Sewickley Academy to present 'Singin' in the Rain'

Sewickley Academy theater students and staff want to give audiences a glorious feeling with this year’s musical.

Theater director Rachel Smith chose “Singin’ in the Rain” for her second-year production at the private school.

Her inaugural effort last school year was “Big Fish.”

Smith said she chose the Gene Kelly classic after a thorough review of the students’ skills, including tap dancing, which is a huge part of the show.

“It’s fun to know them better this year,” Smith said. “To know what they are capable of, which is a lot. It’s fun to see how some of them have grown since last year, and it’s fun to see them in very different roles than they were last year.

“There was a tap number in ‘Big Fish’ last year. Most of (our students) didn’t have any tap experience, but it was a fun challenge for them to learn that skill. They picked it up so well and had so much fun doing it. I wanted to give them more opportunity for tapping. … It’s also a really fun story with some great numbers. It’s a classic that we hope will be a big community draw. We’re very excited to make it rain on stage.”

There are about 20 students in the cast, a dozen in the orchestra and a baker’s dozen in the stage crew.

Costumes had not yet come in and the set was mostly bare wood and a couple of chairs at the time of interviews on Feb. 21. The curtain goes up March 7.

“We have a lot of work left to do, but it feels very reasonable,” Smith said. “We’re in a really good spot for where we are. We’ve got a lot of cleaning to do, but the students all work super hard and are excited to be here and polish things.”

The musical romantic comedy film was directed and choreographed by Kelly and Stanley Donen in the 1950s. Kelly starred alongside Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds.

The film was reportedly a modest hit when it was first released, and has since become regarded as one of the greatest musical films ever made.

Set in Hollywood, Calif. in 1927, silent film stars Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont try to navigate the transition to talking pictures.

When their latest film is made into a musical, Lockwood can carry a tune while Lamont, even with the help of a diction coach, cannot.

Lamont believes their onscreen romance blossomed into real love. However, Lockwood can barely stand Lamont and falls for a chorus girl, Kathy Selden.

Cosmo Brown, Lamont’s best friend, has an idea to overdub Lamont’s voice with Selden’s vocals and they persuade the studio to do so.

After their film/musical, “The Dueling Cavalier,” is a big success, audiences call for Lamont to sing live. She learns of the deception and Selden is revealed to be “the real star of the film.”

Getting technical

It is a scientific fact that one cannot be singing in the rain without rain of some sort.

Rookie technical director Katrina Kayden, a former private attorney from Indiana Borough, is working with about a dozen students to produce just that, as well as the rest of the set.

She said the production will feature a 100-gallon water system with a sump pump and PVC pipe to create a “curtain of water” over the stage and onto a deck covered in anti-slip paint.

This is Kayden’s first year at Sewickley Academy. She replaced former technical director Nathan Bell, who left to work in another school.

Kayden worked as an attorney for 17 years and was a part of the Indiana Players community theatre group during that time. She is excited to showcase her and the students’ building skills.

“I love it here,” she said. “I love working with the students. I love getting to do something different every day. ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ is a huge undertaking. There are a lot of movable parts.

“We’re intending to make it rain on stage. … We’re also working on putting the orchestra up on an eight-foot platform because we don’t have a traditional orchestra pit in our auditorium. That’s one way to make it work.”

Several parents are also volunteering their time and weekends for construction.

Many of the costumes are being rented through Spotlight Costumes. Smith said the Pittsburgh company had a plethora of 1920s garb.

Student stars

Lockwood is played by senior Max Peluso.

He said he has studied Kelly’s iconic dancing and has tap shoes ready.

“Umbrella, hat, all of that,” he said about the preparation. “It’s super fun and interesting to have all of those elements that are very similar to the original choreography and the original idea. Even some of the iconic moments like hanging off the street lamp. … Bringing a new energy to it is a lot of fun.”

Senior Lia Fazzini plays Selden and junior Severin Harmon plays Brown. All three are veterans of many Sewickley Academy productions.

“It’s still nerve-racking every time,” Severin said about stepping on stage. “This is definitely my biggest role so far. I’m kind of soaking it in and loving the process, which is a lot of fun.”

He said he connects with Brown as a fun guy who likes to joke around a lot and not take himself very seriously.

“I like to lighten the mood, which is definitely Cosmo,” Severin said. “I’ve known about the movie and the show forever and ever and always wanted to do it.”

Max and Severin are good friends off-stage. Their chemistry shines in the scene “Moses Supposes.”

Lia described her character as a stubborn, clever and intelligent young lady. She said she loves having the role for her final high school performance.

“I have many stubborn moments, which I can absolutely relate to,” she said. “It’s so fun playing with her witty nature. She doesn’t have as many quick lines as Cosmo and Don do in the show. When she does have a little joke or something, it’s so fun to stay true to her character and play it how she would.

There are six seniors in the show.

“I think we’re all bittersweet about it,” Lia said. “It’s such a tight-knit community. We all know each other very well and we’re all very aware that this is our very last performance with each other.

“We’ve been taking our sweet time and just enjoying what we have together and putting all our energy into the show. … This is going to be a staple performance of Sewickley Academy.”

The annual Gene Kelly Awards are to acknowledge excellence in high school musical theater. Sewickley Academy was nominated for two of them last year.

Cast and crew said they are not feeling any added pressure or scrutiny to possibly win one while doing a show made famous by the iconic performer.

“We decided it might (get more scrutiny) but we couldn’t worry about that,” Smith said.

Sneak peeks and other photos are posted on the academy’s performing arts Instagram page.