Highwood's 16th Season Turns Operatic In All-Student LEND ME A TENOR

"Benvenuto a Cleveland!" Ken Ludwig's uproarious farce Lend Me a Tenor is prepared to make its grand opening at The Highwood Theatre in downtown Silver Spring - performed in a special engagement from October 12 through October 21 only. Moving into the next leg of their ambitious 16th Season of productions, Highwood has reimagined this classic story of theatrical nightmare to feature a diverse, extraordinarily talented cast of 4th - 8th graders: some of the youngest and brightest onstage talents in the DC area.

Highwood's mission of "building community through theatre" and mold of innovative educational theatre sees itself manifested in all aspects of this special production - from being led by a team of all student technical team to the directing chair itself. Offering the DC area's most comprehensive technical theatre education program, Highwood's Tech Crew program offers hands-on instruction in all technical aspects to 4th-12th graders: including design (lights, set, sound, props, costume), construction and run crew.

Helmed by Highwood's Executive Director Kevin Kearney and Resident Stage Manager Lu Collina (10th Grader), Ken Ludwig's comedy brings us all the way to Cleveland - where audiences are anxiously awaiting the arrival of world famous opera singer Tito Mirelli. What's supposed to be the biggest night in the Opera Company's history turns into a night of unforgettable mayhem. Non-stop door-slams, mistaken identity, and relationship strains ensue, offering a perfect technical and acting challenge for Highwood's production team.

Kearney and Collina elaborate on how this production evokes the original zany spirit of the show, but with a more youthful twist, "In Lend Me a Tenor we see our wonderful cast play roles far out of their life experience: this is both a challenge and a blessing as it allows our actors to showcase the fullest extent in their talents, while also offering them the chance to play roles that they normally would not be cast in. Each and every one is going to be a true delight to watch in action!"

Lend Me a Tenor will run for a limited engagement at Highwood's home in downtown Silver Spring: Friday, Saturday and Sunday, October 12 - 14, and again on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, October 19 - 21.

The Highwood Theatre is a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing the community together through theatre. Now in its 16th season, Highwood's guiding principle is "anyone can do theatre." Highwood was founded in 2004 and began executing its mission through seasons of professional quality theatre featuring all-student casts, design teams, and production staff. In 2013, in conjunction with its relocation to the heart of downtown Silver Spring, The Highwood Theatre expanded to more fully carry out its mission and develop innovative, engaging programming for artists of all ages through professional and student productions, classes, and programs in schools and for home schooled students.