Although they couldn’t accumulate the water onstage for the big splash dancing, and a video backdrop of cartoonish-looking raindrops sort of dampens the illusion, overall the seminal scene of the show looks great with Justin Parks as Don Lockwood singing and tapping out the big title tune under a gentle shower.

Based on the mega-hit movie musical starring Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds, the show pokes fun at both musicals and the early years of Hollywood where it is set. It’s the Roaring Twenties, and silent movies are all the rage led by demand for silent stars Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont – a couple who create the most melodramatically romantic films. Offstage, Lockwood tries his best to avoid the spiteful and ditzy Lamont while she believes all the Hollywood gossip about their romantic ties.

But both their onscreen and off-screen relationships are in trouble when The Jazz Singer opens, adding sound to the movies and giving birth to the new “talkies.” Suddenly the next “Lockwood and Lamont” film is turned into a big musical production – no problem for Lockwood, but then there’s Lina who has a ridiculously obnoxious voice that makes her sound…well, in her own words, “dumb or something.” Enter Kathy Selden with her lovely voice to mask Lina’s from behind the scenes and save the film, giving Lina another reason to be so insanely jealous of Kathy – the woman Don Lockwood really loves.

Justin Parks as Lockwood and Janie Underwood as Kathy do fine work as the singing and dancing romantic leads, and the show’s comedy is especially strong led by the work of Sam Cavanaugh and Danica Jones. The charismatic Sam is right on throughout as Cosmo Brown, Lockwood’s best friend, sidekick, and clown of the show who Makes ‘Em Laugh easily and often, throwing in a few little gems of his own as well. Danica has the irritating voice and mean streak down pat, not to mention some hysterical expressions in the silent films shot for the show. Kyle Finlley and Ari Krasner deliver some fancy footwork as the Young Don Lockwood and Young Cosmo Brown, and Joey Minnich brightens the Moses Supposes scene as the straight-laced diction coach who gets easily hijacked into an amusingly choreographed dance routine put together by KC Grulli who earns her biggest praise for the Broadway Melody “Gotta Dance” scene performed with talent and spirit by the cast.

Performs through September 4, 2004.

Rob Hopper
San Diego Playbill

Don Lockwood: