Feeding the Byrd (Theater)

I can cross another classic movie off my "Need to See" list after taking in "Singing in the Rain" at the Byrd this afternoon.

It was a fundraiser ($7 for admission and all the popcorn you wanted) and, frankly, I'm happy to support anything that gets those god-awful seats replaced sooner.

I saw one rather large woman trying to squeeze herself into a seat and it wasn't going well; I tried not to watch but it was like a train wreck and kind of tough to look away.

The Byrd seats were built for 1928 back sides, not our 2009 super-sized butts.

At the moment, parts of the Mighty Wurlitzer are in the repair shop, so we didn't get the usual pre-movie organ extravaganza as billed, but I was okay with that.

Some people weren't and whined a bit at the announcement.

The best part of the movie was the dancing, of course, with Donald O'Conner's performance a close second.

Fun fact I learned: all that singing in the rain was actually singing in a water/milk mixture, since straight water didn't photograph as well under the lights.

And Gene Kelly did that dance in one take, with six cameras filming.

One take!

Ask a dancer how tough that would be to accomplish.

Then imagine how bad he smelled with watery milk residue all over him afterwards.

I'm singin' in the rain
Just singin' in the rain
What a dis-gusting feeling
I'm pungent again.

Or something like that.