NAPPANEE — Ken Ludwig’s “Lend Me A Tenor” is currently on stage at Amish Aces Round Barn Theatre and it offers a laugh a minute as the cast faces problems and encounters involving Italian opera tenor Tito Merelli (Christopher Cherry).
As the show opens, it’s 1934 and Max (DeBryant Johnson) and Maggie (Danae DeShazer) are discussing why she doesn’t want to marry him at this time. Enter her father, Sanders (Tucker Curtis). The trio is waiting for Tito, who is late. He is to perform “Otello” at the Cleveland Grand Opera that evening and they are worried. Maggie met Tito sometime ago and he kissed her hand. She wants more than anything to meet him again.
The entire production takes place in the hotel suite that has been reserved for Tito and his wife, Maria (Chloe Solan). Maggie leaves, but swipes the key and returns via the bedroom door and hides in the closet.
When the Merellis arrive Sanders leaves after giving Max instructions on what he is to do with Tito.
Maria becomes upset and leaves. That upsets Tito. Trying to calm him down, Max gives him pills to relax him and Tito soon falls into a deep sleep.
Sanders and Max decide Tito is dead — he overdosed and killed himself. But what about the opera? Max can do it. No he can’t. Yes he can!
Meanwhile the living room of the suite becomes a bee hive of activity. Everyone wants to see Tito, including the bellhop (Travis Bird). Diana (Hannah Williams), the woman who is to sing opposite of Tito, wants him to put a good word in for her in New York. Julia (Rita Kurtz), chairman of the opera guild, just wants to meet him. Sanders and Max try to get all to leave.
Max will save the day and appear in the opera in Tito’s costume. Meanwhile, Tito wakes up and puts on an identical costume and takes off for the theatre. The police, however, stop him when he tries to enter the theater.
The production is over. Max won the hearts of the audience but he and Sanders don’t know what to do about the “dead” Tito. Tito isn’t in the bed where they left him. Where is he?
Max and Tito don’t look a bit similar. One is tall, one is short. Both are dressed in like costumes during much of the production and no one seems to know the difference.
The production is seductive in many places and not for children. But it’s treated in a way that’s not offensive.
Maggie is in the closet. Diana is in the bathroom. Then, Max and Maggie end up in the living room. Tito and Diana end up in the bedroom. In the end, all is well. Tito’s wife returns and Max proves to Maggie he really was “Otello.”
There is no real star in this production, that honor goes to Johnson and Cherry. They are delightful to watch. Their love for acting shows as the twin Titos. DeShazer, Williams and Solan make the perfect women in the show. They are fun to watch and delight the audience when on stage. DeShazer and Williams are both seductive young woman and play their parts to perfection. Curtis and Kutz are the older characters and offer the audience much to laugh about as they go about trying to get everything perfect for this special opera. And Bird, who has delighted Round Barn audiences in the past, turns in another perfect performance.
“Lend Me A Tennor is on stage through Nov. 4. For tickets (800) 800 4942 or go online at amishacres.com.