History Theatre / LendMeATenor

In 1934, the renowned tenor Tito "Il Stupendo" Merelli is scheduled to sing the lead in ''Otello'' at a gala fundraiser for the Cleveland Opera Company. Unfortunately, even before the star leaves his hotel room, everything begins to unravel. Chaos ensues when Maria, Merelli's wife, having mistaken Maggie Saunders, an autograph-seeker hidden in his closet, for a secret lover, leaves him a "Dear John" letter. The distraught Merelli is accidentally given a double dose of tranquilizers to calm him and passes out. Henry Saunders, the company's General Manager, is determined that the show will go on (for his own financial sake), so he asks his assistant Max to impersonate the opera star. Max puts on the makeup required for the role of Theatre/{{Othello}} (or {{Theatre/{{Pagliacci}} depending on the production), and his disguise succeeds admirably...until Merelli, also in makeup, wakes up and heads for the theatre. Rounding out the cast is Julia Leverett, the Chairwoman of the Opera Guild; Diana, a soprano willing to do anything to make it big; and an opera-singing bellhop. What follows is a chain reaction of mistaken identity, farcical plot twists, double entendres, innuendoes, and constant entrances and plenty of doors slamming.

* {{Malaproper}}: Julia.
--> '''Julia''': There are times, I’m afraid, when one simply has to apply the iron glove to the velvet hand. Especially if one hopes to get the bird.
* MarriedToTheJob: Tito has been neglecting his wife Maria as the two travel from show to show and continent to continent. By the end he's been through such hell that he cancels his tour just wants to go home with her.

Lend Me a Tenor is a farce by Creator/KenLudwig. The play was produced on both the West End (1986) and Broadway (1989). Although it received seven Tony Award nominations, it won only one, for Best Actor.

In 1934, the renowned tenor Tito "Il Stupendo" Merelli is scheduled to sing the lead in ''Otello'' at a gala fundraiser for the Cleveland Opera Company. Unfortunately, even before the star leaves his hotel room, everything begins to unravel. Chaos ensues when Maria, Merelli's wife, who has mistaken Maggie Saunders, an autograph-seeker hidden in his closet, for a secret lover, leaves him a "Dear John" letter. The distraught Merelli accidentally is given a double dose of tranquilizers to calm him and passes out. Henry Saunders, the company's General Manager, is determined that the show will go on (for his own financial sake), so he asks his assistant Max to impersonate the opera star. Max puts on the makeup required for the role of Theatre/{{Othello}} (or {{Theatre/{{Pagliacci}} depending on the production), and his disguise succeeds admirably – until Merelli, also in makeup, wakes up and heads for the stage. Rounding out the cast is Julia Leverett the Chairwoman of the Opera guild, Diana (a soprano willing to do anything to make it big) and an Opera singing bellhop. What follows is a chain-reaction of mistaken identity, farcical plot twists, double entendres, innuendoes, and constant entrances and exits through many doors.

* AllWomenAreLustful: In this play, yes. All four female characters in fact:

In 1934, the renowned tenor Tito "Il Stupendo" Merelli is scheduled to sing the lead in ''Otello'' at a gala fundraiser for the Cleveland Opera Company. Unfortunately, even before the star leaves his hotel room, everything begins to unravel. Chaos ensues when Maria, Merelli's wife, who has mistaken Maggie Saunders, an autograph-seeker hidden in his closet, for a secret lover, leaves him a "Dear John" letter. The distraught Merelli accidentally is given a double dose of tranquilizers to calm him and passes out. Henry Saunders, the company's General Manager, is determined that the show will go on (for his own financial sake), so he asks his assistant Max to impersonate the opera star. Max puts on the blackface makeup required for the role of Theatre/{{Othello}}, and his disguise succeeds admirably – until Merelli, also in blackface, wakes up and heads for the stage. Rounding out the cast is Julia Leverett the Chairwoman of the Opera guild, Diana (a soprano willing to do anything to make it big) and an Opera singing bellhop. What follows is a chain-reaction of mistaken identity, farcical plot twists, double entendres, innuendoes, and constant entrances and exits through many doors.

* {{Blackface}}: The actor playing Othello, be it Max or Tito, wears it. Played for comedy, as part of the MistakenIdentity.

* NotQuiteDead: Tito. The double dose of phenobarbital mixed with the alcohol made his heartbeat drop so much that Max and Saunders thought he was dead.

