Review: LEND ME A SOPRANO at Olney Theatre Center

Olney Theatre Center's Roberts Mainstage is presenting Ken Ludwig's "Lend Me a Soprano" through March 10. This is a reimagining (by the author) of Ludwig's Tony-winning farce "Lend Me a Tenor," a staple of professional, community, and school theatres nationwide...which I've somehow never seen.  As the change in the title suggests, the production is gender-swapped; the male roles in the original are female in the new version and vice versa. Having not seen the original, I cannot speak to the difference in effect in the new version, but can only evaluate "Soprano" on its own merits...and it has many merits.

In Cleveland in winter of 1934, Mrs. Wylie (Tina Stafford), the general manager of the Cleveland Grand Opera company, is anxiously awaiting the arrival of Elena Firenzi (Carolann M. Sanita) a world-renowned Italian Soprano, who is contracted to play the lead in a one-night-only performance of Georges Bizet's opera Carmen. Her harried assistant Jo (Rachel Felstein), who has theatrical ambitions of her own, and son Jerry (Maboud Ebrahimzadeh), who is enamored with Elena, attempt to calm her. Elena finally shows up, accompanied by her husband Pasquale (Dylan Arredondo) who is enraged by his wife's flirtations. Jerry sneaks into Elena's bedroom with the hope of meeting her, leading Pasquale to leave in rage, believing she has a lover. After a heartfelt conversation with Jo,  in which she shares singing advice, a distraught Elena ostensibly kills herself with an overdose of sleeping pills. Terrified of facing the Opera board's wrath, Mrs. Wylie desperately contrives for Jo to dress up as Elena and play the role, to which she at least agrees in exchange for being allowed to have input on the company's productions.  Elena revives and numerous cases of mistaken identity ensue involving Jerry, a star-struck bellhop (Natalya Lynette Rathnam), Leo, (Tom Patterson) an amorous company member who calls himself "The Flying Dutchman," and Julia (Donna Migliaccio) the opera company's imperious chairwoman

Director Eleanor Holdridge keeps the play moving at a lively, madcap pace and draws effective, engaging performances from her ensemble. Felstein is a standout, showing Jo's transformation from timid underling to confident leading lady. Her scenes with Sanita have wonderful chemistry, and allow the latter  to show the humanity under the diva's flashy exterior. Arredondo as Pasquale has limited stage time, but imbues the performance with a frightening, primal energy. Ebrahimzadeh makes Jerry an outwardly tough but boyishly  lovestruck fool. A scene in which he professes his affection to Jo, disguised as Elena, is particularly funny and oddly touching. Andrew Cohen's design of the hotel suite where the play takes place is extraordinary, complete with huge chandeliers and a view of Cleveland through the windows.

Again, I have never seen the original, but the present work is a hilarious, engaging farce that holds the audience's interest throughout.  Any veteran of professional or amateur theatre will recognize the frayed nerves and desperation that occur when hiccups occur in the last moments of preperation for a show.  Ludwig, whose bibliography also includes "Moon Over Buffalo," knows this world well and mines it prodigiously for material. Coincidentally, this is the third consecutive production I have reviewed for this publication (after Girl From the North Country and Annie) that has taken place in winter of the mid-1930s.  Tonally, it's much closer to the latter than the former.

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