The technical team at the Samsun State Opera and Ballet (SAMDOB), known in the theater world as the “men in black,” is working tirelessly to bring the musical "Singin’ in the Rain" to the stage.
The production, which made its Turkish premiere last year on June 21 as part of the Samsun Culture Route Festival, received wide acclaim and ran to sold-out audiences throughout the year.
In this visually striking show, the crew has engineered a system that simulates rainfall on stage. The production involves a total of 160 people, including the orchestra, on-stage performers and technical staff.
The musical, a romantic comedy classic of Hollywood cinema, explores the transition from silent films to “talkies.” It tells the story of silent film star Don Lockwood, his tumultuous working relationship with Lina Lamont and his budding romance with Kathy Selden, a theater actor trying to break into Hollywood.
The show features music by Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed, lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and is directed and translated by Aclan Büyüktürkoğlu. Kıvanç Tepe arranged the music and conducts the orchestra, while Maria Chekriekchieva leads the chorus.
Didem Tepe serves as concertmaster, with choreography by Yunus Emre Örgüt, costumes by Gülnur Çağlayan Tuluk, set design by Tayfun Çebi, lighting by Oğuz Murat Yılmaz and video projection by Murat Turgut.
The musical will be staged again at the Atatürk Cultural Center’s (AKM) Aydın Gün Stage today, on Feb. 28 and March 2. Anadolu Agency (AA) captured behind-the-scenes footage of the crew’s intense preparations.
Talip Ata, SAMDOB’s technical director, told AA that "Singin’ in the Rain" holds a special place for the company.
“We carried out many careful plans to create the effect of rainfall on stage,” Ata said. “There were many risks. Sometimes we had to reconsider to avoid potential dangers. We even considered using projections to simulate rain, but since the title is 'Singin’ in the Rain,' we wanted to present real rain to the audience with maximum excitement.”
Ata emphasized the dangers of using water on stage, including the risk of electrical faults, performers slipping, or lighting equipment being damaged, all of which could cause significant public liability. He and set designer Tayfun Çebi, along with Technical Manager Süleyman Taşcıoğlu, took precautions to protect the performers’ health and safely drain the water after performances.
“I couldn’t sleep at night thinking, ‘What if something goes wrong?’ It was a huge responsibility, but we succeeded. Our technical team showed incredible dedication. We are proud to be the first in Türkiye to achieve this,” Ata said.
Ata explained why the technical crew wears black: “We have to change sets quickly without being seen. If the director gives us two minutes, the entire scene must change within that time. Preparing this show takes two to two and a half days. A typical opera can be set up in one day, but this production is different. The overhead panels and the pool system on the stage floor are both heavy and risky, so setup and teardown require extreme care. Our team works with incredible effort, both physically and mentally. Seeing sold-out performances makes it all worthwhile.”
SAMDOB plans to stage the musical in other cities, including Ankara State Opera and Ballet in September, Ata added.
Süleyman Taşcıoğlu detailed the stage rain system: “We have two tanks. One tank pumps water upward to create the rain effect. With floor insulation, we collect the water without wetting the wooden stage, sending it back to the other tank. I was confident in the system, so I felt at ease. This is the first Turkish production to use real water for a rain effect on stage. We hope to bring it to audiences across the country. It has become a truly beautiful production.”
