Gas Lamp Junior cast members for “Singin’ in the Rain,” from left, Michael Preston, Katheryne Kelly, Drew Ingle, Alice Rayner, Eliza Florczak and Greta Pauliks.
The Gas Lamp Junior Mainstage Players will present “Singin’ in the Rain” on Friday, Nov. 15, at 7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 16, at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov 17, at 1 p.m.
The stage musical is based on the 1952 movie musical starring Gene Kelly as Don Lockwood, Debbie Reynolds as Kathy Selden and Donald O’Connor as Cosmo Brown. It contains one of the most famous musical performances in American movies as a love-struck Kelly sings and dances in a downpour.
The story is about a boy-meets-girl in 1927 and movies are about to talk. Silent film stars Don Lockwood and his squeaky-voiced co-star, Lina Lamont, are at the premier of their latest movie when Lockwood is mobbed by fans and escapes by jumping into Kathy Selden’s passing car. They do not hit it off. Later at a party celebrating the movie, they meet again. Again, the results are disastrous: Selden throws a cake at Lockwood hitting Lamont in the face.
Nonetheless, Lockwood falls in love with Selden. When the studio embarks on its first talkie movie, a musical, Lamont’s voice is replaced by Selden’s voice. The ruse is revealed to the public ending Lamont’s career, but giving Selden a movie contract and Lockwood.
The Gas Lamp production is co-directed by Heather Ballantyne and Erin Dilly. The cast is 74 fifth- to eighth-grade students from Glen Ridge, Bloomfield, Montclair and Verona with 13 double-cast lead roles. There are 13 musical numbers, two reprises and two tap dance numbers. Gas Lamp producer Kate Wilson provided the “pitch” of the show given to the kids in their audition packet:
“The ‘Greatest Movie Musical of All Time’ has hilarious situations, snappy dialogue, and a hit-parade score of Hollywood standards. ‘Singin’ in the Rain JR’ has all the makings of a Tinseltown tabloid headline — the starlet, the leading man and a love affair that could change lives and make or break careers! Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont are a hot item, but things aren’t always as they appear.
Meanwhile, Lina’s squeaky voice might be the end of her career in ‘talking pictures’ without the help of a talented young actress to do the talking and singing for her. This show takes place during the 1920s, a time in Hollywood when perfect posture, big facial expressions and really pronounced diction starred on stage.”
Interviewed by this newspaper, Eliza Florczak, who is double-cast with Alice Rayner in the role of Lamont, said the toughest part about her role was the keeping in character with a high voice. She also said that people acted differently than they do now.
“They were very polite to everyone,” she said. “But now we talk more casually. And they used phrases we don’t use now, like, ‘So’s your Aunt Tilly.’ It’s kind of an insult.”
“I think they expressed their feelings in a bigger way,” said Katheryne Kelly, who is double-cast with Greta Pauliks in the role of Selden.
She also said it was hard to play the type of person you do not see much of.
Michael Preston, who is double-cast with Drew Ingle as Lockwood, said people now do not care about their attitudes.
“People now are also less exaggerated about how they feel,” Michael also said. “Now we have games on our phones, better things that take up your time. But people back then, it was harder and they’d be happy for things and more delighted with seeing each other. My grandmother is like that.”
“The people now,” Drew said, “Have more options than people back then.”
“Back then,” Michael interjected, “if you went to the store and got candy, they’d appreciate whatever they got. But now, it’s, ‘Oh, I don’t like that flavor.’”
Producer Wilson said “Singin’ in the Rain” was selected because both Ballantyne and Dilly have appeared in it.
“But moreso, in the last few years we’ve done more contemporary characters,” she said. “Now we’re asking the kids to perform with different manners and styles.”
The performance runs just over an hour with no intermission. A fee will be charged for admission.
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