"Lend Me a Tenor" - by Ken Ludwig - The Majestic Theater (West Springfield, MA.) - REVIEW
(Cover Photo: Christopher Marcus as "Max" with Peter Evangelista as "Tito" in a scene from the comedy "LEND ME A TENOR" by Ken Ludwig now playing at the Majestic Theater in West Springfield, MA. through November 29, 2026. Photo Credit Kait Rankins)
By Kevin T. Baldwin
METRMAG Reviewer
# 774-242-6724
“All men, they got this thing. It starts a-small, it gets a-big, and it makes a-trouble.”
- ("Maria") - Ken Ludwig
THE MAJESTIC THEATER
Presents Ken Ludwig's
"LEND ME A TENOR"
Written by Ken Ludwig
Founding Producing Director Danny Eaton
Producing Artistic Director Sue Dziura
Director Myka Plunkett
Cast Includes: Christopher Marcus as "Max," Raya Malcolm as "Maggie," Sam Samuels* as "Saunders," Peter Evangelista* as "Tito," Sarah Keyes* as "Maria," John Pagliarulo as "Bellhop," Dorine Tayts as "Diana," Mona Tiglio as "Julia."
Additional Creative Team:
Production Manager - Marcus Kearns; Stage Manager - Michael Garcia*; Assistant Stage Manager - Iaslyn Lewis*; Production Assistant - Neleynie Cartagena; Scenic Design - Daniel David Rist; Lighting Design - James McNamara; Costume Design - Dawn McKay; Sound Design - Ryan Hickey; Second Carpenter - Kevin Tracy; Wardrobe Mistress - Christine Thompson; Props Supervisor - Dana Weintraub; Covid Compliance Officer - Carol Rucinski.
*Indicates the actors and stage managers as members of Actors' Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the United States.
Performances:
October 22, 2026 through November 29, 2026
(Contact Box Office for Exact Times)
MAJESTIC THEATER, 131 Elm Street, West Springfield, MA. 01089
TICKETS:
For tickets and more information, contact the MAJESTIC THEATER box office by phone at # 413-747-7797 or visit www.majestictheater.com
BUY TICKETS
COVID 19 PROTOCOLS
Contact Venue for Most Updated COVID-19 Safety Protocols and Information.
(Warning: The following review contains spoilers)
Majestic Theater launches an overture into silliness with the delightful comedy "LEND ME A TENOR" now playing in West Springfield.
Written by Ken Ludwig, the two-act play could easily be subtitled “A Tale of Two Pagliaccis” as the tragic tale of Ruggero Leoncavallo's 1892 opera “Pagliacci” clown quickly becomes fodder for farce.
In 1985, Ludwig’s comedy, originally titled “Opera Buffa,” had been produced at a summer theater in Milford, NH.
By 1986, it had moved to London’s West End for a production that ran at the Globe Theatre until 1987.
In 1989, "LEND ME A TENOR" hit Broadway running until 1990 when it closed after a noteworthy 476 performances.
The 1989 Broadway production was nominated for six Tony Awards, winning two: one for Philip Bosco as Best Actor in a Play and one for Jerry Zaks as Best Director of a Play.
It also won four out of its six Drama Desk Award nominations.
An unsuccessful 2006 musical adaptation (book and lyrics by Peter Sham and Music by Brad Carroll) was staged around 2010 but quickly closed due to poor ticket sales.
In 2019 Ludwig, revised "LEND ME A TENOR" replacing the focused opera from “Otello” to “Pagliacci.”
As is, "LEND ME A TENOR" succeeds on the silliness and preposterousness of its premise - and if you can look past Ludwig’s penchant for the incessant hammering of predictable and contrived exploits, this “Tale of Two Pagliaccis” is still an amusing premise.
To best enjoy the Majestic Theater show, one must accept that the story takes place in 1934, nearly a century before today’s internet and TikTok resulted in making celebrities out of everyone (even if only for less than 15 minutes).
Back then, opera stars were equivalent to today’s most viral of celebrities and highly celebrated with an ardent fan base.
Set in Cleveland, Ohio, "LEND ME A TENOR" features a gorgeous Majestic Theater single set design of two adjacent rooms in a posh hotel suite.
Throughout the play, the audience can see what's happening in both rooms at the same time, critical as the story progresses.
(Photo: Christopher Marcus as "Max" with Peter Evangelista as "Tito" in a scene from the comedy "LEND ME A TENOR" by Ken Ludwig now playing at the Majestic Theater in West Springfield, MA. through November 29, 2026. Photo Credit Kait Rankins)
Saunders (Sam Samuels), general manager of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company, is with his anxious assistant Max (Christopher Marcus), awaiting the arrival of Tito Merelli (Peter Evangelista), a world-renowned Italian opera tenor.
Merelli is hired by Saunders to sing the lead role in a sell-out performance of “Pagliacci.”
Samuels is quite funny as the blustery Saunders, who repeatedly loses his temper, often working off of and complimenting Marcus, who gives a terrific portrayal of Saunders' beleaguered assistant.
The chemistry between these two actors makes the entire show work.
Evangelista is also extremely funny as Merelli, the renowned opera tenor and notorious lothario.
