Romina Villafranca, 25, burns the stage floor with her dancing and vocal abilities in the ensemble, alongside leads Adam Garcia and Erika Heynatz who take on the roles made synonymous by Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds in the 1952 film version.

It’s the first national tour for Villafranca with the show visiting Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.

“I did Singin’ in the Rain at Wollongong High School as one of our musicals,” she said. “It’s kind of cool how the cycle has come back.”

As a child, her teachers saw she had something special so encouraged her to do more. From there she threw herself into all sorts of arts including acrobatics.

By age 10 she was cast in her first major Sydney production of Oliver, and from there she blossomed.

At 17 she was cast in Wicked while still studying at Sydney’s Talent Development High School.

The jobs didn’t stop coming for the girl from Keiraville, securing movie roles in Happy Feet 2 and The Great Gatsby.

“Quite a few times I’ve been in the same show or movie with [Illawarra expats],” Villafranca said. 

“There’s a good eight that I’m constantly in and out of shows with.

“We’ve got a really great thing in Wollongong, I don’t know what it is, we must have really good water, we have a lot of talented people.”

Villafranca teamed up with Albion Park dancer Ryan Gonzalez for The Great Gatsby and musicals King Kong and Strictly Ballroom.

Other shining stars she’s worked with include former Dance World student Madeleine MacKenzie, Brenton Wilson who’s currently starring in Georgy Girl plus a raft of others.

The number of performers the Illawarra has exported to the big city is growing each year, with former Acardians thespian Anthony Warlow one of the biggest.

Phoenix Theatre director Steen recalled a number of big names that have traded the escarpment for showbiz success including Today presenter Steven Jacobs and singer/presenter Natalie Basingthwaite.

He said you’re “spoilt for choice” when thinking of stand-out performers.

Last year Dapto teenager Cyrus Villanueva won Australia’s hearts after winning reality talent quest The X Factor.

While dreams came true for 11-year-old Emma Collins, also from Dapto, taking to the Sydney Opera House Stage in December to perform at Disney Under the Stars.

Leading man Adam Garcia (playing the role of Don Lockwood) will be out of action for a while and miss the beginning of Sydney’s opening season.

Garcia tore one of his calf muscles whilst performing on stage last Sunday. As a result, Mr Garcia will not be able to perform for potentially up to six weeks.

Stepping into the role will be talented actor Grant Almirall until Garcia’s fit enough to continue singing and dancing in the rain.

Set in 1927, it tells the story of the first Hollywood musical, when the silver screen found its voice and left silent films – and some of its stars – behind.

Don Lockwood is a silent movie star with everything he could want - fame, adulation and a well-publicised ‘romance’ with his co-star Lina Lamont. But Hollywood is about to change forever.

There’s a rumour in the studio of a new kind of film, where the actors actually talk, sing, and dance. Can Don and the uniquely voiced Lina make the transition, and will chorus girl Kathy Selden fulfill her dream of stardom and capture Don’s heart along the way?

With the help of 12,000 litres of recycled water, the audience enjoys one of the most famous dance scenes live on stage, with some leaving the theatre a little wetter than when they arrived.

To achieve the famous Singin’ in the Rain scene, the production uses over 800 metres of flexible pipe work, a 9000kg water tank and a water system that creates a downpour from above as well as flooding from below the stage, in total ‘raining’ over 12,000 litres of recycled water per performance.

For tickets visit: www.ticketmaster.com.au