Show History

History

Inspiration

The stage show, Singin' in the Rain, is based on the iconic 1952 movie of the same name. Singin' in the Rain was produced for MGM by the legendary Arthur Freed, whose extensive catalog of songs was used for the score. The screenplay was written by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, who went on to write lyrics for many successful Broadway shows. The film made a huge splash! Directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, it starred Kelly (Don), Debbie Reynolds (Kathy), Donald O'Conner (Cosmo), Jean Hagen (Lina) and Cyd Charisse as a New York moll in the "Broadway Melody" sequence. Young Rita Moreno also had a featured role.

Productions

Singin' in the Rain first opened on June 30, 1983, at the London Palladium, where it ran until September 1985. Directed by Tommy Steele and choreographed by Peter Gennaro, the original cast included Steele as Don, Roy Castle as Cosmo, Danielle Carson as Kathy and Sarah Payne as Lina and Julia.


The show then opened on Broadway at the George Gershwin Theatre on July 2,1985, and closed on May 18, 1986, after 367 performances and 38 previews. It was succeeded by a successful national tour.


The acclaimed 1983 production of Singin' in the Rain was remounted in 1994 for an extensive tour of the United Kingdom. The new production, again directed by Steele, starred Paul Nicholas as Don, Shona Lindsay as Kathy and Tony Howes as Cosmo, with Sarah Payne reprising her role as Lina from the original cast.

Singin' in the Rain then saw a new production at the UK's Royal National Theatre, in the Olivier Theatre, from June 2, to July 20, 2000, and again from December 18, to January 27, 2001. This production was a transfer from the West Yorkshire production. Directed by Jude Kelly and choreographed by Stephen Mear, the cast included Zoe Hart as Kathy, Rebecca Thornhill as Lina and Paul Robinson as Don.

Following that, Singin' in the Rain played Sadler's Wells Theatre from July 29, to September 4, 2004, with direction by Paul Kerryson and choreography by Stephen Mear.


Singin' in the Rain opened at the Palace Theatre on February 4, 2012. Following its critically acclaimed, sell-out run at Chichester Festival Theatre, Jonathan Church's production, with choreography by Andrew Wright, was produced in the West End by Stage Entertainment UK and Chichester Festival Theatre. The show has also had several subsequent productions in the U.S., including at Chicago's Drury Lane Theatre.