Maggie Saunders (Raya Malcolm), Henry's daughter and Max's sometime girlfriend, is a fan of Merelli, and hopes to meet him to get the singer's autograph.
Malcolm is quite adept at a lot of the physical comedy required for Maggie, bringing a delicious sense of innocence balanced with suppressed sexual urges to the role.
But as Max must tend to Merelli's needs to ensure he arrives at the opera house on time for the performance, Maggie quickly becomes a distraction and hides in the adjoining bedroom closet.
Merelli arrives with his volatile Italian wife, Maria (Sarah Keyes).
Merelli insatiably flirts with other women, making Maria incensed and jealous.
In a fine, fiery and intimidating performance by Keyes, Maria finds Maggie hiding in the bedroom closet, mistaking Maggie as her philandering husband’s latest conquest.
(Photo: Sarah Keyes as "Maria" in a scene from the comedy "LEND ME A TENOR" by Ken Ludwig now playing at the Majestic Theater in West Springfield, MA. through November 29, 2026. Photo Credit Kait Rankins)
It is from there that the misunderstanding quickly leads to other misunderstandings, leading to misidentifications, misinformation, mishaps and, ultimately, mayhem.
Involving a plot point whereby Merelli lapses into unconsciousness, thinking the opera star has died, Saunders quickly devises an absurd scheme to have budding opera singer Max replace the incapacitated opera star on stage as the clown “Pagliacci.”
Once Merelli regains consciousness, he quickly dons the same costume (yes, two identical clown costumes and make-up kits wind up in the same room) and clown make-up, hastening to make it to the stage in time.
The first act set up leads to even more insane antics in the second act, with the police searching for "a lunatic dressed as Pagliacci.”
By the way, both Christopher Marcus and Peter Evangelista are exceptionally gifted tenors adding to the effective execution of the premise of dueling "Pagliacci" moments in the show.
(Photo: Sam Samuels as "Saunders" hatching a crazy scheme with Christopher Marcus as "Max" in a scene from the comedy "LEND ME A TENOR" by Ken Ludwig now playing at the Majestic Theater in West Springfield, MA. through November 29, 2026. Photo Credit Kait Rankins)
Meanwhile, Max in full “Pagliacci” make-up is pursued by all the women, thinking him to be Merelli, including apex predator soprano Diana (Dorine Tayts) and eccentric Julia (Mona Tiglio), chairperson of the Opera Guild.
Both Tayts as Diana and Tiglio as Julia are hilarious moments, and it is just a shame their characters appear far too briefly in the story.
Rounding out the cast is John Pagliarulo, simply hysterical as the crazy “Bellhop” who is also an obnoxious opera fan and thorn in the side of Saunders.
Again, while most of Ludwig’s tale for "LEND ME A TENOR" is predictable, it is also rife with fun and comically insane characters that, thanks to this marvelous Majestic Theater cast, keep the laughter coming.
(Photo: Christopher Marcus as "Max" with Peter Evangelista as "Tito" in a scene from the comedy "LEND ME A TENOR" by Ken Ludwig now playing at the Majestic Theater in West Springfield, MA. through November 29, 2026. Photo Credit Kait Rankins)
Don't miss your opera-tunity to see the hilarious "LEND ME A TENOR" before "la commedia è finita" at the Majestic Theater on November 29th, 2026.
After the holidays at the Majestic Theater will be Jonathan Spector's "EUREKA DAY" which runs from January 7th, 2027 until February 14th, 2027.
For tickets and more information, contact the Majestic Theater box office by phone at # 413-747-7797 or visit www.majestictheater.com
BUY TICKETS
Approximately two hours with one intermission.
Kevin T. Baldwin is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA)
@MetrmagReviews
@Theatre_Critics
ABOUT THE SHOW
Ken Ludwig’s "LEND ME A TENOR" is a modern farce that premiered in London’s West End in 1986 before heading to Broadway, where it earned nine Tony Award nominations and won for Best Actor and Best Director.
With its perfectly orchestrated mayhem, "LEND ME A TENOR" is one of the funniest farces of all time.
Set in a 1930s Cleveland hotel suite, the play spins wildly out of control when a world‑famous tenor’s visit to the Grand Cleveland Opera triggers a chain reaction of mistaken identities, accidental overdoses, frantic costume swaps, and enough backstage panic to make even seasoned stage managers break a sweat.
"LEND ME A TENOR" is a global go‑to for theaters that enjoy a little high‑class chaos with their comedy!
ABOUT THE MAJESTIC THEATER
Locally-produced professional live theater since 1997. Before it was a live theater, local residents may remember THE MAJESTIC THEATER as a movie house. It has since been renovated and reimagined to bring live performances to the West Springfield area, giving local performance and technical artists the opportunity to thrive. Every season at THE MAJESTIC consists of five productions (including at least one musical) featuring local actors. In addition to the subscription season, the summer includes children's theater, concerts, plays, open mic nights, and improvisational comedy shows. Recently named the best place to see live theater in the Pioneer Valley in the Valley Advocate Readers' Poll, THE MAJESTIC THEATER continues to offer great theater thanks to the support and generosity of its 4200+ subscribers.
131 Elm Street
West Springfield, MA. 01089
# 413-747-7797
