It’s every building owner’s worst nightmare — rain falling from the ceiling.

This weekend at Youngstown Playhouse it will be a welcome sight as the community theater presents “Singin’ in the Rain.”

The Playhouse originally had a different musical in mind for the main stage opener of its 101st season, but it wasn’t available from the rights’ holder, so a replacement was needed.

Tyler Stouffer, who is directing, suggested “Singin’ in the Rain,” the stage adaptation of the 1952 Gene Kelly-Donald O’Connor-Debbie Reynolds movie that’s considered one of the greatest musicals of all time.

“I have a personal connection with this show,” Stouffer said. “It was actually my senior high school musical. I played the lead role of Don Lockwood, and so it’s always had a really, really special place in my heart. When they asked me for recommendations, I wanted something that would stand out, something that is different than the other things on this season.

“I also wanted to pick something that I thought our loyal patrons would really love. I think a lot of people have an emotional connection with this film, and so it was kind of a hope that those memories that these people may have of this film would bring them to the theater, and we could relive those and enjoy the dancing and the timeless tunes and all of that.”

When the show was suggested, Playhouse board President John Cox had only one question.

“We need to make it rain, obviously. So what’s the plans now? I want to know,” Cox said. “I don’t like hearing, ‘Oh yeah, we could do it,’ and then two weeks before production, they’re like, ‘Holy crap, we don’t have anything done, and we don’t know what we’re doing.’ It makes me nuts. So I’m like, ‘If you tell me now how we’re going to do the rain or who’s going to figure this out, then we’ll make a decision.’ So we had that mapped out prior.”

There was some talk of using projections or other techniques to simulate the effect for the performance of the title song, but Stouffer insisted if they were going to do it, they had to fully commit.

Both Stouffer and Cox credited Playhouse Technical Director Johnny Pecano for figuring out the logistics of how to make it rain and, more importantly, how to drain the water off of the stage once it had fallen.

But that wasn’t the only challenge. Water is clear, so if the lighting isn’t right, the audience won’t be able to see it, no matter what Pecano does. Stouffer said in the film, they used milk instead of water for the famous dance number so it would photograph better.

“Props to our lighting designer, Ellen Licitra,” Stouffer said. “It’s going to feel like you’re watching the movie, and luckily my dancer doesn’t have to dance in milk. There are so many elements, from construction to lighting to music to dance to make that specific moment so special. The whole team is working so well together.”

“Singin’ in the Rain” is set in the 1920s and follows a silent film star’s budding relationship with a chorus girl at the same time the movie business is making the switch to talkies.

That storyline required Stouffer not only to direct the action on the Playhouse stage but to direct the film clips that are needed to tell the story. It was his first experience directing for the camera instead of a live audience.

“It’s a different world,” Stouffer said. “Luckily, we rely in the silent film world on overacting, so we didn’t have to worry about subtle facial expressions or things like that. But it was a real joy. Realm Rift Productions, led by Erin Morell, did the cinematography and sound and editing for all these films, and I could not have done it without her and her team.”

The cast is led by brothers Donovan Rubante and Zavier Rubante as Don Lockwood and Cosmo Brown, respectively, and Cheyenne Carr as Kathy Seldon. Because the show is so dance heavy, the trio has had a longer rehearsal schedule than most community theater musicals require.

“They have been so incredible and so dedicated,” Stouffer said. “Four weeks before the regular rehearsals started, they were working with our choreographer, Carrie Mazzucco, and they basically had a four-week tap boot camp … They really worked hard, and they’ve been practicing like crazy ever since, because a lot of the choreography is lovingly borrowed from the film. Some of the movies you’ll see them doing are the moves that Donald O’Connor and Gene Kelly were doing in the film.”

The rest of the cast includes Brooke Jonas, Arcale Peace, Frank Carsone, Michael Allenbaugh, Sam Early, Kathryn Stanton, Jalaya Taylor, Amy Banks, Terry Shears, Wayne Bonner III, Brogan Kuttler, Leona Helsel, Brigid Donofrio, Brooke Fordham, Alyssa Moore, Raquel Allison, Liam Burk, Kaden Campbell, Megan Delaney, Carly Delliquadri, Emma James, Sam Martin, Kailey Meehan, Lexi Mellinger, Erin Morell, Caitlyn Santiago, Erika Scharff, Marissa Scott and Zoe Stanton.

Stouffer directed last season’s production of “Oklahoma,” which featured a 25-piece orchestra on stage. “Singin’ in the Rain” will have a 17-piece orchestra conducted by Todd Maki accompanying the performers in the Playhouse’s newly refurbished orchestra pit.

In recent years, the Playhouse often has relied on pre-recorded musical accompaniment, but Cox said they will look for grant funding and other ways to try to make live music a regular part of its main stage musicals.

“For these big musicals, it’s just priceless to be able to have somebody like Todd, who has access to all these different musicians,” Cox said. “I’m really looking forward to what they’re going to bring to the table this time around. I just think the live (musical) performance adds another layer, and I would really like that to continue.”

If you go …

WHAT: “Singin’ in the Rain”

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday through Sept. 21

WHERE: Youngstown Playhouse, 600 Playhouse Lane, Youngstown

HOW MUCH: Tickets range from $17 to $27 for adults and $12 to $22 for children ages 12 and younger and are available online at experienceyourarts.org and by calling 330-259-9651.