'Lend Me a Tenor' Rises at Sunset

Set in the 1930s, Ken Ludwig's popular farce <em>Lend Me a Tenor<strong> </strong></em>feels like it's been around since the '30s. In reality, though, the smash comedy debuted a little more than 25 years ago. Since then, it has become a staple of regional and community theaters all over the United States. The play has gone international, too, having been translated into 16 languages and produced in 25 countries. The latest production comes to Elm Grove this month at the <strong>Sunset Playhouse</strong>. Sunset veteran Bryce Lord will direct the production.<br /><br />Part of the show's appeal comes from watching backstage comedy before a show play out on the stage during a show. It's the type of play that stems from theater's love of itselfand people's love of theater that loves itself. The story concerns legendary opera singer Tito Morelli, who has come to a small opera company in Cleveland for a benefit performance of Giuseppe Verdi's <em>Otello</em>. Things become complicated when Morelli gets mixed up in marital and extramarital affairs. When Morelli is unable to perform, a last-minute substitution makes things all the more complicated.<br /><br />The Sunset Playhouse's production of <em>Lend Me a Tenor<strong> </strong></em>runs April 19-May 6. For ticket reservations, call 262-782-4430.<br /><br /><strong>Theater Happenings</strong><strong><br /><br /></strong> <ul> <li><strong>Skylight Music Theatre </strong>presents the spirit of vaudeville as pop percussionist Michael “Ding” Lorenz stars in <em>Things That Go Ding! </em>Somewhere between sound effects and music, Lorenz performs “ill-advised versions” of work by Bizet, Liszt and more. The show runs April 27-May 6at the Broadway Theatre Center's Studio Theatre. For ticket reservations, call 414-291-7800.</li> </ul> <ul> <li>Next week,<strong> Marquette University Theatre </strong>opens its production of the Shakespeare classic <em>The Comedy Of Errors</em>.<strong><em> </em></strong>The story of identical twins and mistaken identities runs April 19-29. For ticket reservations, call 414-288-7504.</li> </ul>