Amidst the far better-funded professional theatre groups celebrating anniversaries this season, it’s a bit surprising that I haven’t had the presence of mind to mention much about the 60th anniversary season of venerable community theatre group The Bay Players.
Raymond Bradford directs a production of the Ken Ludwig comedy Lend Me A Tenor. Set in the Midwest in the 1930’s, the popular farce actually debuted in 1986. A recent local production of the play with Soulstice Theatre was staged in a rather intimate space at the Marian Center for Non-Profits. That production debuted in April of last year. Almost one year to the day that production opened, the Bay Players open their latest production of the show. (The Bay Players are in good company . . . a revivial of the comedy just opened on Brodway earlier this month.)
The farce follows a Cleveland staging of Puccini’s Othello featuring a world-famous Tenor who, in the course of the early stages of the plot, takes a few heavy-duty tranquilizers. With only moments to show time, an assistant to the producer is required to stand-in for the Tenor, who induces quite a bit of confusion when he wakes-up . . .
Bay Players’ production of Lend Me A Tenor runs April 9th through the 17th at the Whitefish Bay High School Auditorium at 1200 E. Fairmount Avenue in Whitefish Bay. All performances are at 8pm. Tickets can be reserved in advance by calling 299-9040.
