Winchester Production of Comedy 'Lend Me a Tenor' Hits High Note

Brian Milauskas, the producing artistic director of the , has assembled a talented and polished ensemble of eight actors for this summer's first in a series of two plays.

Set in 1934, the plot of Lend Me a Tenor revolves around the figure of Tito Merelli, an Italian opera legend who comes to Cleveland to help raise money for the Cleveland Orchestra by performing in Otello. He no sooner arrives in his hotel room the day of his performance when things begin to go wrong.

Il Stupendo as Merelli's fans call him, becomes distraught when his mistrustful wife leaves him. Unwittingly he takes too many prescription tranquilizers and washes them down with too much Chianti. Max, the assistant to the general manager and would-be tenor finding an unconscious Merelli and the "Dear John" letter his wife left, mistakenly assumes Merelli is deceased.

The plot of this comedy of errors thickens as Max's star-struck girlfriend, Maggie, his boss's daughter, attempts to meet the artiste whose singing impassions her. A series of mistaken identities ensues when Max, dressed as Otello takes to the stage in attempt to save his boss from financial ruin and Merelli wakes up. Not knowing that Max has taken his place and without Max's knowledge Merelli dons the identical Otello costume.

Six doors on the elegant and well-appointed set provide for the coming and going of the two Otellos and their encounters with the various characters in a kind of intricate choreograph requiring split-second timing and convincing characterizations.

Max's ruse succeeds. Advised by Merelli earlier in the play to believe in himself, he takes the audience by storm and a star is born. The upheaval in Max's personal life and those of the other characters find resolution as one by one the errors in their perceptions fall away. 

Veteran director and winner of the prestigious Elliot Norton Award in 2008, Nancy Curran Willis brings her talent to the production. Robert Antonelli, the guest equity actor playing Max and David Berti, the experienced actor playing Merelli, individually and as a duo sing a couple of melodic opera highlight adding to the calibre and charm of the production.

The play runs from July 22-24 at the Center for the Arts on 40 Cross Street. For times, ticket information and other events visit www.nextdoortheatre.org.