Chautauqua Playhouse's "Lend Me A Tenor"
(Picture caption, from the Sacramento Bee's Ticket section)
The Chautauqua Playhouse presents "Lend Me a Tenor," featuring, from left, Erin Jones, Savannah Scott and Lenore Sebastian. It opens at 8 tonight and continues through Oct. 1 at 5325 Engle Road in the La Sierra Community Center, Carmichael.

I had spent most of Saturday just way too hot: first, aerobics class, then patching a roof, then ballet - I was hot even while taking a nap! I thought, "I've got to watch someone else sweat, for a change." Then I remembered that Chautauqua Playhouse opened "Lend Me A Tenor" on Friday night, and I thought, "perfect: stage lights!" Gil Sebastian was directing the show, and I already knew several in the cast: Lenore Sebastian, Erin Jones, Paul Fearn, and Savannah Scott - all quite experienced on the stage - plus others whom I knew by reputation: Rodger Hoopman and Jeff Labowitch particularly. Time to go to Carmichael, I thought!

Here is a plot summary (borrowed from this Australian blog):

The play, written by Ken Ludwig, is a farce about opera. The main character, Max, is a dogsbody for an opera company managed by Henry Saunders. They're bringing out the famous Italian tenor Tito Morelli to sing at a special charity performance of Otello. Max likes to sing opera himself, and tries to impress Saunders' daughter Maggie. However she only has eyes for the tenor, otherwise known as "Il Stupendo". Morelli arrives with his fiery wife Maria, they fight, and the tenor appears to top himself. To avoid a public relations disaster, Saunders forces Max to dress up as Othello (complete with black face) and go on, pretending to be Morelli. Hilarity then ensues with two Othellos running about, dodging Saunders, each other and some very "excited" fans (including a hotel porter).

It's one of the better farce comedies I've seen. The writing is sharp and funny, the pace is frenetic, and it has all the elements of farce — slamming doors, people hidden in cupboards and bathrooms, mistaken identities, trousers round the ankles, that sort of thing.

Chautauqua's version is slightly different - no trousers or cupboards - but I quibble....

Chautauqua Playhouse's "Lend Me A Tenor" is excellent. Kevin Caravalho, who plays Max, is a ball of comic energy (Kevin has appeared locally in Runaway Stage's production of "The Odd Couple" as Vinny, and in Magic Circle's "Little Shop of Horrors" as Seymour). Kevin's kinetic frenzy drives the rest of the cast. Erin is wonderfully funny as Maggie, Rodger is appropriately loud and blustery as Saunders, Paul has wonderful timing as Merelli, and Lenore is excellent as Maria. No one can vamp it up like Savannah! Jeff Labowitch was appropriately silly as the porter, and Fritzi Youngstedt was fine as the Chairman of the Opera Guild.

The plot of the entire farce seemed surprisingly complicated to me - it's amazing the actors can carry it all off (I'm unfamiliar with farce: I'll have to try it sometime!) Little details caught my eye: for example, Paul has to 'play dead' as the drugged Merelli, which I'm sure is surprisingly difficult to do when so much else is going on around him (like when Saunders vents at him). Kevin, Paul, and Jeff are excellent singers, as well as fine comic actors. Lenore has fine expression as the angry Maria, and Erin and Savannah, as well as being fine actresses, make an excellent team of - uh - temptresses.

At intermission, I talked to Tevye Ditter, who discussed his latest projects. He is playing Teen Angel/Johnny Casino in Runaway Stage's upcoming staging of "Grease", but is reserving a lot of his time for an original musical being written by his former vocal coach, Dario Vanni, who is returning to Sacramento soon from Eureka. The musical is about Michelangelo, and the painting of the Sistine Chapel. Tev is alternately the test bed and muse for the songs and script. Given Tev's talents, this sounds like a really interesting project, and we'll have to keep an eye out for the production, when announced.

In one sense only, "Lend Me A Tenor" was a disappointment: I didn't see anyone breaking a sweat. See what happens when you put all that experience on stage? It's August, they are going 100 mph, and the performers are as cool as ice!

See the show while you can! It runs through September, ending October 1st, but be sure to check times: some Sundays, I understand there isn't a matinee performance.