Celebration Theater presents Lend Me A Tenor, Ked Ludwig’s hilarious screwball comedy on March 13th through March 28th at The Twentieth Century Club (84 South Lansdowne Ave). Evening performances at 8pm on 3/13, 3/14, 3/19, 3/20, 3/21, 3/27, 3/28. Matinee performances on 3/15 and 3/22 at 2pm. Tickets are $15.00 and can be gotten directly here.

Lend Me A Tenor revolves around renowned tenor Tito Merelli, known to his fans as “Il Stupendo”, who is scheduled to sing the lead in Otello at a gala fundraiser for the Cleveland Opera Company in 1934. Unfortunately even before the star leaves his hotel room everything begins to unravel. Through a riotous set of mishaps, Tito is given a double dose of tranquilizers, mixed with the booze he has consumed leaves him passed out enough that the opera manager and his assistant Max believe Tito is dead. Max, also an aspiring singer, agrees to try to fool the audience into thinking he is Tito and perform in his stead. All is well until Tito wakes up and heads for the stage. Now two Otellos are running around in costume and two women are running around in lingerie, each thinking she is with Il Stupendo! What ensues is a chain-reaction of mistaken identity; plot twists, double entendres and the constant slamming of many doors.

“A jolly play.” N.Y. Times. “Non stop laughter.” Variety. “Uproarious! Hysterical!” USA Today. “A rib tickling comedy.” N.Y. Post. “Screamingly funny!” CBS Radio.

Director Dave Ebersole (of Lansdowe) says “This play is more than a farce; it is a total homage to the screwball comedies of the 1930′s, guaranteed to leave audiences howling with laughter and walking out the door with a warm smile.”

In the role of Famous Opera Singer Tito Merelli Fabrizio Spada (of Pitman New Jersey) says “Tito is a kind talented man who is trying to manage the huge popularity he deserves, plays the part of a true “divo” but at heart he is capable of moments of sincere love and friendship, and moments of complete craziness, which are surely going to have the audience laughing histerically”.

Lend Me A Tenor also stars JP Timlin (of Ridley Park) as Max the able assistant who steps in for Tito and Lou Wheeler (Clifton Hights) takes on the role of Saunders (which won Philip Boscoe the Tony Award in 1989).

Also featured are Dana Corvino (of Philadelphia), Ashley Ames (of Manayunk), Shanna Massad (of Clifton Hights), Bob Seifried (of Secane) and Marilyn Leah (of Plymouth Meeting.)

Since it hit Broadway in 1989 Lend Me A Tenor has been making audiences howl with hilarity and now it is coming to Lansdowne’s Celebration Theater.