Lend Me A Soprano
By Ashley Shah
Scripps Ranch Theatre will perform “Lend Me A Soprano,” written by Ken Ludwig and directed by Kate Reynolds, from April 23 to May 17.
“Lend Me A Soprano” is set in the 1930s in Cleveland, Ohio – specifically at the Cleveland Opera Company.
The genre of the production is a farce, a type of fast-paced comedy.
“This type of farce is called a sex farce, which is the most common type. These types of farces typically include someone trying to seduce someone else, undressed characters, mistaken identities, people going in and out of rooms quickly, and it is very over the top,” Reynolds said.
The play begins with the opera company receiving their lead soprano from Italy.
“Elena is the soprano in question. She accepts the job in Cleveland, but what the opera company doesn’t know is how much drama follows her,” Reynolds said.
Elena is played by Britania Cortez.
There are certain complications that occur with Elena that keep the show moving, and with the other main characters involved.
Jo, played by Leigh Akin, is a hard working secretary for the opera.
“Jo is described as a ‘dog’s body.’ She handles administrative tasks, but ends up getting caught up in the situation that Elena has created. She ends up taking a more central role in the opera than is expected,” Reynolds said.
Mrs. Wylie, played by Wendy Waddell, is the general manager of the opera company.
“Mrs. Wylie is desperate to make sure the show goes on, regardless of the drama. Her character really shows the idea of how far someone is willing to go to make something work,” Reynolds said.
There are six other characters in this production.
“I love this cast. I cannot wait to get into a room with these funny people and a funny script to see what magic can happen,” Reynolds said.
She described a challenge that she was expecting to face, but has since overcome it.
“Initially, I was nervous about trying to find trained opera singers who also know how to keep a show moving. As it turns out, there are actually many opera singers that are actors as well in San Diego,” Reynolds said. “I was able to find two highly trained opera singers who are very funny. We have so much talent to offer with this show.”
Reynolds described how this production relates to the Scripps Ranch Theatre “Diva Season.”
“Women are typically not given that much power in this type of farce, but this time they are given all the control. The main characters are women that are driving the show. There are also some beautiful moments of women uplifting each other, which I think is sometimes hard to find in that industry,” she said. “I am looking forward to women taking center stage.”
“I am looking forward to seeing people with tears rolling down their cheeks over how funny this show is,” Reynolds said.
For more information, visit www.scrippsranchtheatre.com.