Valley theatre aficianados who could use a good laugh as days dim and winter approaches are in luck – Pine Tree Player’s new offering is loaded with chuckles and guffaws.
PTP has taken on Ken Ludwig’s Lend Me A Tenor, an outrageous farce full of high-energy antics, mistaken identity, love and lust, rapid-fire entrances and exits – even lingerie.
Lend Me A Tenor is produced by Sarah Lertzman, directed by Rob Murray and features a cast including Simon Steele (Max), Candise McMullin (Maggie), Gerry McAuley (Saunders), Rob Heighington (Tito), Janet Kundert (Maria), Doon Wilkins (bellhop), Sara Mattsson (Diana) and Cheryl McTrowe (Julia). Stage manager is Ange Maisano, with set by Dea Fischer.
The play runs Nov. 9-11 and Nov. 15-17 at the Canmore Miners’ Union Hall; doors open at 7 p.m. with the show at 7:30 p.m.
Set in 1934, Lend Me A Tenor opens with the head of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company, Saunders, expecting a visit from world-famous tenor Tito Morelli, better known as Il Stupendo, to perform as Otello. As Tito, Heighington is well cast as the larger-than-life, arrogant Italian tenor.
Among the cast members, all of the women swoon, desire and lust after the great tenor, barring his long-sufferering wife, Maria, of course. But Tito’s effect on Maggie, Saunders’ daughter, wears thin quickly on Max, who has proposed to her without acceptance.
Il Stupendo, who does like his food, overeats and proclaims himself unable to appear, much to the consternation of short-fused bigshot Saunders. With Tito complaining of stomach distress and needing rest, Saunders directs Max, whose character is reminiscent of Harold in TV’s Red Green Show, to ensure he gets some rest before his big appearance.
After Maria insists Tito take some pills to get some rest, Max then goes overboard in slipping more pills into the tenor’s wine, as per Saunders’ instructions.
And the chaos begins.
Maria, who believes Tito has women on hand everywhere he travels, leaves the great man, which causes the tenor great distress and to ingest still more pills in an effort to off himself.
To Max’s horror, Tito is discovered dead (erroneously) in his bed and it’s at this point that Saunders, worried about the bottom line for a show that goes bust, and Max hatch a devious plot to ensure the show must go on.
As Saunders and Max, McAuley and Steele have a real comic chemistry that works through the entire production – from the hatching of their plot to replace Il Stupendo, to the great tenor’s unexpected return, to Max taking on a role of greater importance in the future of the company.
Max, who wants to be a singer and impress Maggie, and took a valuable impromptu tutorial on singing and confidence from Tito, replaces the great man in blackface, with pseudo Italian accent. Things get crazy after Max wows an audience and a second Otello (Tito) is reported hammering on the opera company’s door, demanding entrance.
With the return on Tito, also in Otello blackface, love and lust take over as the ladies – gee-whiz Maggie, sultry Diane and lustful Julia – take control of things and throw themselves with great effect at the great tenor – but which tenor?
Things move at a hectic pace from living room to bedroom on the set, with much door slamming, shouting, demands, the sudden appearance of Maggie and Diane in lingerie and the fiery return of Maria.
In the end, Lend Me A Tenor winds up with an absolute… (as if we’d spill the beans, you’ll have to find out for yourself).
Tickets for Lend Me A Tenor are available at Second Story Books (713 Main St.) in Canmore, Boulder Men’s Wear in Banff (Cascade Plaza) and at the door.
