Musical Magazine Published By Vikki Anderson

Meet The Cast!

Fun Fact!
There was a twenty year age gap between Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds.

Don Lockwood- Gene Kelly Cathy Seldon- Debbie Reynolds Cosmo Brown- Donald OConnor Lina Lamont- Jean Hagen R.F Simpson- Millard Mitchell Zelda Zanders- Rita Moreno

What Is All The Fuss About?! Synopsis

Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont are romantically linked to increase their popularity as silent film stars working for Monumental Pictures. Don can hardly stand Lina and her selfish, shallow and vain ways but Lina believes that they are actually in love. After the massively popular premiere of their latest film Don jumps into a passing car to escaped crazed fans, where he meets the driver, Kathy Seldon. After insulting him and dropping him off at a party, only to pop out of a mock cake in front of all the guests as part of the entertainment. After Don mocks her she throws a real cake but misses Don and hits Lina right in the face. Lina is furious and has Kathy fired immediately. Don spends weeks searching for Kathy and when he finds her working on a film at his studios they begin to fall in love. A bomb shell is dropped on Don and Lina that their latest silent film is becoming a talking picture to follow the success of a rival companys first talking picture The Jazz Singer. The biggest problem they face is Linas talking voice, not even the best diction coach can help her! The test screening goes down the drain when the sound goes out of synchronization, resulting in mockery from the audience. Cosmo Brown, Dons best friend comes up with a plan to dub Linas voice with Kathy and Lina is furious when she hears of this and does everything possibly to stop Kathy from getting a buildup into the business and to sabotage Kathy and Dons relationship. At the premiere of their film, The Dancing Cavalier, the audience demands to hear Lina sing live, Don, Cosmo and R.F tell her to lip sync while Kathy sings into a second mic behind the curtain. While the song goes on the three men joyfully raise the curtain and cosmo replaces Kathy over the mic humiliating Lina. As Kathy tries to flee Don stops her and introduces the real voice and star of the film.

Tea with Ms Lina Lamont

We met with Ms Lamont and got the low down on Don Lockwood, her career and her views on the upcoming star Cathy Seldon! Lets just say it didnt quite go according to plan Me: So Lina, tell us about day to day life in the studios? Lina: I honestly feel victimised sometimes now that this whole talking business has come in! I dont understand why I need to see a diction coach! Me: How are things between you and Don? Lina: Couldnt be better! Our just keep getting stronger! Me: My sources told me he was getting close with one Miss Kathy Seldon? Lina: Well your sources are wrong! I am the star of the show and our relationship is just FINE! This Kathy girl is a nobody! She attacked me with a cake you know?! She humiliated me infront of many very important peopleI cant stand her!!!
(Lina stormed out at this point of the interview and did not return)

Gene Kelly
Born- August 23rd 1912 Died- February 2nd 1996 Occupation- Actor/Dancer/Singer/Director/Producer/Choreography Career highlights1942: For Me and My Girl with Judy Garland 1945: Anchors Aweigh with Frank Sinatra and Jerry Mouse 1948: Easter Parade with Judy Garland 1950: Summer Stock with Judy Garland 1952: Singin In The Rain Began- 1938 Retired- 1994

Debbie Reynolds
Born- April 1st 1932 Died- Still going strong! Occupation- Actress/Singer/Dancer

Career highlights1952: Singin In The Rain 1957: Tammy and the Bachelor 1964: The Unsinkable Molly Brown 1966: The Singing Nun
Began- 1948 Retired- Still going!

Donald OConnor
Born- August 28th 1925 Died- September 27th 2003 Occupation- Dancer/Singer/Actor Career highlights1937: Sing, You Sinners with Bing Crosby 1943: Mister Big 1949-1955: Francis 1952: Singin In The Rain 1981: Ragtime 1997: Out To Sea, this was his last film. Began- 1937 Retired- 1997

Jean Hagen

Born- August 3rd 1923 Died- August 29th 1977

Occupation- Actress
Career highlights1949: Adams Rib 1950: The Asphalt Jungle with Sterling Hayden 1952: Singin In The Rain 1953: Make Room For Daddy 1977: Alexander, The Other Side Of Dawn this was her final film Began- 1949

Silent Movies Develop A Voice Silent Movies!

A silent film has no recorded sound other than a piano track layed on top of the film. Everything was over exaggerated and the dialogue was written at the bottom of the screen. In the 1920s silent films saw a huge down fall in the movie market.

Fun Facts! The Jazz Singer was the first talking picture, released in 1927 The most memorable actor of the silent movie era is Charlie Chaplin

I CAN TALK!

Talking Pictures!
Synchronized dialogue in a film did not become practical in the late 1920s with the introduction of the vitaphone system and the perfection of the audion amplifier tube.

The Creative Team

Gene Kelly Director Choreographer

Stanley Donen Director

Arthur Freed Producer Lyrics

Adolf Green Writer

Betty Comden Writer

Nacio Herb Brown Music

Dates: 25th-27th August Age: 8-21 www.westendstage.com

Singin In The Rain

Mint Royale released a remix of the title song of the show in 2005 which flew up the charts.

In 2007 VW Golf released an advert using the Mint Royale remix using the original scene from the film but using a stunt double in parts when they changed the dance into a street dance to advertise their new car.

In 2008 George Sampson won Britains Got Talent with his memorable dance to the remix using the lamp post and rain to ad effect.