NPHS ending live theatre drought with ‘Singin’ In the Rain’
For North Penn Theatre, there has not been an in person, live, spring musical since Mamma Mia! In 2019. Now, in 2022, the spring musical Singin’ In the Rain is going to bring back all of the enthusiasm and excitement from the past two years plus more with song, dance, and even live rain!
The musical will premiere on Wednesday, April 27 at 1:00 pm for gold and silver card patrons only. On Thursday the 28th, Friday the 29th, and Saturday the 30th, all students and families can buy tickets and watch at 7:30 pm. The last show will be on Sunday May 1st at 2:00 pm. To buy tickets and see more information on times and location, click here. All shows are in the North Penn Auditorium and tickets are five dollars for students and ten dollars for adults, and all tickets must be bought online prior to the show. Use the link above to select seats and purchase tickets.
There will be one live streamed show on April 30th at 7:30 pm. People can only buy one ticket for $25 only for that day and time.
For a later streaming of the April 30th show, people can watch on May 13th and 14th at 7:30 pm for a one ticket purchase of $25 for that day and time only. There will also be another streamed show on May 15th at 3:00 pm for a one ticket purchase and $25 for that day and time.
“This is a funny, feel-good show for all ages. Not only is it great to see and hear our students back up on the stage — but the songs are lovely; the tap dancing is wonderful; the sets, costumes, and lights will make people gasp; and, did I mention it’s really going to rain on stage?!” Theatre director Andrea Lee Roney expressed. “We all have needed a place to gather and smile together. Singin’ in the Rain is a chance to do just that and come out humming!”
For some North Penn seniors, this is their first year performing live at the high school level and unlike the fall production of Much Ado About Nothing, a musical requires a lot more singing and dancing along with memorizing lines and wearing a variety of costumes.
“I would say we are all so thankful to have live theatre back, but we have also learned that the thing we love so much can be taken from us at any time. “Getting back into the swing of things hasn’t always been easy, and I think the thing that has been most disrupted is the chain of command… I think we’ve done a pretty good job at picking up the pieces though.” Senior lead Eric Lewis said. He plays the protagonist Don Lockwood as he traverses through Hollywood drama and romance in the early 1900s.
“In some ways, [coming back to live theatre is] like riding a bike — and all the elements of acting, dancing, singing, come together,” Roney optimistically said. “The rust comes off the wheels and away you go. The easiest part — being back together and having fun.”
The cast and crew for Singin’ In the Rain have been preparing since January and rehearse daily after school for many hours prior to opening night. The amount of effort, time, and passion is immense and to see that portrayed on stage is an experience that viewers won’t forget.
“Students and their families should come to see this show to not only support the arts and help us bounce back from our missed shows but to also watch this incredible performance. The beautiful costumes, sets, music, and actual rain falling on stage make this show unlike any NPHS has had before,” Senior lead Fiona Hodgson said, excited for the joy and laughter from the audience during the shows.
“In the cast and crew, we give so much of our lives to the stage. You truly have to love what you’re doing because of the commitment that comes with it, that shared connection brings us all together,” Lewis expressed. “I think the thing that I will miss most are the tech rehearsals. When the lights are down and you’re not needed on stage and you can just really bond and joke with your castmates, you grow so close so quickly and make lifelong friends.”
Bring your friends and family to the North Penn Auditorium and watch Singin’ in the Rain live this weekend! You can buy tickets here to see NP’s first live musical since 2019!