical costumes are pulled from existing costumes and designed; some are even handmade by the student of the APA costume department. In total about 150 costumes were used for the show. “The costumes are all brightly colored, very showy, and are set in the 1920s. We drew most of our inspiration from previous period APA productions, the movie musical from the 50s, and 1920s fashion magazines,” explains Elizabeth Volonte, one of the two head designers of the show.
The show displays hard work and passion on stage and behind the scenes. “Everyone involved has put in a lot of effort and time to make this show entertaining and I think that really shows,” says Elliott.
While singing in the rain is not only a fun show to perform, it also holds personal value and sentimentality. “ ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ is special because it is one of the most classic and well-known musical films of all time, so to perform it on stage is an honor. It is nostalgic for much of the cast that grew up watching the movie as one of their first introductions to musical theater, and it is nostalgic for most, if not all, audience members as well,” says Dosier.
Another special feature of the show is that it’s performed two weekends in a row. So if you missed last weekend’s performance there is still a chance to catch one of the upcoming shows next weekend.
“I enjoy having two weeks in a row. Weekend one is a lot, especially after a full week of Tech but it keeps everything fresh in our minds. The second weekend gives us enough time to fix, brush up, and recover whatever we need to,” says Longheyer.
“Personally, I would perform 100 weekends in a row if I could. It can be overwhelming to perform long-running shows and can take a toll on social lives, but I think we all have such a deep passion for performing that we feel the more shows we have, the better,” says Dosier. With that being said the actors and crew are excited to perform again next weekend.
“People should see Singin’ because it will give them a “glorious feeling” to make them “happy again”. The whole show is just a comedic, romantic, tap-dancing good time,” adds Dosier.
The show is also well-received by the audience. Described as “a funny show with very talented actors” and “a very well done production, and that guarantees a great time all around” by audience members Millie Moskewich and Cicily Thompson the musical is worth the watch.
So if you are looking for a fun way to spend next weekend, join and watch the amazing performance from the musical theater and have a fabulous night seeing “Singin’ In The Rain”.
