In Mira Mesa Theatre Guild’s latest production, Lend Me A Tenor, world famous Italian tenor, Tito Merelli (Geoffrey A Cox), arrives late to make his American debut at the Cleveland Grand Opera Company for a one night only performance of Otello. Through a series of mishaps, the star is given a double dose on tranquilizers and passes out. His pulse is so low that General Manger Henry Saunders (Adam Sheldon) and his assistant Max (Elijah Miller) believe he is dead.
In a frantic attempt to salvage the evening, Saunders persuades Max to get into Merelli’s Otello costume and fool the audience into thinking he’s the star. Max succeeds admirably, but Merelli comes to and gets into his other identical Otello costume. Now 2 Otellos are running around in costume and two women are running around in lingerie, each thinking she is with the star. This hit show, which opened on Broadway 25 years ago, is being directed by Tim Arends (Forever Plaid).
