Be it ever so humble

Well, you know how that one ends. Yes, it’s true; I am home. Even though I have been (on the rare occasion) known for hyperbole, or heard through the grapevine to have used exaggeration to drive a point, I stepped off the plane a few days ago in Newburgh, NY and literally got down on my hands and knees to kiss the ground.

Breathing in the fresh mountain air, accompanied by an enormous sigh of relief that Mom has, once again, pulled through, I flew (with Dharma, the wonder-dog) back from Florida, for the most part unscathed. The puppy traveled like the perfect pet that she is and cheered Mom up in the process.

Apparently, there were a few friends (and readers) around who noticed my absence, as I have received so many e-mails, phone calls and notes welcoming me home, along with scores of well-wishers expressing their (gratefully acknowledged) hopes and prayers for my mother’s recovery.

That being said, the show must go on. I feel fortunate to have been able to make the opening of The Delaware Valley Opera Opening of Mozart’s’ “Cosi fan tutte” this past Saturday (see review on page 14), as I hurriedly attempted to rearrange my schedule to accommodate anything (and there was plenty) that I may have missed while away.

I gave away my tickets for Santana at Bethel Woods ( bethelwoodscenter.org ) along with my seats for the Forestburgh Playhouse (FBP, fbplayhouse.org ) production of “Singin’ in the Rain” in my rush to be at my mother’s side. I got a call from the friends who saw the stage version of the great MGM musical at the FBP and they raved, making me feel sorry for myself that I had missed the opportunity. But my sorrow disappeared after speaking with Norman Duttweiler and staff at the box office, who arranged a new set of tickets for a matinee performance.

You guessed it: it was raining cats and dogs (although mine was warm and cozy at home) as I pulled into the lot, joining a sold-out crowd for what turned out to be a smashing afternoon at the theatre. I’ve never been much of a fan of the movie-musical reworked for a live audience. Usually, I prefer films without sequels, plays left to the stage and vice-versa. In fact, I saw this one, starring Tommy Tune and Twiggy (of all choices) on Broadway, years ago, and walked away unimpressed.

It never occurred to me that anyone could match, much less improve upon, the original, which was based on an original screenplay by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, with songs written by Arthur Freed and Nacio Herb Brown and original choreography by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen. Once again (and I’m getting tired of sayin’ it), I was wrong.

Directed with great flair and style by Sarah Norris, choreographed with sparkling ingenuity by Janine Molinari and performed with a mixture of gusto and joy by a tremendous cast, the production left me exhilarated and (yep, literally) “Singin’ In The Rain.” Outstanding, gorgeous (the word stunning comes to mind) costume design by Darrin Pufall, in conjunction with beautiful sets, lighting and sound design enhanced this show to a new level (IMHO) for the delighted audience, all of whom left the grounds humming familiar tunes like “Fit As A Fiddle,” “Make ‘Em Laugh,” “Broadway Melody” and the title song, presented replete with a magical rainstorm, live on stage.

The entire cast was on point and were clearly enjoying themselves as much as the applauding throngs in their seats. There are so many to acknowledge with so little space, I sincerely hope that those left out will understand as I feel it necessary to mention just a few. Brandon Davidson, Georgia Tapp, James LaRosa, Zoe Kassay, Jim Bray and Kevin Confoy spring to mind as they sang their hearts out and tapped their way into mine.

As fabulous as these talented performers are, the supporting players (and there are a lot of them) worked equally as hard and deserve as much recognition for their efforts, which do not go unnoticed or taken for granted. I still have some catching up to do, feeling confident that I will run into some old friends (and make some new) as I pencil in a trip to the NACL ( nacl.org ) to catch what’s left of their “Festival of New Theatre” and secure seats for The Liberty Free Theatre ( libertyfreetheatre.org ), which has two new plays running.

Art to be seen, music to be heard. I look heavenward and give thanks that the Catskills always welcomes me home with open arms. Can’t wait to see (and experience) it all as I make those calls and get my reservations in place to keep on, keepin’ on, singin’ (and dancin’) in the rain.

Email jonathanfox@riverreporter.com or visit workingwithoutanet.blogspot.com .