SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN
Presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI)
Welcome to the New Tampa Performing Arts Center!
Please silence your cell phones.
This performance will have a 15 minute intermission.
Produced with the generous support of
Musical Numbers
ACT I
Fit as a Fiddle - Young Don and Young Cosmo
You Stepped Out of a Dream - Don and Company
All I Do is Dream of You - Kathy and Dance Ensemble
You Stepped Out of A Dream Reprise - Don
Make ‘Em Laugh - Cosmo
Beautiful Girls - Tenor, Kathy, and Dance Ensemble
You Are My Lucky Star - Kathy
You Were Meant For Me - Don and Kathy
Moses Supposes – Don, Cosmo, and Company
Moses Supposes (Reprise) - Company
Fit as a Fiddle (Reprise) – Don and Cosmo
Good Morning – Kathy, Cosmo, and Don
Singin In The Rain – Don and Company
ACT II
Would You? - Lina and Kathy
Whats Wrong With Me? - Lina
Broadway Melody – Cosmo, Don, and Company
Would You (Reprise) – Kathy and Cosmo
You Are My Lucky Star (Reprise) – Don and Kathy
Singin In The Rain (Reprise) – Company
Bows - Company
Amanda Schapiro: Vocal Ensemble
Amanda is excited to be part of this classic show. Her previous credits include Grease, Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Snoopy. She also works as an assistant director at Tampa Bay Family Theater, a community theater aimed towards students K-12. While not in theater, Amanda works as a high school math teacher and drama club sponsor at Bell Creek Academy. She would like to thank the amazing cast and crew for all the hard work as well as friends and family for all the support.
Andy Terrazas: Ensemble
(They/She)
A U.S. Air Force Veteran, Andy is thrilled to be part of Singing in the Rain. They have also been part of the New Tampa Players production of Shrek the Musical as the Captain of the Guard. She has also been seen leading the Runner Up Award Winner of Best Play at the 2023 Tampa Bay Theatre Festival, Dear Yellow, Love Red (Red). She has also been featured in The Missing Piece Theatre Company’s production of Seussical (Wickersham #2), The Off-Central Players production of The Revenge of the Space Pandas (Boots/Mom). Andy would like to thank their friends and family for their love and support.
Becki Mallett: Dance Ensemble
Becki Mallett is excited to be back on the stage at New Tampa Players! You might have seen them most recently at NTP as the Mad Hatter in Shrek, as Grandma Rosie in Wedding Singer or The Jester in Once Upon a Mattress at Carrollwood Players, and looking on the bright side in Spamalot at Carrollwood Cultural Center. They have been involved in theater for over 20 years and are very excited to be a part of Shrek. You can find them at many conventions and renaissance festivals around the US, onstage; dancing, fighting, or acting. They would like to thank their family and friends for all their support!
Blake Boles: Roscoe Dexter/Young Cosmo
Blake is so excited to make his New Tampa Players debut! Some of his favorite roles include Bobby Child in Crazy for You, Detective Sergeant Trotter in The Mousetrap, and Dennis in The Play that Goes Wrong. He is ecstatic for you to see the show, enjoy!
Brenna Kimball: Dance Ensemble
Brenna Kimball is a current senior Musical Theatre Major at The University of Tampa. Past favorite roles of hers include The Witch in Big Fish, Mayzie LaBird in Seussical, and Storyteller in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. In addition to performing in musicals, Brenna works as the production photographer and social media manager for the UT Department of Theatre, and has participated in Opera Workshop for the past two years. Brenna would like to thank her friends and family for their continued support, and hopes you enjoy the show!
Elek Kovacs: Voice and Dance Ensemble
A lifelong performer- music, dance, theater, comedy - Elek is a rising senior at Blake High School in the classical guitar program. Elek recently performed as Conrad in Bye Bye Birdie (Carrollwood Day School) and is thrilled to be part of the dance and vocal ensemble of Singing in the Rain. He is a singer songwriter and lead vocalist in his band Mellatron which plays regularly at venues around Tampa Bay.
Elizabeth LaRosa: Dance and Vocal Ensemble
Elizabeth LaRosa is a rising senior at the University of Tampa with a degree in musical theatre. She is thrilled to be a part of her first production with New Tampa Players in Singing in the Rain. She would like to thank the cast, crew, and creative team for their tireless commitment. Break a leg to everyone!
