“Make em’ laugh. Make em’ laugh!” is the main theme of this year’s main production- Singing in the Rain.
With all of the main characters jumping about, tapping their feet, and completing backflips and side rolls across the stage, I would say that Signing in the Rain was more than entertaining.
With freshman Casey Van Shaar, and senior Teriza Foyston as the male and female leads, the show took on an air of professionalism. The actors not only had to concentrate on saying their lines correctly, but also to sing in the right key and dance in the right time.
As the head vocal coach, Joe Little single handedly shaped and molded this cast for a musical production. From all ages, students on stage belted their hearts out and commanded the attention of the audience with a fierce passion.
With singing also comes dancing, and the cast of this 2012-2013 production were phenomenal in performing the well rehearsed choreography. JAde Dillard and Shelby Daeffler have done an amazing job at choreographing all of the dance numbers pertaining to this musical.
Props to James Olguin for his outstanding performance as Cosmo and having to fully exert himself- from throwing himself on the floor, to doing somersaults down the aisle between the audience, to flying in the air with backflips.
Next, on to the wonderful performance by Kate Brandt, acting as the clingy Lena Lament.
Even though she was not cast as a Main Character her stunning performance is what I thought really commanded the show. As a character, Brandt had to change her voice to fit the part she had been played to portray, and in my opinion, she had the most to work with as a character.
However, the best performance of the night was done by are leading man, Casey Van Shaar. As a freshman on stage he had to compete against some very experienced counterparts.
The rest of the cast was (save a few dancers here and there) older and very involved in Perry Theater. His performance as Don Lockwood was very entertaining and very well rehearsed.
Overall this year’s main production of Singing in the Rain was a major hit and I believe that this had raised the bar for Perry theater.