The South Arkansas Arts Center will bring the magic of live theatre directly into viewers’ home with a special, limited-run screening of the community theatre’s 2018 production of “Singin’ in the Rain.” Recorded live during its summer musical run onstage in El Dorado, the show features a cast of talented local dancers, singers, and actors performing the beloved songs and famous dance sequences of the classic Hollywood film. The production, sponsored by Murphy USA, will be screened via SAAC’s website through a special arrangement with Music Theatre International on April 16-18.

“Live theatre has been put on hold for almost a year now because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said SAAC’s executive director Laura Allen. “While it isn’t quite the same as an in-person experience, we hope that the opportunity to watch the recording of SAAC’s beloved production from the safety of our own ‘pods’ will spark wonderful memories and entertain our audience all over again.”

Directed by visiting artist Lisa Newton of Texarkana, the show was originally staged at SAAC in July 2018. The recorded performance includes each unforgettable scene, song and dance in the original film, complete with the show-stopping title number and an onstage rainstorm. Inspired by the Technicolor movie musical of Hollywood’s golden years, Newton endeavored to re-create that feeling in a live performance setting.

“Directing ‘Singin’ In The Rain’ at SAAC in El Dorado was one of the highlights of my directing career,” said Newton. Everyone involved in the production, from the staff at SAAC to the talented cast and crew, was wonderful to work with on this production and the community support for the arts in El Dorado was evident from the very beginning.”

The talented local cast includes many SAAC stage veterans and familiar faces. Alexander Jeffery can be seen as the suave Hollywood leading man Don Lockwood, originally portrayed by Gene Kelly. Brandon Wallace plays Cosmo Brown, Don’s wacky and playful best friend and former dance partner. Laura Purvis portrays the upcoming, strong-willed actress Kathy Seldon, who emerges as Don’s saving grace in his talkies. Hali Pinson is featured as Lina Lamont, a tone-deaf singer who fails to transfer from silent films and causes Don great distress. Successful, magnanimous, film producer R. F. Simson will be played by Corey Sublett, high strung, frustrated director Roscoe Dexter by Mike Means, and young starlet and Lina’s best friend Zelda Zanders by Lainey Walthall.

The musical will be available for three screenings: Friday, April 16 and Saturday, April 17 at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, April 18 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased via www.saac-arts.org, and ticketholders will be provided a direct link to view the streamed performance. Individual tickets are available for $5, and “pod party” tickets, designed for multiple viewers of the same screen, are available for $20.

For more information on the streaming platform or how to purchase tickets, call 870-862-5474 or visit the website at www.saac-arts.org. SAAC is located at 110 East Fifth Street, El Dorado, Arkansas.