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<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Rabbit Run’s ‘Lend Me
a Tenor’ hits a grand slam<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Bob
Abelman<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">News-Herald,
Chagrin Valley Times, Solon Times,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The
Morning Journal, Geauga Times Courier<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Member,
American Theatre Critics Association <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></I></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">This
review will appear in the <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">News-Herald
</I></SPAN><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">on
8/19/11</SPAN><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The six doors in the
gorgeous hotel room set on the Rabbit Run Theater stage suggests that some
serious slamming will transpire as soon as the house lights fade.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Indeed it does.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Written in the 1980s,
Ken Ludwig’s <I style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Lend Me a Tenor</I> is a
screwball comedy in the old farce tradition of the 1930s, where a simple
situation escalates to absolute anarchy and normal folks<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>find themselves running in circles,
hiding in closets and, well, slamming doors.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The play’s pretense
is that Tito Merelli, the fiery-tempered and world famous Italian tenor, arrives
in Cleveland, Ohio to appear in Verdi’s <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Otello</I> with the local opera troupe.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Although he is supervised by a
protective and highly </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">temperamental
wife, he </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">is rendered unfit to
perform. <SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The opera house’s
tyrannical business manager, Saunders, is unwilling to return the proceeds from
the sold out show and reluctantly allows his insecure assistant Max, an amateur
opera singer, to go on in Merelli’s place under the guise of blackface makeup
and costuming.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>When Merelli
recovers and attempts to make his presence known, mistaken identities occur,
romantic complications arise, and many doors get slammed.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; BACKGROUND: white">This is all very
silly stuff and, as farces go, Ludwig’s work is pretty mediocre fare.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The situation allows for only finite
possibilities.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The writing is funny
but its tendency to resort to base desires and body functions for humor keep it
from venturing into the realm of the hysterical.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>And the outcome is way too easy to
anticipate.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; BACKGROUND: white"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; BACKGROUND: white">What makes the
Rabbit Run production a full-throttled success is director Janet Shank’s ability
to find every moment of mayhem in the script and set them in motion with a very
playful and comedy-capable ensemble. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; BACKGROUND: white"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; BACKGROUND: white">Roger Principe, as
Saunders, delivers delicious slow-burn indignation that never gets tired as this
enterprise grows increasingly insane. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>On the other end of the emotional
spectrum lies the wonderful </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Nancy Shimonek Brooks as Merelli’s
perpetually aroused wife, Maria. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Her Italian accent is one of the true
pleasures of the evening.<SPAN
style="BACKGROUND: white"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; BACKGROUND: white"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; BACKGROUND: white">Don Knepper is
superb as Merelli, landing as many laughs through his well-timed, wordless
reactions to others as the clever one-liners he is afforded. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Knepper owns the stage throughout the
production.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; BACKGROUND: white"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; BACKGROUND: white">Michael Crowley is
thoroughly </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">endearing as
the self-doubting Max.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>His
personality transformation while in the guise of Merelli-as-Otello, aided by
fine performances by Caitlin Rose as <SPAN style="BACKGROUND: white">Saunders'
not so innocent daughter</SPAN> and Evie Koh as the seductive soprano, is very
well played.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; BACKGROUND: white"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; BACKGROUND: white">Matt Mortensen as
the fame-infatuated bellhop and Kathe Tascone as a clueless arts patron have
nice moments as well.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; BACKGROUND: white"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; BACKGROUND: white">The only thing
lacking from an otherwise wonderful production is the tendency to push the
envelope on the physical humor.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In
addition to clever wordplay, farce is funny because of sight-gags and the
physicality of the players.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>Characters don’t just r</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">un in circles; they RUN in circles.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Openings for over-the-top antics—such
as when Saunders’ strangles an unconscious Merelli and accosts an uncooperative
bellhop, or Max’s many leaps over furniture, or Maria’s manic moment in the
bedroom—are missed opportunities.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Evidence of what extreme comedy this
cast is capable of can be found in the hilarious curtain call, where the play’s
highlights are cycled through as an abbreviated, sped-up and broadened
remix.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">An opportunity not
missed in this production is the door slamming.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The fairly recent Broadway revival of <I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Lend Me a Tenor</I><SPAN
class=apple-style-span><SPAN style="BACKGROUND: white"> employed five doors as
opposed to Rabbit Run’s six, courtesy of set designer Ray Beach.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Clearly, when farce is afoot, the more
doors the merrier.</SPAN></SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="LINE-HEIGHT: normal; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">Lend
Me a Tenor </SPAN></I><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">continues
through August 28</SPAN><SPAN
style="LINE-HEIGHT: 115%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">
at Rabbit Run Theater, 5648 W. Chapel Rd., in Madison Township. For tickets,
$<SPAN style="COLOR: black">17 to $19, call </SPAN>440-428-7092 or visit <A
href="" target=_blank><SPAN
style="COLOR: blue">www.rabbitrunonline.org</SPAN></A>.</SPAN></DIV></BODY></HTML>