What is opera without sex? Not opera!
The year is 1936 in Paris where a zany group of stars beset by egos and threatened manhood (imagine) jeopardize the staging of the sold-out "concert of the century."
The show may not go on, after all.
The hand-wringing producer (Alan Wade is Saunders) has become a madman with only three hours left to get the team ready for the really big show.
A Comedy of Tenors by Tony winner (Lend Me a Tenor ) Ken Ludwig, with some Shakespeare on steroids and Verdi and Puccini thrown in, is the featured performance at Olney Theatre Center, but you don't have to like opera to laugh a lot.
Just come for the enjoyment.
We did and got our just rewards, all right.
Temperaments, mixed-up identities, and escapades fill the show.
In an elegant hotel suite (designed by Charlie Calvert) the opera star, Tito (John Treacy Egan) arrives after a flight (a fight?) with his wife, the animated and dynamic Maria (Emily Townley) whom Tito shortly "discovers" is having an affair with their daughter's fiancé (Carlo is Alan Naylor)! A man, 20 years younger! (Imagine)
Heartbroken, the inconsolable Tito forfeits his stage appearance, unable to sing one possible note.
Producer Saunders is beside himself. Now, two hours and counting. Whatever shall he do?
To the rescue from out in the hallway comes a super bellman bearing a striking resemblance to Tito with a voice to match (and a lover of Tito's "fruits," too).
Also arriving in town is a Russian diva and "other woman"(!), Racón (Patricia Hurley), a former Tito paramour, who wants to partake of Tito's "talents," too.
From door-to-(four)-doors and woman-to-woman, the men doth move, and over the balcony railing, to the gasps of the audience, daughter Mimi (Allyson Boate) throws herself, dress billowing, and arms flailing as she makes one giant leap for womankind (which was sur real).
The outstanding, sonorous voices of the three tenors singing together (Egan, Naylor, and Matthew Schleigh as Max) soon gave me pause to wonder if it was a tape, but my seatmate, Olney apprentice, Meghan McVann, set me straight, that the voices were real, belonged to the artists, and were on stage. (Kudos to McCorkle Casting.)
All the performers excel at their assignments but it is Maria, Mrs.Tito, who especially shines among the stars, a standout whose exaggerated mannerisms, dramatic gestures, and histrionics more than effectively convey her character.
Director Jason King Jones deserves much applause for getting the performers to their places on time.
Seth M. Gilbert's costumes are perfect for the period (and now), upper-class smaltzy, elegant, and operatic.
Mr. Ludwig attended the opening night show and afterwards, cast, crew, and audience celebrated another big hit in Olney.
Other crew members are Sonya Dowhaluk, lighting; Casey Kaleba, fight director; LaShawn Melton, wigs; Justin Schmitz, sound; Brianne Taylor, dialects; Cat Wallis and Ben Walsh, stage managers; and Dennis A. Blackledge, director of production.
What: A Comedy of Tenors by Ken Ludwig
Where: Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, MD 20832.
When: Wednesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. with matinees Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. Wednesday matinee May 1 at 2 p.m. An audio-described performance for the blind and visually impaired Wednesday, April 24, at 8 p.m. and a sign-interpreted performance Thursday, May 2 at 8 p.m.
Tickets: Begin at $42 with discounts for groups, seniors, military, and students
Ages: Olney rates Tenors as "PG-13."
"Afterwords": After Saturday matinees on April 20, 27 and May 4 and 11.
Duration: Almost two hours with one 15 minute intermission
Refreshments: Available and may be taken to seats
Parking: Free, lighted and plentiful on-site
For more information: 301-924-3400 for the box office or 301-924-4485.
patricialesli@gmail.com
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