Lend Me A Tenor

Beardsley Theater, February 16, 17, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25, 26, March 1, 2, 3, 4, 2012

It’s opening night for the 1934 season, and this September performance is the biggest in the history of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company! World famous tenor, Tito Morelli, is to perform Otello, his greatest role, at the gala season opener. Saunders, the harried General Manager of the Company, hopes this will put Cleveland on the cultural map. However, Morelli is nowhere to be found, and when he finally arrives drunk, it is too late for any rehearsal. When a double dose of tranquilizers mixes with the booze, Il Stupendo passes out, and Saunders thinks that he is dead. What to do? Saunders coaxes his assistant Max into Morelli’s costume, intending to fool the audience with this fake ‘Il Stupendo,’ blackface and all. Nervous amateur, Max, succeeds admirably, but Morelli revives and dresses for his second act. With two Otellos now in costume and two women en dishabille, the farce spins out of control onstage and off. For more information on Ken Ludwig go to www.kenludwig.com

THE CAST

Max  - Cory Goodrich

Maggie - Lauren Cole

Saunders - Adam Bell

Tito Merelli  - Walter Mrotz

Maria - Teri Gust

Bellhop  - William Stauter

Diana - Michelle Renna

Julia - Diane DeGrazia