Hale Centre Theatre
Lend Me a Tenor
Review
It's hours before curtain at the Cleveland Opera Company's performance of "Otello", and the company's general manager is panicking because the star is a no-show. When the famous tenor finally arrives, chaos and hilarity ensue!
Not only is Ken Ludwig's comedy "Lend Me a Tenor" filled with outrageous characters and side-splitting humor, but Hale Centre Theatre's production is topped off with a brilliant cast of some of HCT's finest actors.
Ryan J. Poole (Monday, Wednesday, Friday cast) gives a terrific performance as the anxious and easily flustered Max, and Eden Benson's girlish, starry-eyed appeal was perfect as Maggie, his love interest. Together, they fill their scenes not only with humor, but also real sincerity, not always an easy feat in this type of piece.
David W. Stensrud is charming as the overconfident yet lovable Tito Morelli. His larger-than-life portrayal is comical but convincing, and his singing is beautiful. That's another great thing about HCT's production...these guys can actually sing! Both Stensrud and Poole have an opportunity to sing in this non-musical, and they both do an excellent job. One of Stensrud's brightest moments is a dramatic slapstick suicide attempt when Tito finds out his wife has left him. His many failed attacks on himself are brilliant!
Charisse Baxter is thoroughly enjoyable as Maria, Tito's wife and verbal sparring partner. With arguably the best accent in the show, Baxter's performance as a jealous and volatile Italian woman was fantastic, and the chemistry between Stensrud and Baxter is filled with gusto and is very fun to watch.
David Phillips, who is single cast as Saunders, is quite good with his facial expressions and mannerisms, and does a fine job of keeping the pace of the humorous dialogue. Also gracing the stage is HCT veteran Linda Jean Stephenson as Julia, the Chairman of the Cleveland Opera Guild. Stephenson's elegance and comedic talent is perfect for this type of humor.
In relatively smaller yet equally wonderful roles, are Britany Dean as Diana and Cody K. Carlson as the bellhop. I thought it was funny that Dean's biography in the playbill states "It's nice to be type-cast as the sexy, voluptuous soprano", because she seemed to fall so effortlessly into the character. Her exuberant and seductive portrayal was spot-on and very funny. Carlson is hilarious as the star-struck bellhop. He did a great job of taking what could have been a rather flat role, and making it more than entertaining. (And his comedic singing wasn't bad either!)
As with any farce, timing is essential, and this fine ensemble cast is more than up to the challenge. In classic HCT fashion, much of the humor is generated by the characters dashing in and out of rooms, with just the right amount of door slamming. From Shawnda Moss' sharp direction to the cleverly designed hotel suite set, everything works fabulously in this clever production.
Hale Centre Theatre's production of "Lend Me a Tenor" runs until February 9, 2008. For tickets and information, call the box office at (801) 984-9000 or visit www.halecentretheatre.org.
--Review by Jami Stensrud, On Stage in Utah
