Set in the 1930s, Lend Me a Tenor is a madcap screwball comedy that takes place when Tito Merelli, the fiery-tempered and world famous Italian superstar, arrives in Cleveland, Ohio to make his debut with the local opera and promptly goes missing. As Saunders, the show’s presenter, conspires to cover for Tito’s absence, placate his hot-blooded wife, and distract his most passionate fans, chaos on a truly operatic level ensues.
What Is the Story of Lend Me a Tenor?
World-renowned tenor Tito Merelli has signed on to play Otello at a Cleveland opera company in the fall of 1934. He arrives late and, through a set of crazy circumstances, passes out after mixing wine with a huge dose of tranquilizers. Believing that the divo is dead, the excitable opera manager taps his hapless assistant, an aspiring singer named Max, to suit up as the Moor and replace Merelli. Meanwhile, the tenor’s jealous wife, his ambitious female co-star, Max’s young girlfriend and the flirtatious head of the opera guild are on the scene fighting—sometimes literally—for the star’s attention.
""The most howlingly funny and ingeniously staged laugh machine to hit Broadway in years. Stanley Tucci makes a slam-bang Broadway directing debut...and has inspired a cast of comic equals to harmonize the insanity, land the gags and top each other. Ludwig's screwball door-slammer is structurally perfect. There's no point in telling you how superbly fun this all is: Go now, and don't wait for the fat lady to sing.""
Time Out New York
David Cote
""The show is directed at a jet-propelled pace by Stanley Tucci...What gives this production an unexpected boost is something not usually found in a farce—heart.""
Associated Press
Michael Kuchwara
""Stanley Tucci and a contingent of Broadway and Hollywood stars are giving a new generation reason to roar.""
Variety
Marilyn Stasio
""Expert staging and terrific cast...hysterically funny.""
The Hollywood Reporter
Frank Scheck
""Speed, finesse and keen comic chops are key ingredients to any farce. They're in ample supply in Stanley Tucci's antic revival.""
New York Daily News
Joe Dziemianowicz