MTC MainStage presents
Lend Me A Tenor
by Ken Ludwig
Sound Design by Will Atkin
Hair & Wig Design by Peggy De La Cruz
Costume Design by Diane Vanderkroef
Scenic & Props Design by Sean Sanford
Lighting Design by RJ Romeo
Fight & Intimacy Choreography by Dan O’Driscoll
Stage Managed by Abbey Murray
Directed by Pamela Hill
MTC MainStage Presents
LEND ME A TENOR
NOV 4 - 20, 2022
Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 2pm & 8pm, Sundays at 2pm.
Performances at MUSIC THEATRE OF CONNECTICUT
509 Westport Avenue (Route 1) in Norwalk
(Click here for directions)
Previews begin November 4th at 8pm
Opening Night on November 5th at 8pm
Runtime Estimation: 2 hrs & 15 mins (including the 15 min intermission)
The 2022/2023 MainStage Season is sponsored by
with support from Central Insurance Companies
& The Burry Fredrik Foundation
About
Winner of 3 Tony Awards and 4 Drama Desk Awards, Lend Me A Tenor is set in September 1934. Saunders, the general manager of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company, is primed to welcome world-famous singer Tito Merelli, known as Il Stupendo, the greatest tenor of his generation, to appear for one night only as the star of the opera. Tito arrives late, and through a hilarious series of mishaps, he is given a double dose of tranquilizers and passes out. His pulse is so low that Saunders and his assistant Max believe he’s dead - and in a frantic attempt to salvage the evening, Saunders persuades Max to get into Merelli's costume and fool the audience into thinking he's Il Stupendo. Max succeeds and lives up to his idol, but Merelli regains consciousness and gets into the identical costume, ready to perform. Now two opera singers are running around in the same costume and two women are running around in lingerie, each thinking she is with Il Stupendo. A sensation on Broadway and in London's West End, this madcap, screwball comedy is guaranteed to leave audiences teary-eyed with laughter.
Who’s Who
Michael Fasano (Max)
MTC debut! Touring: Jersey Boys NCL (Frankie Valli), Jesus Christ Superstar, Grease. Regional: Footloose (CT Critics Circle Nom), The Rocky Horror Show, West Side Story, New York State of Mind with The Uptown Boys. NYC: Out of the World, Louisiana Purchase. Boston Conservatory. Thanks ATB, Kevin, Elliott! For Dad. @michaeldfasano
Alexandra Fortin (Maggie Saunders)
is a NYC based actress/teaching artist. Select credits include: Hedda Gabler (Red Monkey Theater), Steel Magnolias (Gallery Players), Diary of Anne Frank (Ocean State Theater Company) and Love’s Labour’s Lost (Theater Under the Stars). Marymount Manhattan College 2018. Represented by Step Forward Entertainment. Catch her on Nick Jr’s Noggin Knows this winter! Member of AEA. Thank you Avery, Haila, Charise, Mom & Dad.
Jeff Gurner (The Bellhop)
Past MTC appearances include Tru, Falsettoland, and Ragtime. Broadway: The Lion King. Select Off-Broadway/NY: Chains, Five Course Love, The London Cuckolds. TV: FBI, Homeland, The Good Wife, Nurse Jackie, Law & Order: SVU/Criminal Intent. Jeff is an award-winning audiobook narrator, and has recorded hundreds of voice-overs for television and radio commercials, video games, and animated series.
Cynthia Hannah (Maria)
MTC: STEEL MAGNOLIAS; CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, and more! Over 100 commercials and THE GUIDING LIGHT; ALL MY CHILDREN and KEEPING THE FAITH video with Billy Joel. Graduate of AADA and studied with Uta Hagen. As Producer won an ACE award for, HUGHIE, with Jason Robards. Proud member of AEA, SAG-AFTRA. She lives in Wilton with her wonderful husband, Stan!
Frank Mastrone (Tito Mirelli)
is thrilled to be doing his fourth show at MTC, most recently as Tateh in RAGTIME. Broadway: JEKYLL AND HYDE, SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER, CATS, BIG:THE MUSICAL, Les Miserables, and the original cast of THE PHANTOM IF THE OPERA. He sends his love to Ramona and their daughters Livia, Ava, and Franki.
Jo Anne Parady (Julia)
has been seen off-Broadway, in soaps and multiple regional theatres. Recent appearances at Players Club and National Arts Club NYC in ‘The Life of Shakespeare”. Other credits: “Momoirs: The Umbilical Cord Stops Here” (Zipper Theatre) which she co-wrote, “Othello” (Stratford Shakespeare Festival), “Ancestral Voices” (MTC). Multiple productions at Theatre Artists Workshop. Great fun to be back at MTC with Kevin and Jim!
Jim Schilling (Henry Saunders)
co-founded Music Theatre of CT and is MTC’s Managing Director and Conservatory Director. Select MTC credits include The 39 Steps, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Cabaret (CT Critics Circle Award Nomination), Sylvia, and most recently It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. Jim was also an adjunct professor at Sacred Heart University where he was nominated Best Director of a musical for Godspell.
Emily Solo (Diana)
is delighted to return to MTC after a successful run of Sunset Boulevard! Regional: The Sound of Music, The Merry Widow, La Bohème (Charlottesville Opera), A Christmas Carol (McCarter), Threepenny Opera (Everyman Rep), Hamlet (Camden Shakespeare Festival). NYC: Infinite Energy (New Camerata Opera/Dixon Place), Alice in Wonderland (SAS Performing Arts), and more. @emmsolo www.emilysolo.com
Pamela Hill (Director) is delighted to be employed and here in Connecticut with this wonderful theatre and staff! Previous MTC productions include Steel Magnolias, Broadway World nominee Always…Patsy Cline, The 39 Steps, and Connecticut Critics Circle Awards nominee Vanya and Sonia and Marsha and Spike. Pam has directed over 100 productions across the country in 28 theatres including Tony award-winning Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, The Human Race and Contemporary American Theatre Company. One of her proudest moments during the pandemic was receiving a 2021 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival certificate for a masked commedia dell’arte production of The Gypsy Woman at Muskingum University. Laughter is the best medicine! Enjoy!
Production Photos
Photos by Alex Mongillo
