Song and dance: ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ to be staged by Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts

The Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts last put on a production of “Singin’ in the Rain” in 2010.

HBAPA Musical Theatre director Tim Nelson remembers it well. Kyle Selig, who played the lead role of Don Lockwood, has gone on to become a big Broadway star.

“What’s so great is that now we’re at a point where almost every show in New York has somebody from our school in it,” said Nelson, in his 28th year with the academy.

It’s now the current high school crop’s time to shine. “Singin’ in the Rain” returns to hits main stage of the historic Huntington Beach Union High School District Auditorium for six total shows over the next two weekends, starting Friday night.

The stage adaptation of Gene Kelly’s acclaimed 1952 musical, written by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, is a favorite of Nelson’s. He’s directed it several times, including at two different dinner theaters in Southern California, and describes it as a fun show.

“There’s a lot of tap-dancing,” he said. “It’s got so much dance in it, so it’s definitely one of those old-time musical extravaganzas.”

Huntington Beach High student actor Landon Mariano stars in the HBAPA production of the classic “Singin’ in the Rain.”

(Courtesy of Tim Nelson)

Song lyrics are by Arthur Freed and the music was composed by Nacio Herb Brown.

Nelson said the show has a large cast of about 80, including 30 parts that are doubled.

The romantic comedy takes audiences back to the 1920s, the early days of sound being added to film, and follows the travails of fictional actors Lockwood and Lina Lamont.

Laurel Brookhyser, a junior at Huntington Beach High, plays Kathy Selden, an aspiring actress who gets hired at Monumental Pictures to do voice dubbing work for Lamont.

“Even if you’re not a musical connoisseur, it has something for everyone,” Brookhyser said. “Great dance numbers, amazing songs, lots of props and scenes and big musical spectacles. It just puts a smile on your face. It makes you laugh and makes you want to sing along or dance along. Just because it’s an older show, it doesn’t mean that people shouldn’t come see it or that it’s boring. I actually think it’s really fun and entertaining.”

Huntington Beach High junior Taven Blanke plays Cosmo Brown, a goofy character who is Lockwood’s childhood best friend.

“There’s so many different plots that the characters go through, and you kind of go through it with them as they’re learning and processing all of this,” Blanke said. “It’s really exciting and really brings you back to the 1920s.”

Actors Taven Blanke, Laurel Brookhyser and Landon Mariano rehearse for “Singin’ in the Rain.”

(Courtesy of Vincent Aniceto)

One interesting aspect to “Singin’ in the Rain” is having actual water falling on stage for the Act One finale.

“We have all intermission to get that cleaned up before we start,” Nelson said with a laugh.

The technical aspects of the show get complicated in dealing with the wet stuff, lighting designer Kandyce Morton said.

Morton, a senior at Huntington Beach High, created the overall look for each scene in terms of color. She used “gobos,” short for go-between optics, small stenciled circular discs that create a projected image or pattern.

“Lighting the rain is going to be one of the more difficult aspects of the show, not only because it’s so far back against the backdrop but because you have to hit it at a very specific angle,” Morton said. “In order to accomplish that, I’m planning to hang additional fixtures on our out-most rails [on stage].

“It’s such a big, fun and really memorable and well-known piece. I’m very excited to get to put my creativity and everything I’ve learned throughout the four years to it.”

Tickets are $25 for general admission and $15 for students and seniors at hbapa.org/see.

Actors Landon Mariano and Sofia Aniceto play Don Lockwood and Kathy Selden.

(Courtesy of Vincent Aniceto)