Upon the uproarious ending last Saturday night to the Town Players performance of Ken Ludwig’s Lend Me a Tenor, the audience declared in unison “that was fun!” And fun it was. The performance found me trying to control my laughter so I could catch the next line. Energy, enthusiasm and hijinks abounded.

Il Stupendo, otherwise known as world class tenor Tito Merelli (played by a droll Brian DeToma), is scheduled to give a gala performance of Othello at the Cleveland Opera House. This is a huge deal for that venue and all involved are in overdrive with excitement.

Just one problem, he is a peripatetic performer who proves unreliable. This causes the organizers of the show — an earnest Max (Kevin McDonough) and a difficult Mr Saunders (Daniel J. Mulvihill, Jr) — to lie and scheme in order to bring their star to the stage. 

A trio of female characters is so smitten with the presence of this gifted celebrity that they use any tactic possible to gain his attention and affection, which Tito is not wont to withhold. A dreamy Maggie, played by Amy Strachan, is quasi-betrothed to Max, yet longs for excitement. A racy Diana (Rosemary Howard) uses her feminine wiles to advance her opera career, and a delightfully dotty Opera Guild president Julia (Elaine Reidy) tracks down Tito to be her gala guest of honor.

An invasive hotel bellhop with aspirations for an operatic encounter with the great Tito is played by Christopher Cooney. The cast is rounded out by Tito’s hot-blooded, quarrelsome soulmate: his wife Maria (Laurel Lettieri).

All of the action is designed to get Tito to the stage on time, by whatever means necessary. The astute direction of Tim Huebenthal leaves the audience watching a hilarious shell game of who is behind which door and what are they up to now?!

Brian DeToma and Laurel Lettieri are a feisty, passionate pair in love and war. Their Italian accents are perfecto!

Kevin McDonough’s Max is a display of clown genius. He is energetic, sincere and physically adept.

Daniel  J. Mulvihill, Jr gives his Saunders a self-serving, rough-around-the-edges patina that comes off pitch perfect.

Christopher Cooney’s pushy bellhop charms. Rosemary Howard, Amy Strachan and Elaine Reidy, as the Tito Merelli fan club, each play distinctly different personalities with the same objective, winning the affections of the glorious tenor.

Together this cast moves through the well-choreographed mayhem without a false note.

The sturdily constructed hotel set is the ideal bland backdrop for the sights and sounds that move through it.  It also tolerates heavy use of slamming doors. 

This is a night at the theater for which you should check your intellect at the door and give yourself over to some outrageous behavior that can make you laugh till it hurts. “I sing good,” Tito declares.

Maybe he does. Don’t miss the chance to find out.

(Town Players will continue its production of Lend Me a Tenor weekends at The Little Theatre until November 22. Performances are Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 pm, with one Sunday matinee on November 9 at 2 pm.

Call 203-270-9144 or visit NewtownPlayers.org for ticket details, reservations, or additional information.)