Emilio Grimaldo: Young Don/Ensemble
Emilio Grimaldo is beyond excited to be a part of this amazing cast and performing in his first show at New Tampa Players! Some of his favorite roles include: The Prom (Fernell/Ensemble), Beauty and the Beast (Cogsworth), Once Upon a Mattress (King Sextimus the Silent), and Zombie Beach: The Musical (World Premiere)(Ensemble). Emilio is about to enter into his Sophomore year at the CAP21 conservatory in New York for his BFA in Musical Theatre! He would like to thank his friends, family, and coaches for believing in him when he needed it the most. He can’t wait to tap the night away and hopes you remember to sing and dance next time you get stuck in the rain! Enjoy <3
Gabriela Fotopoulos: Vocal Ensemble
Gabriela is excited to be a part of this amazing production! She has been involved with the arts since age 3 and is now a theatre teacher in Pasco County Schools. She recently graduated from USF with a B.S. in Secondary Education and a minor in Theatre. Her favorite past roles include: Little Women (Amy March), Chicago (June), Anything Goes (Chastity), and even Mary Poppins (Jane Banks) with NTP when she was 12. She has also music directed, choreographed, and sound designed shows. She hopes you just “gotta dance!” when you see this show!
Katie Welch: Dance Ensemble
Katie Welch is so excited to be a part of NTP “Singing in the Rain.” She has been in theatre since she was 9 years old. Some of her favorite shows she was in were The Producers, Beauty and the Beast, Annie, Secret Garden, It's a Wonderful Life, Through the Shop Window, Wizard of OZ, Sister Act and Peter Pan, just to name a few. Katie was the mentor of Belle in the Penguin Project’s Beauty and The Beast. She is the Founder and Director of the community theatre group Broadway Everyday Star Theater. She wrote the plays A Talent for Murder, Broadway Musical Review and Blind Date Cafe. She even wrote a novel that she is currently looking for a publisher. She has her BA in Theater and Masters in ESE Education. She is the PreK teacher at Ruskin Elementary. She also does videography and has been in several films like the horror film Harlow’s Haunt. She wants to thank the cast, crew, her family, God, and everyone who supported her.
Kristin Nelson: Dora Bailey/Ensemble
Kristin is thrilled to return to the NTP stage after spending last season behind the scenes, where she worked as the ASM for both Grease and Shrek! Recent credits include the world premiere of Ember (Greed), The Wedding Singer (Ensemble), Zombie Prom (Candy), Cinderella (Charlotte) and Leading Ladies (Audrey). As always, thank you to Mom, Makayla, and Zach for everything.
Kyle Billington: Don Lockwood
Kyle Billington (Don Lockwood) is thrilled to be returning to NTP to be apart of the musical, Singing in the Rain. Kyle is no stranger to musical theater, and has appeared in many musicals such as Snoopy, the musical (Snoopy) with New Tampa Players, the Sound of Music (Rolf) with Stagewest Theater, Little Women (Professor Bhaer) with Aaron Life Theater, She Loves Me (Georg) with Aeon Life Theater, The Drowsy Chaperone (Robert Martin) with Plant City Entertainment, and Violet (Flick) with New Tampa Players. He recently acquired his license as a registered nurse and is working at a local hospital, loving every minute of it! Kyle would like to thank his fiancé and co-star, Olivia (Kathy Selden) for being such a big supporter. He’d also like to thank his director, Nora Paine and his music director, Frank Meekins for being awesome leaders and supporters, and for putting on such an amazing production!
Kyle Fisher: Vocal Ensemble
Kyle is a New Tampa Players veteran, initially joining the team as Johnny Warner in Zombie Prom. Since then, Kyle has joined NTP as Kenicke in Grease and Lord Farquaad in Shrek.
Makayla Raines: Zelda Zanders /The Lady in Green
This is Makayla's 10th production with NTP. She had been making a splash in the Tampa Bay area Community Theatre scene for about 2 years as a professional choreographer. Makayla has always loved the stage and hope to continue to bring theses amazing reflections of the human experience to life. She would like to thank Nora Paine, Kristin Nelson, cast,crew,Dave and Shelly Giles, and her amazing friends for their constant love and support this year. Makayla is excited to announce her role as choreographer for NTP's production of Little Shop of Horrors this fall.
Melanie Marie Bierweiler: Lina Lamont
This is Melanie’s second production with New Tampa Players! Born in New York and raised in Florida, Melanie has been a staple of the Tampa and Manatee stages for the past 25 years, performing in both musicals and plays. She studied Vocal Performance at the University of South Florida where she cultivated a unique range in both musical theatre and opera. Her professional debut was in 2005 at Busch Gardens Tampa and she continued on to star in southeastern regional theatre tours.
