Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles#Cast members

Rain began in 1975 as Reign,Sion, Mike. [http://www.rgj.com/story/life/2015/01/21/rain-new-generation-takes-reins-beatles-tribute/22132047/ "Rain: New generation takes reins of Beatles tribute,"] Reno Gazette-Journal (January 23, 2015). a Laguna Beach, California, band that played both original music and Beatles covers. Founding members were Mark Lewis, Eddie Lineberry, Bill Connearney, Grant Belotti, Chuck Coffey, and Steve Wight. (Connearney, Belotti, Lineberry, and Alan Hawley had been members of a prior band known as Lucky Dogs.) The name of the band, "Reign/Rain," is a reference to the 1966 Beatles single "Rain," the B-side of "Paperback Writer."Isherwood, Charles. [https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/27/theater/reviews/27rain.html?_r=0 "Another Long and Winding Detour,"] New York Times (October 26, 2010).

Co-founder and keyboardist Mark Lewis managed the band, became its lead arranger, and found Rain a regular weekly gig doing Beatles covers at the Mine Shaft in Calabasas, California.Marinucci, Steve. "Tribute band Rain isn't the Beatles, but they play them -- and very successfully," Examiner.com (October 18, 2010). Before long Rain had a following of Beatles fans around the Los Angeles/Orange County area, and soon extended up the West Coast as far as Seattle.

As the band developed a reputation, they performed at the 1978 Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon. In 1979, producer Dick Clark hired Rain members to record exact Beatles covers for the Richard Marquand film Birth of the Beatles.Wilson, Debra Minor [http://www.timeswv.com/news/lifestyles/rain-a-tribute-to-beatles-set-monday/article_cb52f6d2-3a8d-5d8f-8f38-94e226ba8dc0.html "'Rain — A Tribute to Beatles' set Monday,"] Times West Virginian (March 13, 2014).

By 1980, Lewis had built the band into a long-standing touring tradition. The lineup of Rain remained constant until 1980, with Lineberry playing John Lennon, Coffey playing Paul McCartney, Connearney playing George Harrison, and Belotti playing Ringo Starr (with Lewis playing keyboards behind the scenes). Joey Curatolo joined Rain in 1978, sharing the role of Paul with Coffey; Curatolo is still a current member of Rain.

Lineberry left Rain in 1980, and Coffey, Connearney, and Belotti all left in 1982. Joe Bithorn joined the group as "George" in 1983, and is still with Rain. Ralph Castell joined Rain in 1986 as Ringo, and is still with the show.

In 2001 the Rain Corporation took over management of the band. In 2005, management met with producer Jeff Parry to expand the tribute band's scope — which at that point was mostly doing concerts at casinos — and develop a Broadway-style production in the manner of 1977's Beatlemania. The result of this planning eventually became the 2010 Broadway run.Grode, Eric. [https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/16/theater/a-beatles-tribute-show-seeks-half-the-revenues-of-another.html "Can’t Buy Me Love? A Lawsuit Debates It: A Beatles Tribute Show Seeks Half the Revenues of Another,"] New York Times (July 15, 2013).

In 2008, Pollstar listed Rain at number 17 in its yearly "Pollstar's Hot Top 20" for overall tickets sales of a touring show, band, or production.{{citation needed|date=March 2016}}

Rain played Hollywood's Pantages Theatre in 2009. In 2010 the production performed at Kansas City's Starlight Theatre and New Orleans' Mahalia Jackson Theater of the Performing Arts.

In 2009, on the eve of Rain moving to Broadway, the Rain Corporation and Parry's Annerin Productions agreed to produce a West End theatre version of the show, with both sides splitting the profits 50-50.

Rain ran on Broadway for 300 shows (and 8 preview performances), first at the Neil Simon Theatre on October 26, 2010 – January 15, 2011, then at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on February 8, 2011 – July 31, 2011.[https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/rain-488176 Internet Broadway Database]

In 2012, Parry/Annerin Productions put on Let It Be, a Beatles "concert experience"Gioia, Michael. [http://www.playbill.com/article/producers-of-rain-a-tribute-to-the-beatles-file-copyright-infringement-suit-against-broadways-let-it-be-com-207581 "Producers of Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles File Copyright Infringement Suit Against Broadway's Let It Be,"] Playbill (July 16, 2013). that played in London's West End. In 2013, on the eve of Let It Be coming to Broadway, the Rain Corporation filed a copyright suit against Parry and his fellow Let It Be producers. Rain claimed that Let It Be was essentially the same concept as Rain, with similar artwork, costumes, and virtually the same song repertoire, and that Rain was entitled to 50% of Let It Be's profits."{{cn|date=April 2020}} Parry and Annerin instead proposed giving Rain Corporation 7.5% of their profits. The case was settled out of court.

