Cape May Stage Opens LEND ME A TENOR, 6/12

Take one womanizing opera singer, knock him out in a hotel room, add a jealous wife, a scheming impersonator, a hilariously ambitious bellhop, and toss in some people running around in their underwear, getting drunk, screaming and slamming doors, and you have the recipe for a rollicking good evening of theatre. Lend Me a Tenor, Ken Ludwig's deliriously funny farce set in the richly glamorous 1930s, opens at Cape May Stage's Robert Shackleton Playhouse Wednesday, June 12 and runs through July 26.

The story unfolds when the Cleveland Grand Opera Company's production of Otello, starring world famous Italian tenor, Tito "Il Stupendo" Merelli, finally arrives. This performance is set to take the opera world by storm, except for the fact that Tito has accidentally taken one too many tranquilizers. Luckily, the General Manager's assistant and aspiring tenor, Max, looks exactly like Tito in costume. Throw a relentless bellhop, a star-struck fan, and one very jealous wife into the mix, and what could possibly go wrong? It's sure to be a memorable night at the opera as backstage hijinks abound in this multiple Tony award-winning comedy.

Lend Me a Tenor features an all-star cast of Cape May Stage favorites including Producing Artistic Director Roy Steinberg (Red), Barrymore Award winner Scott Greer (Moonlight & Magnolias, Stones in His Pockets), and Broadway's Marlena Lustik (Steel Magnolias, I Hate Hamlet). Making their Cape May Stage debuts, the company is pleased to welcome New York based actors David Arkema (Don't Talk to the Actors, Hound of the Baskervilles), Aly Vidy (Junie B. Jones, Brighton Beach Memoirs), Carey VanDriest (House of Cards, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof), Stacey Harris (Broadway's Bells Are Ringing), and former Cape May Stage acting intern, Jeremy Konopka (Cape May Kids).

An experienced production team joins the cast including director Chris Dolman (Red, Doubt) Scenic Designer Robert J Martin, Lighting Designer Cyrus Newitt, Costume Designer Michele Sinacore, and Stage Manager Lisa Shames.

Performance Information

Lend Me a Tenor will run from Wednesday, June 12 to Saturday, July 26 at the Robert Shackleton Playhouse located at 405 Lafayette Street in downtown Cape May. Performances are Tuesdays through Sundays at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 adults, $30 seniors, and $15 students. Wednesday, June 12 is a half-price preview followed by the official opening/press night Thursday June 13, and on Sunday, June 30 the 8 p.m. performance will be half-price for senior citizens (62+). Call (609) 770-8311 for reservations and information or visit the theatre's website, www.capemaystage.org.