Favorite credits include: CHICAGO (Velma), Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (Belle), Peter and the Starcatcher (Molly), Sari’s Journey (Sari, feature film).
When not performing, you can find Melanie spending time with her friends and family, reading a good book, planning parties, traveling the globe and spoiling her two cats.
She sends a big thank you to SITR's production staff, Nora, Frank, the cast and crew, her vocal coach Michelle, family and friends for their continued support in her passion.
Olivia Carr: Kathy Selden
Olivia Shea is currently studying classical and speech level singing with Katy Decker. She is excited to begin classes to pursue her own performance degree while instructing under the direction of Katy Decker, as her very first employee. Olivia is looking forward to sharing her love of singing and passion for vocal health, especially with children and young adults with special needs. In addition, she loves both professional and community theater. She was most recently seen playing Mary Warren in “The Crucible” with ThinkTank Theater and Tampa Rep, Sandy in “Grease” with New Tampa Players, and Ella in Rogers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” at Dearmon CAST. She also enjoys studying tap privately under the instruction of Mark Wildman, and looks forward to putting this skill to use in future shows. She has her own business, “Kodachrome,” and can be found in local kava bars and tea lounges entertaining local customers. It is not uncommon to find her crocheting something cute and cuddly every spare moment she has, creating one-of-a-kindl custom critters @off._the._hook._. She would like to thank her parents Ray and Tami Carr for all of their love and support to pursue her dreams, and her fiancé and co-star Kyle for always standing by her side.
Rhett Ricardo: Cosmo Brown
Rhett is a rising junior at the Catholic University of America. Rhett is incredibly excited to be playing the role of Cosmo Brown in this production of Singin in the Rain. Rhett has previously seen as Barnette Lloyd in Crimes of the Heart, Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, Captain VonTrapp in The Sound of Music, Ken in Red, and Many more. Rhett also has a Theatre Company called Shakespeare in the Yard where he directed William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and Midsummer Night’s Dream. In the fall Rhett is going to be Studying abroad in Spain getting some further classical theatre training. Rhett would like to Thank his Family and Friends for all their support, Nora Paine and Frank Meekins and all the production team for this opportunity and their help in creating this fantastic character and performance, and also to the Phenomenal Cast around him for being such a great help and supportive group to work with. Rhett would also like to Thank Melissa Flaim for all the help she has given me back at Catholic U, I could not be where I am as an actor without your teaching. For Now, he’s gonna try his best to “Make Em Laugh”, and Tap his way until he can’t anymore. Enjoy the Show!
Samuel Sainsbury: Vocal Ensemble
Samuel is thrilled to be a part of the Singin’ in the Rain ensemble. Currently obtaining a B.A. in Performance Studies, he loves to find productions to be in during the summer. While he has acted for over ten years, this is his first production with the New Tampa Players. Samuel has enjoyed getting to meet new friends and grow himself as a performer. He would like to thank his parents for their support and God for his abilities and love of theater.
Sara Gutierrez: Vocal Ensemble
Sara Gutierrez is very excited to be apart of this amazing show!! This is her first show ever and she will be attending HCC’s Theatre AA Pathway.
Sebastian Paine: Vocal Ensemble/Lighting Designer
Sebastian is a rising senior in high school who enjoys voice, piano, lighting design, and acting. When he is not by the piano composing, you can find him in the lighting booth. He has been a Penguin Project peer mentor for six years and also appeared in Curtains, Into the Woods, Zombie Prom, and Shrek. In the fall, he would like to attend college and major in theater or theater design.
Susan Thompson: Phoebe Dinsmore/Dance Ensemble
This is Susan’s first musical. She has been involved with New Tampa Players for many years and has spent much of her life dancing and/or teaching dance. She is excited to be performing with such a talented cast. Break a leg everyone!!!
Suzanne Bainbridge: Vocal Ensemble/Mrs. RF Simpson/Pedestrian/ Wardrobe Mistress
I am so excited and honored to be a part of “Singin’ in the Rain” taking on a variety of roles ! I am happy to have the opportunity to have some speaking roles, as well as dance and sing throughout the musical. This has been so much fun working with a vibrant cast and crew. I am happy I can be a part of this New Tampa Players production 🥰
Sydney Hilton: Dance Ensemble
Sydney Hilton is excited to take part in Singing in the Rain at New Tampa Players! She recently worked with Carrollwood Cultural center in their production of Matilda as the Acrobat. Sydney is a graduate of Pinellas County Center for the Arts now attending SPC, working towards her BFA in Musical Theater. In the future she hopes to pursue a career in the creative arts and continue her love for theater and singing!
