LEND ME A TENOR At MN Players/Spotlight Theatre

MN Players (soon to be Spotlight Theatre) presents Ken Ludwig's Lend Me A Tenor, part of its Spotlight subscription series, directed by Timothy P. Oskin.  

This night in September of 1934 is the biggest in the history of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company, as world famous tenor Tito Morelli is to perform the title role in Otello at the gala season opener. Saunders, the harried general manager, hopes this will put Cleveland on the cultural map. Morelli is nowhere to be found; when he finally arrives drunk, it is too late for any rehearsal. Through a hilarious series of mishaps, “Il Stupendo” is given a double dose of tranquilizers, which mixes with the booze he has consumed, and he passes out. His pulse is so low that Saunders and his assistant Max believe he is dead. What to do? Saunders coaxes Max into Morelli’s costume, intending to fool the audience with this fake “Il Stupendo,” makeup 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 deshabille, each thinking she is with “Il Stupendo,” the farce spins out of control onstage and off. 

Lend Me a Tenor, produced by special arrangements with Samuel French, Inc., will run Sept. 7, 8, 14, 15, 16 (Sunday matinee), 21, and 22. Tickets for Friday and Saturday performances (which begin at 8 p.m.) cost $15 each; tickets for the Sept. 16 matinee cost $12 each. MN Players/Spotlight Theatre is wheelchair-accessible. For more information, call 610-328-1079 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              610-328-1079      end_of_the_skype_highlighting; to purchase tickets online, go to www.mnplayers.org.