LAURINBURG — St. Andrews University plans to put on a madcap farce that will leave audiences laughing for it’s two hour run.
The play “Lend Me a Tenor” begins Thursday at 7:30 p.m. with additional shows on Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m at the Morris Morgan Theatre.
“Lend Me a Tenor” revolves around world-renowned tenor Tito Merelli who has signing on to play Otello at a Cleveland opera company in the fall of 1934. He arrives late and, through a set of crazy circumstances, passes out after mixing wine with a huge dose of tranquilizers. Believing that the singer is dead, the excitable opera manager taps his hapless assistant, an aspiring singer named Max, to replace Merelli. Meanwhile, the tenor’s jealous wife, his ambitious female co-star, Max’s young girlfriend and the flirtatious head of the opera guild are on the scene fighting—sometimes literally—for the star’s attention.
The play is directed by Cinny Beggs, SAU director of theatre arts. She also created the set, costumes and sound.
The cast features SAU students Kylie Morgan as Maggie, Jacob Young as Max, Zipporah McMillian as the Bellhop, Sarah Morris as Maria, Phillip Alden as Tito, and Shaqueena Kemp as Diana. Laurinburg residents Gary Gallman plays Saunders and Brenda Gilbert is Julia.
Beggs said that she believes it’s important for the community to take part in St. Andrews productions.
“It’s been good because students have to opportunity to meet people in the community,” Beggs said. “I couldn’t have a student play the parts Gary and Brenda play because they’re supposed to be that age. It wouldn’t have looked right and I try to authenticate things as much as possible, you have to make it somewhat real.”
Many of the cast didn’t know each other before the show. Phillip Alden said that was one thing he enjoyed the most.
“The experience of coming together as a cast is nice and some of these people I didn’t know before the play we’re close now,” Alden said.
Kylie Morgan said the play was difficult to get through without laughing.
“I personally like running between the doors with the bellhop,” Morgan said.”Being able to have the sheer terror on my face and slamming the door and Jacob kicking the door and I’m running around the doors. It’s hard to do in heels but it’s so much fun.”
For information or tickets, contact Beggs at 910-277-5498.