‘Singin’ in the Rain’ drips with fun
By Jami R. Smith
Herald Theatre Reviewer
CLINTON — Call 242-6760 and make your reservations quickly because the best show so far this season at Clinton’s Area Showboat Theatre is now playing.
Patrick Stinson’s production of “Singin’ in the Rain” is a delightful way to spend a hot summer evening in our own hometown.
In addition to directing and acting as co-choreographer, Stinson plays the lead role handled by Gene Kelly in the motion picture. As silent movie heartthrob Don Lockwood, Stinson sings, dances and even performs magic — rain magic.
Stinson boasted all season about his intention to make it rain onstage for this show’s signature number. The audience was both curious and skeptical. It sounded great but how actually astounding could it be?
Well, let me tell you, it doesn’t just rain, it pours. A clever piping and draining design combined with the added bonus of having your theatre located on a giant boat makes it work. I was frankly, well…thunderstruck.
Stinson was literally “Singin’ in the Rain” and dancing perfectly, too. Of course, he occasionally scoots a little puddle of water toward the audience. But not enough to discourage anyone — it really was amazing.
I asked Stinson later what in the world made him think he could ever pull that off. He just shrugged his shoulders and said, “You just decide you’re going to do it, and then you figure out a way.”
There are many great performances in this show and it’s impossible to give everyone all the credit they deserve. Suffice to say, you’re sure to get all the singing and tapping you desire along with lots and lots of laughs.
For me, the standout performance came from Claire Barnhart as Lina Lamont. Barnhart plays this vapid blonde with a voice that would make Fran Drescher cover her ears and run screaming for her nanny.
And that’s no problem when she’s a silent movie star but once the “Talkies” come along, she’s a disaster. Add to that her insistence on believing the publicity that links her romantically with her movie co-star Don Lockwood and you’ve got one real annoying woman.
Barnhart pulls off this character beautifully with perfect comedic timing and believability.
Her nemesis is the female lead, Kathy Seldon, played by Nicole Horton. Once again this season, we were mesmerized by Horton’s pure sweet vocals.
The talent it takes to sing “You Are My Lucky Star” is underestimated because the tune seems so simple. However, in truth, it is very difficult and Horton never has to reach to hit either octave. And let me tell you this lady can dance too.
When Horton and Stinson team up with Joshua Sohn playing Cosmo Brown to sing and dance “Good Mornin’” I was frankly nervous. That number ends with the three of them jumping up on a couch and then tipping it over backwards.
But they pulled it off beautifully and I was impressed. Sohn is an awesome dancer and blew the audience away several times with his talented moves.
In addition, his acting skills are superb. He also played Jamie in “The Last Five Years” and if I hadn’t read it, I wouldn’t have believed it.
That’s the Catch-22 of being a really good actor. Nobody ever gets how truly talented you are because they don’t even realize you’re the same guy.
The show’s cast is a large one and the action is non-stop both onstage and behind the scenes. There were some set-changing snafus and technical glitches but the audience hung on.
I also loved the insertion of actual silent movies shown on the stage to bolster the story (It was really fun to watch the swordfight at the tower in Eagle Point Park).
I can wholeheartedly recommend this show to everyone.
Here’s what you need to know:
Tickets for “Singin’ in the Rain” can be purchased at the Clinton Showboat, Tuesday through Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., or online at www.clintonshowboat.org. Tickets are $18 for adults. Showtimes are 7:30 Thursday through Saturday, and 3 p.m. Wednesday and Sunday.
