Newtown Cultural Arts Commission will present a screening of the 1952 film Singin' in the Rain on Sunday, April 24, at 4 and 7 pm, in the theater of Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street.Singin' in the Rain stars Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds alongside the great Gene Kelly, who also directed and choreographed the picture with Stanley Donen. While it opened initially to wide approval, its engaging cast, lively production numbers and "so funny it could be true" storyline have cemented this film as the Greatest Movie Musical of all time, according to American Film Institute.Singin' in the Rain, and few that remain as fresh over the years … Singin in the Rain is a transcendent experience, and no one who loves movies can afford to miss it."The Sting on Thursday, May 5; and Grease on Sunday, May 22. Classic films will resume in the fall with The African Queen on September 1 and Rear Window on September 29, among others.newtownartscommission.org/sunday-cinema-series and facebook.com/sundaycinemaseries.

All tickets are $2, and can be purchased at the box office prior to the shows.

As a special treat, Lathrop School of Dance's top group, the Stardusters, will perform for the movie audiences on stage at the end of the matinee, and at the opening of the evening show. Moviegoers will be treated to a premiere performance of this year's tap routine to "Singin' In the Rain," a remix of Matthew Morrison and Mint Royale.

The story at the heart of this film is about the tricky transition from silent films to "talkies" for everyone in the industry, but especially for the actors. Like Jean Hagen's character Lina Lamont, there were many actors from the silent screen era who did not successfully make the leap to sound pictures, and in Lina's case, it's because of her grating New York accent which doesn't jive with the period role she has to play.

Of the plentiful highlights in this movie, the top three have to include "Good Morning," where audiences witness the 19-year-old Debbie Reynolds keeping up with her seasoned co-stars; Donald O'Connor's "Make 'em Laugh" number with its amazing acrobatics; and, without a doubt, the exuberant joy of Gene Kelly's "Singin' in the Rain."   It's also worth noting that Cyd Charisse has a career-making number with Gene Kelly in the "Broadway Ballet" fantasy sequence.

Roger Ebert captured it well when he said, "There is no movie musical more fun than

The April 24 screening is being sponsored by Sunday Cinema Series supporters David and Marge Nelson.

The next films in the series will be

To see the complete film schedule, visit

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