* DeliberateValuesDissonance: Blackface was ''very'' common at the time, and used by every actor playing Othello professionally at the time, since the role was still only given to white men. None of the characters comment on it at all, but for the audience, it pushes many events into pure RefugeInAudacity territory. (And the plot relies on it, so there's no way to cut it.) Modern productions change the play to ''Theatre/Pagliacci'' and clown makeup instead.

* DeliberateValuesDissonance: Blackface was ''very'' common at the time, and used by every actor playing Othello professionally at the time, since the role was still only given to white men. None of the characters comment on it at all, but for the audience, it pushes many events into pure RefugeInAudacity territory. (And the plot relies on it, so there's no way to cut it.)

* OldFashionedRowboatDate: Max tried to give one of these to Maggie, but he lost the oars and they ended up spending 30 hours in a rowboat.

* MistakenForCheating: Tito gets this a lot. She was already planning on leaving him, but when Maria finds Maggie (hoping to get an autograph) in the hotel closet she assumes Maggie is Tito’s lover. Though, seeing the YourCheatingHeart entry below, this seems it wouldn’t be a stretch. Later, [[spoiler: Diana has just hooked up with Tito, and Maggie has done the same with Max dressed as Tito. Afterward, while the women are out of the rooms, Tito finds Max dressed as him and [[ScrewThisImOutOfHere leaves]], leaving disguised Max to be found by both Maggie and Diana, who both think that “Tito” is two-timing them. Then, [[FromBadToWorse Maria returns]].]]

* YourCheatingHeart:
** Oh, where do we begin? For starters, the Italian Tito’s love for women is infamous enough to be known about by the Opera Company in Cleveland (and this is the 30’s). Much later in the play, [[spoiler: a still technically married Tito sleeps with Diana]].
** We also have [[spoiler: Maggie, who’s in sort of a relationship with Max, trying to seduce Tito, who thinks she wants an autograph, because she hadn’t “had any flings”, though she is hesitant at first since he does have a wife. She is interrupted but resumes her seduction but this time it’s not Tito, it’s Max dressed as Tito who tells her that [[MetaphoricallyTrue Maria’s not really ''his'' wife]].]]

* QuestionableConsent: [[spoiler:Maggie sleeps with Max... thinking he's Tito. He does nothing to correct this assumption. When she finds out, she doesn't seem to consider it a violation, but Max did lie about his identity to get her to have sex with him, knowing full well she wouldn't have had she known who he was.]]

--> '''Maria''': Three weeks--nothing! Not once, eh?!”

* {{Blackface}}: Played for comedy, as part of the MistakenIdentity.

* GrewASpine: Max.

* MistakenIdentity

--> '''Julia''': “There are times, I’m afraid, when one simply has to apply the iron glove to the velvet hand. Especially if one hopes to get the bird.”

* ReallyGetsAround: Diana.
* SlapSlapKiss: The Merelli's relationship is like this.

* YourCheatingHeart: Oh, where do we begin? For starters, the Italian Tito’s love for women is infamous enough to be known about by the Opera Company in Cleveland (and this is the 30’s). Much later in the play, [[spoiler: a still technically married Tito sleeps with Diana]].

Lend Me a Tenor is a farce by Ken Ludwig. The play was produced on both the West End (1986) and Broadway (1989). Although it received seven Tony Award nominations, it won only one, for Best Actor.

* OperaGloves: Expect someone to be wearing these.

In 1934, the renowned tenor Tito "Il Stupendo" Merelli is scheduled to sing the lead in ''Otello'' at a gala fundraiser for the Cleveland Opera Company. Unfortunately, even before the star leaves his hotel room, everything begins to unravel. Chaos ensues when Maria, Merelli's wife, who has mistaken Maggie Saunders, an autograph-seeker hidden in his closet, for a secret lover, leaves him a "Dear John" letter. The distraught Merelli accidentally is given a double dose of tranquilizers to calm him and passes out. Henry Saunders, the company's General Manager, is determined that the show will go on (for his own financial sake), so he asks his assistant Max to impersonate the opera star. Max puts on the blackface makeup required for the role of {{Othello}}, and his disguise succeeds admirably – until Merelli, also in blackface, wakes up and heads for the stage. Rounding out the cast is Julia Leverett the Chairwoman of the Opera guild, Diana (a soprano willing to do anything to make it big) and an Opera singing bellhop. What follows is a chain-reaction of mistaken identity, farcical plot twists, double entendres, innuendoes, and constant entrances and exits through many doors.

