Medina County Show Biz Co. to stage Singin’ in the Rain Sept. 12–21

The Medina County Show Biz Company will tap its way out of the summer season with a stage adaptation of the 1952 musical film Singin’ in the Rain. The production features 24 cast members and 10 crew members.

Director Jim Dove said one reason he wanted to present this show is because he is a big fan of the film, which was choreographed by Gene Kelly, who played the leading role of Don Lockwood.

“It’s one of my all-time favorite classics,” he said. “The opportunity came up when they (Medina County Show Biz) were thinking about doing it. I said I’d be interested in directing it, and they were very excited about that.”

Much like the film, the stage musical takes place in 1928 and revolves around the storyline of Warner Bros. presenting the first movie with sound, The Jazz Singer.

“This studio has their two biggest stars, they’ve got to make a movie, and with talking, and it turns out that their leading lady has a horrible voice,” Dove explained. “She’s not someone you want to listen to talk on screen. So they find another girl, and they’re going to take their voice and dub it over the star’s voice so no one knows the difference, and it just causes chaos.”

Singin’ in the Rain is a musical heavy on tap dancing, and Dove said the cast members in this adaptation bring the style to the stage in a big way.

“The two male leads are amazing tap dancers,” he said. “We’ve got two guys that can just tap their shoes off the floor up there. I think in other shows, we just get people who kind of can move, but the two male leads really can move. The audience is going to be amazed when they come see the show.”

In addition to the fancy footwork on stage, Dove said he hopes the production inspires attendees to take an interest in community theater.

“I want them to want to come back to community theater, whether it’s this theater, whether it’s another community theater, whether it’s theater in general,” he said. “I want people to just patronize the arts. I want them to come see this and go, ‘Wow, Medina County Show Biz really put on a show. This was fantastic.’”

Singin’ in the Rain will be presented Sept. 12-21 at Haddad Theater, 144 N. Broadway St. Tickets cost $20 for general admission, $15 for seniors and students, and $10 for children under 13. Tickets can be purchased online at medinashowbiz.org.