By Jill Fales for NewportMesaDailyVoice.com
Costa Mesa Civic Playhouse officially kicked off its 2009-10 season last week with the opening of the comical "Lend Me A Tenor" directed by David Anthony Blair.
"Lend Me A Tenor" first opened in London’s West Side in 1986 where it ran for 10 months. The Broadway production ran for 476 performances.
Set in 1934, the play centers on the Cleveland Opera Company's production of "Otello," starring the beloved and very famous Italian tenor, Tito Morelli. The theater manager Saunders is sure that having Morelli perform will put Cleveland Opera Company on the map.
After Tito's arrival, through a series of small mishaps, Tito passes out from too many tranquilizers and too much wine.
When theater assistant Max goes to wake up Tito and take him to the theater, Max cannot wake him and believes he is dead.
Saunders begs Max to impersonate the great Tito Morelli; he has $50,000 and his entire reputation riding on the success of the show.
In addition to writing a hilarious farce of mistaken identity, double entendres and the rise of an underdog, playwright Kenneth Ludwig affectionately pokes fun at the world of opera. Opera, as it turns out, is playwright Ken Ludwig’s first love as he writes in his newly launched blog on his website:
"Lend Me A Tenor, of course, is about the world of opera; and I wrote it partly to honor that world that I loved so much. "
Not going to see Lend Me a Tenor at the Costa Mesa Playhouse is more than a missed opportunity to see superb community theater; it is a missed opportunity to laugh, which we all need to do more.
Among my favorite scenes were the passionate Italian marital spats between Tito (Paul Burt) and Maria (Norma Jean Riddick). Their chemistry, timing, and accents were hilarious.
While actors Burt and Riddick gave glorious, loud and passionate performances, Jaycob Hunter who played Max mastered the subtleties that made his performance tremendous. He reminded me of Jason Alexander’s nervous and neurotic character George Costanza from "Seinfeld."
It takes great skill to make the audience believe that you are one character who then tries to impersonate another. Hunter did it flawlessly.
The story is set in the hotel suite of Tito. I am always so impressed how a community theater, lacking any real budget, can stage such a believable and detailed set.
Leaving the Costa Mesa Playhouse, I half expected to see a hot dog cart, or someone hailing a cab. But turning onto Harbor Boulvard, and seeing Norm's, I was forced to accept I was still in Costa Mesa.
"Lend Me A Tenor" will play on weekends through Sept. 20; Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.General admission is $18; Students and seniors get in for $16. 661 Hamilton St. in Costa Mesa. 949.650.5269.
©2009 Costa Mesa Civic Playhouse