Singing in the Rain’ in Denton
When I lived in Fort Worth, my house was less than 10 minutes’ drive from Bass Hall. Victor Borge was coming to town, and I thought about grabbing a cheap seat. But I was tired, it was a work night, no one wanted to go with me, and I figured I’d catch him next time. But there was no next time: the pianist and comedian passed away shortly afterward.
Ever since then, I’ve resolved to go out and do interesting things when the opportunity presents itself. So when I discovered that a former coworker was performing in “Singing in the Rain”, I decided it would be the next interesting thing I’d experience.
Theatre Denton has concluded its sold-out run of “Singing in the Rain”, a two-act stage musical adapted from the 1952 MGM movie of the same name, but now features “Harvey,” another play based on an old Hollywood movie. .
“Singing in the Rain” is set at the end of the silent era. A fictitious movie studio embarks upon the transition to talking pictures after the 1927 success of “The Jazz Singer”, and its stars must navigate the change in audience expectations to remain relevant to the public.
Tom Fetner played the role of Don Lockwood, expertly navigating his character’s shift from self-assured leading man, to a man whose public and personal worlds have both been turned upside-down, to a champion determined to protect and elevate the woman he loves. Bryson Beavers’ sparkling energy as Cosmo elevated his character beyond “main character’s best friend” and stole the show. Lizzy Perrone brought earnestness, independence, and a clear singing voice to her role as Kathy Selden. And while diva character Lina Lamont can be played as a caricature, with her ego, jealousy, and nasal Bronx accent, actress Kyleen Milton Hjembo made her sympathetic and human.
A 17-piece orchestra provided live accompaniment from the balcony. The first few lines of dialogue were somewhat overpowered by the instrumentals, but the sound technicians quickly corrected the balance and the remainder of the play was smooth sailing. The cast was well-dressed to portray Hollywood at its Roaring 20’s best, with plenty of costume changes, allowing ensemble members to juggle multiple roles. Unexpected highlights included a clever and well-executed rendition of Lina’s second-act song “What’s Wrong With Me.”
Theatre Denton deserves special appreciation for its use of a digital backdrop to enhance the performance. It provided both static and animated visuals to help set the various scenes, especially effective during the titular song. But it was also a vehicle for comedy gold as the audience was allowed to partake of samples of Monumental Pictures’ silent-era melodrama, its hilariously disastrous early attempt at talkies, and the reimagined version of “The Dancing Cavalier”, upon whose success Don, Lina, and Kathy’s future careers hinged. However, the biggest laugh line of the evening belonged to a small child in the next row, who brought the play to a halt for a few moments when she sent the entire audience-- and the three actors onstage-- into uncontrollable fits of laughter.
Theatre Denton performs downtown at the historic Campus Theatre two blocks from the 1896 courthouse square in Denton. Follow the signs for free surface lots within easy walking distance. With runtimes sometimes over two hours, including intermission,consider a Sunday matinee if you don’t want to stay out too late. Tickets for “Harvey”, “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder”, and “The Play that Goes Wrong” are on sale now.
Olney may be a small town, but there are so many adventures right in our backyard. E-mail scenicrouteolney@gmail.com to share your favorite family-friendly area outings. Deanna Baran moved to Olney in 2006, and no matter where she goes, she’s always happy to come home.