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SINGIN' IN THE RAIN A new musical based on the Gene Kelly film classic [[image - color photograph of cast of Singin' in the Rain]] [[photograph credit]] KENN DUNCAN [[caption]] Faye Grant, Peter Slutsker, Mary D'Arcy and Don Correia in Singin' in the Rain [[/caption]] Although Hollywood has always done quite well by transforming Broadway shows into movies, transferring a vehicle from screen to stage is much riskier business, and rarely attempted. Theatre is ephemeral; by the time a show is turned into a film all that's left of the original production are memories, which are selective. But a movie is a permanent record; if it is later mounted as a theatre piece, the footage is available as a source of comparison. And if a film is considered a classic, a stage version just might be superfluous. Which is why the prospect of a Broadway production of Singin' in the Rain, opening in June at the Gershwin Theatre, at first glance seems like a thankless enterprise. Generally regarded as the finest film musical ever made, Singin' in the Rain - which starred Gene Kelly as Don Lockwood, Debbie Reynolds as Kathy Selden, Donald O'Connor as Cosmo Brown and Jean Hagen as Linn Lamont - shows up regularly on lists of the all-time greatest movies. The title song, danced and choreographed by Kelly, is probably the most famous number ever filmed and certainly one of the most beloved. Though 34 years have passed since the movie was shot, the book by Betty Comden and Adolph Green is still hilarious, the songs by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown retain a simple charm. The piece is timeless - and seemingly unsurpassable. No one is more aware of the movie's stature than acclaimed choreographer Twyla Tharp, who is making her Broadway debut as director and choreographer with Singin' in the Rain. But she doesn't seem the least bit fazed by the film's enormous reputation. "It's a wonderful property with terrific music and dancing and great opportunities for performers," she offers. "It's very moving to see in real time and real space a re-enactment of the movie by real people. Not that the movie necessarily needs us but, in a way, I feel we're giving it a validity. We are continuing its legacy. It's becoming a part of living theatre as well as a moment in history, which I think is a wonderful tribute to the movie. And the property warrants it - it should be a part of our living theatre tradition." Adds Don Correia, who stars as Don By Sheryl Flatow 14 [[end page]] [[start page]] [[advertisement]] Finally, a VHS that stacks up to our Beta. [[image: black and white photograph of a Toshiba VHS player on top of a Toshiba Beta VCR]] Toshiba is pleased to announce that our Beta VCR finally has some real competition. Introducing the Toshiba VHS. Toshiba's VHS offers the quality and features you've come to expect in our Beta, plus the convenience of the VHS format. For example, our M-5400 VHS has four heads, just like our exceptional Beta. So you get superb playback picture quality in slow, still or search modes. The M-5400 also offers a 16-function wireless remote and one-touch time recording, as well as 4-event, 7-day programmability and 117-channel cable compatibility. In addition, its sleek, high-tech design makes it a pleasure to watch even when it's off. And Toshiba offers a bigger selection of VHS and Beta models than anyone else in the business. In fact, when it comes to VCR's, you'll find no one stacks up to Toshiba. In Touch with Tomorrow TOSHIBA Toshiba America, Inc., 82 Totowa Road, Wayne, NJ 07470 [[/advertisement]]
