Singin’ in the Rain to play at Grace Tipling in late spring

Written By MARNI WALSH

Singin' In The Rain,  ‘an oldie but a goodie,' is coming to Grace Tipling Hall in Shelburne this spring. LP Stage Productions' director, Alison Port says when it comes to choosing plays for the company, it is always “the show that comes first” and “then we hope we get the cast we are looking for.”

With Singin' In The Rain, Ms. Port says the music, the era and the storyline all spring to mind as reasons to select it for production. “I love the 1920's,” she says, “It was so innovative, and the new dances - the Charleston, and the music were very appealing and catchy.”

“The costumes back then were amazing as well,” she says, “Men and women really knew how to dress.” LP's creative team is “hoping to recreate a match with costumes to the era.”

The director says she loves “the somewhat cheesy Hollywood story of boy meets girl, girl wants to be a star, but someone or something always gets in their way before they find that storybook ending.”

There are 42 local kids in cast of this year's production, with their ages ranging from 7 to 16 years.  “The show has older charcters,” says the director, “so it's a bit tricky finding places for our younger cast members, but we have come up with things for them to do that make them more part of it.”

Ms. Port says, “That's the hardest part of any directing is to think outside of the box and try things that are not necessarily scripted.”

The cast includes “some very talented dancers,” says Ms. Port. Kristen Gamache, the choreographer has been teaching tap dance to the featured dancers.

Some of the performers include 16 year old, Cameron Glenday, who plays the leading role of Don Lockwood; Wyatt Goheen, who plays Lockwood's sidekick Cosmo Brown; Lainey Schyven, who takes on the role of Lina Lamont; Lillie Mainprize-Toms, who plays the female lead Kathy Selden, famously played by a very young Debbie Reynolds in the original film; Emily Robertson portrays Dora Bailey; Brody Ireton plays R.F. Simpson; and Matthew Cameron is taking on the role of Dexter. 

Ms. Port has high praise for all the kids, but says Lainey Schyven's role as the silent film star actress, Lina Lamont, is particularily challenging. “Lainey has to keep up a very nasally, annoying  voice throughout the whole show,” says Ms. Port. “Very difficult to maintain, on top of singing badly on purpose - especially considering that Lainey has a lovely voice... so it's really hard for her to sing badly.” 

Once again, Shelburne musician and singer Noni Thomas has taken on the role of guiding the young LP Stage performers as the Musical Director. “The music is very catchy,” says Alison Port, and “audiences will go home humming a tune for sure.” 

“The biggest thrill is watching our talented kids grow with each show they do,” says Ms. Port. 

“We would love the community to come out and support us and what we do with the kids,” says Ms. Port. “We believe in hard work and discipline, which in turn, not only makes them become better actors, but better, more confident people,” she says. 

Tickets for LP Stage Productions Singin' In The Rain are available online through Eventbrite, at the Shelburne Town Hall box office: 519-925-2600, or at the door on show days. Adult tickets are $18.00 and student and senior tickets are $12.00. Show dates are May 31st - June 9th.