Movie musical Singin’ in the Rain, beloved since the moment it premiered, earned the top spot atop AFI’s 100 Years of Musicals list and, in 2007, was ranked as the fifth greatest motion picture of all time. Now adapted for the stage, Singin' in the Rain “pours” down delight, capturing the waning days of the silent screen era as they give way to new-fangled “talkies.” With The Jazz Singer premiere making Hollywood frantic, the studios are forced to suddenly change all the movie-making rules at once, to accommodate sound. In doing so, they leave silent pictures -- and some of their stars -- behind. When Monumental Studios turns silent The Dueling Cavalier into The Dancing Cavalier, a musical picture, in order to stay relevant, they are faced with a problem: their star, Lina Lamont can’t sing, and can’t even really talk. Lina’s voice sounds something like nails on a chalkboard. Enter Kathy Selden, an aspiring actress whose dulcet tones are able to cover Lina Lamont’s -- calling into question what it means to act, how credit is distributed, and what it means to get a fair shake in the movie business. Singin' in the Rain includes some of the best-loved comedy routines, dance numbers, and love songs ever written, including “Good Mornin’,” “Make ‘em Laugh,” and - of course - the show-stopping dance number, “Singin’ in the Rain.”
Singin’ in the Rain guide sections
