SARASOTA — Asolo Repertory Theatre will kick off its 2026-2027 season with “Singin’ in the Rain,” running Nov. 18 through Jan. 2, in the Mertz Theatre, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota.
Tickets are on sale now. Show times are Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m., with 1:30 p.m. matinees on Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and select Thursdays. For tickets and information, visit AsoloRep.org or call 941-351-8000. Directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes, the production brings the glamour, comedy and music of the classic MGM film to the stage as part of Asolo Rep’s “Greatest Season on Earth.”
It’s Hollywood, 1927. Silent-film star Don Lockwood is at the top of his game when the arrival of talking pictures turns the movie business upside down. Suddenly, movie stars need more than a face made for the silver screen: They need a voice to match. With the help of his best friend Cosmo Brown and aspiring actress Kathy Selden, Don must figure out how to survive a new era of moviemaking, while his less-than-melodious co-star Lina Lamont has plans of her own.
“We are thrilled to launch our 2026-27 season with the greatest movie musical of all time,” said Peter Rothstein, Asolo producing artistic director. “Our season celebrates the centennial of John Ringling moving his circus to Sarasota, instigating the cultural mecca that we experience here today. 1927 was an extraordinary year in American culture: the first solo transatlantic flight, the first Great American Musical, the invention of television and the first talking picture — the setting of ‘Singin’ in the Rain.’”
The musical features a screenplay by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and songs by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed, including “Make ’Em Laugh,” “Good Morning,” “You Were Meant for Me,” and, of course, “Singin’ in the Rain.”
The production also brings Rhodes back to Asolo Rep, where his work has included “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Cabaret,” “Hair,” “The Sound of Music,” “Evita” and “Guys and Dolls.” On Broadway, Rhodes directed and choreographed the revival of “Spamalot” and choreographed “Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella,” “First Date,” “It Shoulda Been You,” and “Bright Star.”
Leading the cast as Don Lockwood is Tyler Hanes, making his Asolo Rep debut. Hanes has appeared in 10 Broadway productions, including “A Chorus Line,” “On the Town,” and “Hairspray.” He earned a Chita Rivera Award nomination for his performance as “Rum Tum Tugger.”
Sara Esty returns to Asolo Rep as Kathy Selden after appearing in “Come from Away” and “Crazy for You.” Her credits include the original Broadway company and first national tour of “An American in Paris,” the final Broadway company of “The Phantom of the Opera,” and Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story.” Esty is a Princess Grace Award recipient for excellence in dance.
Making his Asolo Rep debut as Cosmo Brown is Colin Bradbury, whose Broadway credits include “BOOP!,” “Elf The Musical,” “Funny Girl,” “Carousel,” and “Come Fly Away.”
Stepping into the spotlight as Lina Lamont is Ryah Nixon, also making her Asolo Rep debut. Nixon recently appeared as Myrtle in “The Great Gatsby” on Broadway and was part of the original Broadway companies of “The Queen of Versailles.”
The company also includes Jerome Harmann-Hardeman, Edward Juvier, Lily Kaufmann, Zoie Lee, Owen Scales, and Tregoney Shepherd. The ensemble features Devin Cortez, Devin Johnson, Laura Leo Kelly, Juliana Lamia, Minju Michelle Lee, Lily Rose, Sam Sanderson, and Jessica Wockenfuss. Jackson Dunlap, Joshua A. Griffin, Lacey Jack, Dana Liebezeit, Anthony Savino, and Jubilee Tai serve as swings.