In 1934, the renowned tenor Tito Merelli, known to his fans as "Il Stupendo," is scheduled to sing the lead in Otello. The opera is being produced as a gala fundraiser for the Cleveland Opera Company. Unfortunately, even before the star leaves his hotel room, everything begins to unravel. Chaos ensues when Maria, Merelli's wife, who has mistaken Maggie Saunders, an autograph-seeker hidden in his closet, for a secret lover, leaves him a "Dear John" letter. The distraught Merelli accidentally is given a double dose of tranquilizers to calm him and passes out. Henry Saunders, the company's General Manager, is determined that the show will go on (for his own financial sake), so he asks his assistant Max to impersonate the opera star. Max puts on the blackface makeup required for the role of {{Othello}}, and his disguise succeeds admirably – until Merelli, also in blackface, wakes up and heads for the stage. Rounding out the cast is Julia Leverett the Chairwoman of the Opera guild, Diana (a soprano willing to do anything to make it big) and an Opera singing bellhop. What follows is a chain-reaction of mistaken identity, farcical plot twists, double entendres, innuendoes, and constant entrances and exits through many doors.

* OperaGloves: Expect someone to be wearing these.

--> '''Max''': Liquor and women[[hottip:* : Tito’s glass of wine contains the unknown (second) dose of tranquilizers and much of the chaos during the second act is from him being seduced by both Maggie and Diana]].

--> '''Max''': Standing ovation[[hottip:* : Somehow, the performance goes well]]-
--> '''Saunders''': Then return him to the reception[[hottip:* : the rest of the chaos during the second act is “Tito’s” appearance at the reception]], keeping him-

In 1934, the renowned tenor Tito Merelli, known to his fans as "Il Stupendo," is scheduled to sing the lead in Otello. The opera is being produced as a gala fundraiser for the Cleveland Opera Company. Unfortunately, even before the star leaves his hotel room, everything begins to unravel. Chaos ensues when Merelli's wife, who has mistaken an autograph-seeker hidden in his closet for a secret lover, leaves him a "Dear John" letter. The distraught Merelli accidentally is given a double dose of tranquilizers to calm him and passes out. Saunders, the company's General Manager, is determined that the show will go on (for his own financial sake), so he asks his assistant Max to impersonate the opera star. Max puts on the blackface makeup required for the role of {{Othello}}, and his disguise succeeds admirably – until Merelli, also in blackface, wakes up and heads for the stage. What follows is a chain-reaction of mistaken identity, farcical plot twists, double entendres, innuendoes, and constant entrances and exits through many doors.

* AtTheOperaTonight - we never actually see the opera, but we see people dressed up for the opera before and after
* {{Blackface}} - played for comedy, as part of the MistakenIdentity
* DirtyOldWoman -
* DoggedNiceGuy - Max

* GenteelInterbellumSetting - takes place in the 30's in Cleveland, but everyone's well off, there's no allusion to the Great Depression, and sets often incorporate a lot of Art Deco
* GratuitousItalian
* DirtyOldWoman - Julia has shades of this
* LatinLover - the Italian Tito Merreli
* OperaGloves - expect someone to be wearing these

* ReallyGetsAround - Diana
* SlapSlapKiss - the Merelli's relationship is like this

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In 1934, the renowned tenor Tito Merelli, known to his fans as "Il Stupendo," is scheduled to sing the lead in Otello. The opera is being produced as a gala fundraiser for the Cleveland Opera Company. Unfortunately, even before the star leaves his hotel room, everything begins to unravel. Chaos ensues when Merelli's wife, who has mistaken an autograph-seeker hidden in his closet for a secret lover, leaves him a "Dear John" letter. The distraught Merelli accidentally is given a double dose of tranquilizers to calm him and passes out. Saunders, the company's General Manager, is determined that the show will go on (for his own financial sake), so he asks his assistant Max to impersonate the opera star. Max puts on the blackface makeup required for the role of Othello, and his disguise succeeds admirably – until Merelli, also in blackface, wakes up and heads for the stage. What follows is a chain-reaction of mistaken identity, farcical plot twists, double entendres, innuendoes, and constant entrances and exits through many doors.