Photo by Thee Photo Ninja
What A Glorious Feeling at freeFall Theatre is a do-not-miss show!
Based on the fictionalized story of how the 1952 musical Singin’ in the Rain came to be, What A Glorious Feeling is really a romantic triangle… or maybe a quadrangle. At the center are Gene Kelly (John T. Wolfe), Stanley Donen (Justin Lopez), and Jeanne Coyne (Caroline Desmarais) — three people whose professional and personal relationships are anything but simple. Donen is Kelly’s co-director, Coyne is Donen’s recently divorced wife, and she was also once Kelly’s lover. And then there is the movie itself, which may be the most demanding and important relationship of them all.
Making Movie Magic
The show opens with Kelly in his studio, working out tap routines for the main character. Himself. Chris Shin’s choreography is truly phenomenal, as Wolfe shows just how great a dancer Kelly was. But the show is not just dancing, singing, and Michael Raabe’s piano playing, although those are reasons enough to see the show.
The heart of the show is Kelly’s determination to create the best musical movie of its time. His relationship with Donen and Donen’s ex-wife, Coyne, complicates that determination, as does the fact that Coyne was once Kelly’s lover. The conflicts among the three characters are powerful and chaotic as they try to work through their personal demons while maintaining a professional face as the film goes into production.
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Photo by Thee Photo Ninja
This wonderful cast also includes the film’s producer, Arthur Freed (Larry Alexander), and the “Girl Next Door,” Debbie Reynolds (Laura Guley). Freed tries to bring the film in on budget while overcoming the politics at MGM—not an easy task when Kelly wants rain in Los Angeles.
Reynolds, who is not a professional dancer, must learn complicated tap routines that demand so much of her that she ends up sleeping in the studio. The long bus rides to work take up too much time. Her naivete adds a beautiful balance to the hard-edged professionalism of the other three main characters.
Singing, Dancing, and a Little Nostalgia
The entire cast brings wonderful singing voices to the show and complements the fantastic dancing. But some of the nostalgia comes from those of us who remember the songs from the original movie. If you haven’t seen the movie, watch it before you buy your tickets. It will add to your enjoyment of the show and brighten your day just a little.
As my final recommendation, go for the story and stay for the choreography. Both are worth the price of admission.
See What A Glorious Feeling
freeFall Theatre, 6099 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. Through Oct. 4. Weds.-Sat., 7 p.m.; Sat.-Sun. 2 p.m. freefalltheatre.com, 727-498-5205.
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