Max Clayton Talks of 'Singin' in the Rain' in Ogunquit Production of Classic Film

In June 2022, Max Clayton had quite a week. First, he attended the Tony Awards with his partner Matt Doyle won the Best Supporting Actor in a Musical nod; then, the next day, he learned he'd be going on for Hugh Jackman, whom he was understudying in "The Music Man," after Jackman tested positive for COVID.

"It's been mind-blowingly full circle. My whole journey with 'The Music Man' has been pretty special," he told Broadway.com. "I never imagined I would be Hugh Jackman's standby while I was creating it. I still get emotional when I think about it. This is my eighth Broadway show, and I've understudied the lead in almost all of the shows I've been in."

A year later, he is starring as Don Lockwood – the role immortalized by Gene Kelly – in a stage adaptation of "Singin' in the Rain" at the Ogunquit Playhouse. In it, he gets to re-create one of the most famous sequences in film history: Dancing on a rainy street to the musical's title song.

He made his Broadway debut in the 2014 revival of "On the Town," where he understudied Gaby, one of the three leads. He followed that with the 2015 revival of "Gigi," then "Something Rotten!," "Bandstand," "Hello, Dolly!," "Pretty Woman: the Musical," and "Moulin Rouge."

EDGE spoke with Clayton as he was rehearsing "Singin' in the Rain," where he talked about the classic film, the huge demands of the role, and what it is like to sing in the rain.

EDGE: When was your first introduction to "Singin' in the Rain?"

Max Clayton: My very first introduction from what I can remember would have come from my grandfather, Raymond Truncellito. I remember being in his living room one day while still in grade school, and he introduced me to all the greats, i.e., Frank Sinatra, Fred Astaire, and Gene Kelly. He had so much knowledge about the arts and musicals, and I remember him specifically showing me the "Broadway Melody" section, which is an act II of the musical, and I'll never forget it.

EDGE: What made you want to play the role of Don Lockwood?

Max Clayton: I think as a kid it was always cool to imagine you'd get to sing, dance, and play in the rain on stage. It kind of seemed like this impossible dream, and to do it every day has been really fun. It immediately makes you feel so childlike, happy, and joyful.

EDGE: How do you make such an iconic role so connected to someone else your own?

Max Clayton: I think by doing just that is the only way. I'm not Gene Kelly, and I'll never be Gene Kelly, as hard as I try and as much as I wish I could be him. The important thing is to bring myself to make it authentically my own. Otherwise, you're setting yourself up for failure by trying to do an impersonation of somebody that is never going to land for an audience of people who have also grown up watching this film and this iconic role. It's important to bring Max to Don.

EDGE: What is the most challenging aspect of this role?

Max Clayton: Everything! It is naturally a challenging role. Playing one of the most iconic musical film characters on stage is incredibly difficult, but also the role itself is very difficult. It's very demanding. I really do not stop. Once the show starts and I get on that train, it just goes. I have to take it one scene at a time. It's a two-and-a-half-hour marathon of nonstop acting, singing, and dancing.

EDGE: This role requires a lot of dancing. How do you maintain your stamina?

Max Clayton: I was discussing this with Chiara Trentalange, who plays Kathy Selden. I've done a lot of crazy, insane, and physically demanding shows before, but this one is just brutal in the best way. It's relentless, and it makes me so happy. You have to just commit to it and go.

EDGE: What can you tell us about the iconic rain scene?

Max Clayton: I instantly become a kid again every time I perform it. I've found myself tearing up and feeling this sense of joy that I can't put on paper. It's so much fun. It is the most freeing and liberating six minutes that I get to experience every night. It feels so satisfying to jump on that lamp post at the very end. The first two rows wear ponchos to keep them from getting wet. So, I really make sure I splash the water, so the audience gets to experience what they have been waiting for.

EDGE: Do you have another favorite moment in the show?

Max Clayton: I absolutely love performing "Moses Supposes" every night. It's the song that takes place when Don starts taking diction lessons because silent films are being turned into talkies. All the actors, of course, need to learn how to speak properly on camera. The dictation coach is played by my friend Calvin Cooper, and Cosmo Brown is played by my dear friend Christian Probst, who's just incredible. We have so much fun every night. It feels like we've been doing it forever, just because we are so happy. The entire cast is amazing. We are all so happy to be here in Ogunquit. It's a beautiful and magical place. "Moses Supposes" is really the moment of the show where I think, "Oh my gosh, this is the dream."

EDGE: What do you love about this musical?

Max Clayton: I love how unapologetically light it is, and it is just a classic quintessential movie musical in my opinion. It deals with certain things, obstacles, and perseverance with characters, but at the end of the day it's really a feel-good show. In the world we live in, it's so nice to share this story with people who just want to escape reality for a little bit.

EDGE: As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, what has the theatre meant to you?

Max Clayton: The theater has always been my safe place, and was even before I come out. I've always known who I am, no matter what the world around me said or showed me. The theater community always gave me a 100% sense of security. I never feel more like myself than I do when I am in the theater.

EDGE: What's next for you?

Max Clayton: I have a couple of things in development. New musicals take years to get off the ground before finding a home on Broadway. When I am not performing, I sell real estate in Manhattan, and I work with a brokerage called Modlin Group. When everything shut down back in 2020, I realized very quickly that I needed to have a backup plan. I really enjoy working in the New York real estate market.

"Singin' in the Rain" continues through July 15 at the Ogunquit Playhouse, 10 Main Street, Ogunquit, Maine. For more information, visit the Ogunquit Playhouse website.