The show begins with the four actors portraying an early version of The Beatles' appearance at the Cavern Club in 1962. When this scene closes, The Beatles journey to America, beginning their tour at The Ed Sullivan Show. Moving forward, The Beatles' directions are changing musically while their band grows in popularity performing their largest concert at New York City's Shea Stadium. Subsequent scenes use hallucinogenic and psychedelic designs to represent The Beatles' ever increasing experimentation with substances and Eastern philosophies. The show culminates with the breakup of the group and the end of the 1960s.

• Eddie Lineberry (1974–1980) — recorded songs for the film Birth of the Beatles
• Randy Clark (1980-1981) - also appeared in Beatlemania
• Jim Riddle (1983–1997) — also appeared in Beatlemania; died 1997
• Steve Landes (1998–present) — originally from Philadelphia; also appeared in Beatlemania at age 17
• Jimmy Irizarry (c. 2012)
• David Leon (c. 2009)
• Tim Piper (c. 2009)

• Chuck Coffey (1974–1980) — recorded songs for Birth of the Beatles; died 2021
• Glenn Burtnik (1980-1982)
• Joey Curatolo (1978–present) – originally from Brooklyn; toured with the Broadway production of Beatlemania; father of Paul Curatolo
• Robert "Mac" Ruffing — also played with 1964 the Tribute and Beatlemania
• Graham Alexander (2010–2011) — originally from New Jersey; member of the 2010 Broadway production{{cite news|last=Lamar|first=Andre|title=Graham Alexander to debut at the Kennett Flash|url=http://www.doverpost.com/article/20121108/NEWS/121109753#axzz2XdlcFd6r|newspaper=Dover Post|date=November 8, 2012}}
• Alan LaBoeuf (c. 2009)
• Paul Curatolo (2014–present) — originally from Reno; son of Joey Curatolo; member of the pop band Wayward; plays left-handed like McCartney
• Ian B. Garcia — native of Viña del Mar, Chile

• Bill Connearney (1974–1982) — recorded songs for Birth of the Beatles; deceased
• Joe Bithorn (1983–present) — originally from New York; toured with Beatlemania
• Tom Teeley— also played with Beatlemania and Classical Mystery Tour
• Alastar McNeil — native of Oahu, Hawaii; member of the band Kupa'aina. His grand-aunt was Broadway chorus dancer Ruth Sato.{{cite news|last=McNeil|first=Aloha|title=Phone Interview with Aloha McNeil|date=January 26, 2016|location=Chicago, Illinois}}
• Jimmy Pou — originally from Miami; also performed with Beatlemania and 1964 – The Tribute.
• John Korba

• Grant Belotti (1974–1982) — deceased
• Bobby Taylor (1980-1985) also appeared in Beatlemania
• Steve Wight (1979) — recorded songs for Birth of the Beatles
• Ralph Castelli (1986–present) — originally from Southern California; toured with Beatlemania; played Ringo in Beatlemania: The Movie
• Aaron Chiazza (2014-2023) — former member of Paul Curatolo's band Wayward
• Dylan Verge (2024-present)
• Douglas Cox — originally from Missouri and Texas
• Joe Bologna (c. 2009)
• Chris McBurney

• Mark Lewis (1975 – present) — founding member and musical arranger of Rain; retired from performing in 2010 to concentrate on managing the show
• Mark Beyer
• Chris Smallwood – originally from Kentucky

{{reflist}}

• {{official website|http://www.raintribute.com}}
• [https://www.facebook.com/RainTribute RAIN: A Tribute to the Beatles Facebook page]
• [https://www.facebook.com/Original.Rain "Original Rain" Facebook page]

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Category:Musicals based on songs by the Beatles

Category:The Beatles tribute bands

Category:Revues

Category:Musicals inspired by real-life events

Category:Drama Desk Award winners

Category:1975 musicals

Category:Biographical musicals about musicians