Ringgold Playhouse Hosts Final Weekend Of Lend Me A Tenor

The Ringgold Playhouse will host the final four performances of its hilarious farce, Lend Me a Tenor, Thursday-Saturday.

The show, directed by Kimberly Tyner Jones, played to big audiences over its opening weekend as it offered mistaken identity, fast-paced comedy, and door-slamming a plenty. 

"It was a great weekend," Ms. Jones said. "This cast and crew are fabulous. It was a lot of fun." 

TRP shows are held inside the historic Ringgold Depot, which fits with the 1930s setting of the play. 

"It's been a lot of fun watching this show develop," said TRP Executive Director Adam Cook. "Kimberly and her cast have done a wonderful job creating a very entertaining show. When audience members are raving about the show at the concession stand, outside the Depot, and in the parking lots, you know you have a hit on your hands." 

Review for Lend Me a Tenor: 

Tenor is a door-slamming, dress-dropping farce with mistaken identities, mischievous misunderstandings and compromising positions. This Ludwig farce is set in September 1934. Saunders (Dan Lyons), the general manager of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company, is primed to welcome the world-famous Tito Merelli (Ed Huckabee), II Stupendo, the greatest tenor of his generation, to appear for one night only as "Otello." The star arrives late, and through a hilarious series of mishaps, is given a double dose of tranquilizers and passes out. His pulse is so low that Saunders and his assistant, Max (Justin Young), believe he’s dead. In a frantic attempt to salvage the evening, Saunders persuades Max to get into Merelli’s "Otello" costume and fool the audience into thinking he’s II Stupendo. Max succeeds admirably, but Merelli comes to, and gets into his other costume ready to perform. Now two Otellos are running around in costume and two women are running around in lingerie, each thinking she is with II Stupendo. A sensation on Broadway and in London’s West End, this madcap, screwball comedy is guaranteed to leave audiences teary-eyed with laughter. 

"For the audience, it's a nonstop ride of mistaken identity and double entendre leading to rash assumptions that have outrageous results," Ms. Jones said. 

Local community theatre veteran Ed Huckabee is in the title role of tenor Tito Merelli, and is joined by the talented cast of Justin Young, Ayana Winchester, Dan Lyons, Christine Keefe, Kitty Reel, Bobby Daniels, and Lindsey Knox. 

The show is stage managed by Renee Lierow, and includes the musical madness of vocal coach Scott Tinker.

Remaining production dates for the show's run are Thursday-Saturday at 7:30 p.m. with a special matinee performance slated for Saturday at 2 p.m. 

Tickets are $10 general admission and $8 for seniors and students, and can be purchased in person at Ringgold City Hall, over the phone at 706-935-3061, or online at cityofringgoldga.gov.