Thomas Pahl: R.F. Simpson
Thomas Pahl Thomas is extremely excited to be a part of this amazing production! Recently, Thomas has recently appeared at Carrollwood Players as Charlie in "August Osage County, The Major and Abdul in "Hotbed Hotel", Present Day Jacques Dutronc in "I am Jacques Dutronc", Senex in "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum", Guthbert Gruntvig in "Lickspittles, Buttonholers, and Damned Pernicious Go Betweens", Heer Schultz in "Cabaret", Vivid Theater as Joe Keller in "All My Sons", at CWP as Canon Pennefather in "Murder on the Nile", Sgt. Cokes in "Streamers", Melvin P. Thorpe in "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas", Hogan in "Moon for the Misbegotten", Jack in "Arnie and the Itch" Dave Bukatinski in "The Full Monty", and Buttram in "A Little Murder Never Hurt Anybody". He also appeared in 'Manic Monologues', Dr. Watson in "A Sherlock Holmes Trilogy" and Annas in 'Jesus Christ Superstar' with the New Tampa Players, and many other performances at CWP, NTP, Carrollwood Cultural Center, Salerno, and Masque Theater companies over the years. Thanks to my family and friends and a fantastic cast and crew.
Topher Larkin: Rod/Ensemble
Topher is excited to return back to NTP after last appearing in Pippin (2012) and the opportunity to work with Nora and Frank again. He recently understudied Atung in The Chinese Lady at American Stage and prior shows in the Tampa area have been at Eight O'Clock Theatre (9 to 5, Rent) and madTheatre (The Drowsy Chaperone). Thank you to friends and family for coming out and supporting the local arts. Shout out to this talented and stellar cast for all the backstage fun (especially assisting him with the tap dancing lessons). Nepo-baby back ensemble line 4eva! https://linktr.ee/topherlarkin
Victoria Grace Zisi: Dance Ensemble
Victoria teaches theatre at Westlake Christian School and tours with Whacky Tales Children's Theatre, where she plays such roles as Cinderella, Peter Pan, and Alice. She holds a B.A. in Theatre Arts: Production (Liberty University). Recent credits include Choreographer/Featured Dancer in Shrek (NTP), tableread actor (upcoming Star Wars series, LucasFilms), Detective Sergeant/Lawyer (One Cop’s Journey, JCFilms), Ariana/Choreographer (Crimson Sails, Gulfport Community Players), Director/Choreographer (Aladdin Jr., Aspire Christian Theatre), and directing/performing in her original WWII play, Blind to the Truth, for the Kennedy Center upon receiving their David L. Shelton Playwriting Award. Victoria would like to thank God, family, and friends! “Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14).
G. Frank Meekins: Conductor/Piano
Originally from Boston, Frank moved to Tampa in 1998 and since that time has worked with many local high school and community theatre groups throughout the greater Tampa Bay area. He musically directed NTP’s first production, They’re Playing Our Song, in addition to A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Music Man, Camelot, Annie, Pippin, She Loves Me, Beauty and the Beast, Addams Family, Legally Blonde, Annie, and Little Mermaid, He directed and musically directed NTP’s productions of A Grand Night for Singing – Rodgers and Hammerstein Musical Revue, The Sound of Music, You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown, Mary Poppins, Into The Woods, Quilt, Snapshots, and Snoopy. Recently, he directed NTP’s 2021 production of The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later. Involved in all aspects of musical theatre from set design and construction to lighting design and execution, from stage management to directing and musically directing, Frank has participated in over 375 productions throughout New England and Tampa Bay including A Chorus Line, Les Miserables, Chicago, Urinetown, Honk, Mame, Hello Dolly, Jesus Christ Superstar, Oklahoma, Annie Get Your Gun, The Boyfriend, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, All Shook Up, Perfectly Frank, Anything Goes, Caba-ret, Gypsy, Tommy, La Cage aux Folles, Rag-time, Little Shop of Horrors, Baby, Damn Yankees, Fiddler on the Roof, Godspell, Into the Woods, I Do – I Do, Jane Eyre, A Little Night Music, West Side Story, Evita, Where’s Charley, The Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan, Once Upon a Mat-tress, Carousel, Big River, Footloose, Pirates of Penzance, South Pacific, Whoopee, Bells are Ring-ing, Brigadoon, Bye Bye Birdie, Cabaret, Nun-sense, My Fair Lady, Oliver, No No Nanette, Sweet Charity, Brigadoon, The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Legally Blonde as well as the operas Carmen, Turandot, and Die Fledermaus. Frank often participates in various events with the Florida State Thespians. He would like to thank his spouse of 24 years, Tim Huff, for all his support.
