Set in 1934, this farce revolved around renowned tenor Tito Merelli, known to his fans as “Il Stupendo,” who is scheduled to sing the lead in Otello, produced as a gala fundraiser for the Cleveland Opera Company. Unfortunately, even before the star leaves his hotel room, everything begins to unravel. Chaos ensues when Merelli’s wife, who has mistaken an autograph-seeker hidden in his closet for a secret lover, leaves him a “Dear John” letter. The distraught Merelli accidentally is given a double dose of tranquilizers to calm him and passes out. Saunders, the company’s General Manager, is determined the show must go on (for his own financial sake), so he asks his assistant Max to impersonate the opera star. Max puts on the blackface makeup required for the role of Otello, and his disguise succeeds admirably–until Merelli, also in blackface, wakes up and heads for the stage. What follows is a chain-reaction of mistaken identity, plot twists, double entendres, innuendoes, and constant entrances and exits through many doors.

PERFORMANCE DATES: October 3-26, 2002

CAST: Max – Jason W. hart, Maggie – Dee Dee Royle, Saunders – Kelly Carroll, Tito – Kyle J. Hager, Maria – Sara McFarland, Bellhop – Seth Andrew Eckelman, Diana – Jennifer Bell, Julia – Sarah Simpson

CREW: Director – Christopher Pyle, Stage Manager – Sherry Polkinghorn, Costume Design – Dee Miller, Set Design – Dave Wetmore, Jim Gilman, M.J. Straight, Sound Design – Alan Stukenholtz, Light Design/Light Board Operator/Sound Board Operator – Matt Duesing

MENU: Salad, stroganoff, vegetables, potato roll, Autumnal carmen cake.  Catering provided by Linda Bethke, Andra Bethke, Pete Bethke, Kathy Morgan, Kristina Mortimer, Faye Trent, Milly White, Deb Aistrup, Alan Stukenholtz, Carla Stukenholtz, Denis Ann Bamberger, Jacob Busch, Sharon Thompson, Barb Duesing, Claudia Pyle, Wendy Nelson, Carol Klein.

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