freeFall Theatre's 'What a Glorious Feeling' Brings Singin' in the Rain Backstage Drama to St. Petersburg This Fall

Casting is underway for What a Glorious Feeling, a new backstage musical play from freeFall Theatre that pulls back the curtain on one of Hollywood's most beloved productions. The show centers on the chaotic, politically charged, and surprisingly personal behind-the-scenes story of MGM's Singin' in the Rain, weaving together the iconic songs and dances of golden-age Hollywood with a surprisingly intimate human drama. With rehearsals set to begin August 25, 2026 and an opening night of September 18, 2026, the production runs through October 4, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. For performers, designers, and theatrical crew in the Tampa Bay area and beyond, this one is worth pursuing now.

The play is written by Jay Berkow, whose work in theatrical storytelling has long shown a knack for mining comedy and pathos from real creative lives. The script takes on Gene Kelly at a fascinating and fraught moment: navigating studio politics, shrinking resources, and a deeply personal love triangle involving his longtime collaborator Stanley Donen and trusted assistant Jeanne Coyne, the two of whom had just divorced from each other while Coyne quietly carried a torch for Kelly himself. Add to that the pressure of shaping a young Debbie Reynolds, then a novice dancer, into a co-star worthy of the finished film, and you have the kind of backstage material that practically writes itself. Berkow shapes all of it into something described as intimate and emotionally grounded, even as it showcases the full musical and choreographic vocabulary of the era.

Director Douglas Hall leads the creative team, with Musical Director Michael Raabe overseeing the show's musical elements and choreographer Chris Shin handling what promises to be a physically demanding dance component. Given the source material, the choreography in this production carries real weight. Singin' in the Rain is one of the most technically celebrated dance films in cinema history, and a stage production built around its behind-the-scenes creation will need performers who can match both the storytelling and the movement vocabulary. Chris Shin's involvement signals this is not a concert staging or a light revue. This is a show that will ask its cast to move. Artistic Director Eric Davis oversees the project at the institutional level, and his long stewardship of freeFall Theatre gives the production a stable creative home with deep roots in the St. Petersburg theater community.

freeFall Theatre is one of the most respected mid-sized regional companies in Florida, known for producing work that punches above its weight class in terms of production values and artistic ambition. Based in St. Petersburg, the company has built a reputation for thoughtful, well-crafted productions that draw strong local audiences and support the regional professional theater ecosystem. This is not a workshop or a developmental staging. What a Glorious Feeling is a full freeFall production, which means professional contracts, a real production infrastructure, and a creative environment that working theater professionals can take seriously. Casting for the production is being handled by the Wojcik Casting Team, who are also listed as a producing partner, signaling that the casting process is well-organized and professionally managed.

St. Petersburg is a city with a genuinely thriving arts scene, anchored in part by freeFall itself as well as a range of other performing arts organizations in the broader Tampa Bay region. The area supports a solid pool of local professional talent, though productions of this nature, particularly those requiring triple-threat performers comfortable with golden-age Hollywood style, often draw from across Florida and the Southeast. If you are a performer with strong dance, a clear character range, and experience in musical theater, this production belongs on your radar immediately. Casting is active now, and with rehearsals beginning in late August 2026, the timeline is real and moving.

From a production standpoint, the technical demands here are worth noting for designers and crew. A backstage play set during the making of a lavish MGM musical presents interesting scenic and costume design opportunities. The show lives in two worlds simultaneously: the gritty, workmanlike reality of a 1950s film set and the glamorous output that world was straining to create. A strong scenic designer, costume designer, lighting designer, and sound team will all be essential to making that tension land. The production's intimate framing also suggests a cast of manageable size with concentrated storytelling, which is often where the most satisfying theatrical work happens.

For the full production listing including contact information, production office details, the complete crew list as it develops, and scheduling updates, head to ProductionList.com and pull up What a Glorious Feeling. Casting is active and the clock is running toward an August rehearsal start. If this is the kind of project you want to be part of, now is the time to make contact.

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