Sarah Walston Phillips: Choreographer
Sarah Walston Phillips is a professional dancer and choreographer currently based out of Tampa, FL. Sarah is the Director and Founder of ATLAS Modern Ballet, a new professional performance company serving the Tampa community. She also performs and creates works in the Tampa Bay area as a freelance artist.
Sarah graduated with a BFA in Dance Performance from the University of South Florida in 2015. At the University of South Florida, she had the privilege of working with and performing works by choreographers such as Alonzo King, Maurice Causey, Robert Moses and Jennifer Archibald among many other guests and faculty members. In addition to her USF training, she has participated in many professional training programs across the country including, the Ailey School, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, ArchCore40 and BalletX, as well as studying abroad in Paris.
After graduating from USF, she spent five seasons as a company member at Florida Dance Theatre where she performed and created new repertory presented by the company in Lakeland and on tour. At Florida Dance Theater she performed principal roles in original narrative ballets and The Nutcracker, as well as in contemporary works by company directors and guests such as, Jerry Opdenaker and Gregory Dolbashian. Following her time at FDT, Sarah was a member of Tampa City Ballet in Tampa, FL for two seasons as a performer, guest choreographer, and company class instructor.
Over the past few years her choreography has be presented in multiple festivals and showcases both across the United States, and internationally. She also has choreographed for Florida Southern College's Dance Department, where she is Adjunct Ballet and Modern Faculty. Sarah has graduated Summa Cum laude this past Spring from Jacksonville University with her MFA in Choreography.
Paul McColgan: Technical Director
Paul McColgan is a founding member and Production Manager of Hat Trick Theatre Productions, and Technical Director for multiple local companies. When not hiding out in his workshop, he can be found building both fake and real houses around the Tampa Bay Area. He would like to thank Nora and the New Tampa Players for this opportunity, and he would like to thank you for coming to see this show! Extra special thanks to B,D, & R for making his life so great, but not to T, she knows what she did. Stay safe and enjoy the show!
Nora Paine: Director
As the Producing Artistic Director of New Tampa Players, Nora is dedicated to creating quality theater by and for people of all abilities and backgrounds. Nora has been involved as a stage manager, production manager, and director with over 40 productions at New Tampa Players since 2008. While Nora always feels most at home back stage as a stage manager, Nora’s heart is the Penguin Project and Ampersand Theatre. New Tampa Players became a replication site for Penguin Project in 2019. Nora has directed Penguin Project productions: Aladdin Jr (2019), Peter Pan Jr (2020), Mary Poppins Jr (2022), and Beauty and the Beast Jr. (2023), and now Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (2024). She would like to thank her husband, Joshua, and her kids: Blaise, Sebastian, Tobias, and Zoe for all of their support.
A Note from the Director
Director's Note:
Dear Friends,
Welcome to our production of "Singin' in the Rain"! It's a true pleasure to bring this timeless musical to life on our stage. Set against the backdrop of Hollywood's transition from silent films to talkies, this story holds a special place in my heart for its celebration of creativity and resilience.
"Singin' in the Rain" is a comedic portrayal of Hollywood's transition from silent films to "talkies" in the late 1920s. Released in 1952, the film was born from the creative vision of producer Arthur Freed, who drew upon his own experiences during this transformative period in film history. With a screenplay by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, "Singin' in the Rain" not only captivated audiences with its infectious music and dazzling dance sequences but also offered an insightful look at the challenges faced by actors and filmmakers amidst technological innovation.
I want to express my gratitude to each member of our cast and crew. This is not an easy show to bring the stage, and your commitment has brought this production to life. Thank you to our artistic team and production team for their hard work and dedication to this golden production.
As we embark on this journey together, I invite you to immerse yourselves in the nostalgia and joy that "Singin' in the Rain" embodies. Let us cherish the thrill of live performance and the transformative power of theater. Whether you're familiar with this story or discovering it for the first time, I hope you find inspiration and delight in our interpretation.
Thank you for joining us on this artistic adventure. Sit back, relax, and let the enchanting melodies and graceful movements of "Singin' in the Rain" sweep you away.
- Nora Paine
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