COEUR d'ALENE -

Fanatical females, an impending opera, plotting protagonists and a tranquilized tenor all contributed to the zaniness of "Lend Me a Tenor."

Saturday was the last evening performance of the farce, which ran from Oct. 25 to the afternoon of Nov. 10 at Lake City Playhouse. The two-act play, written by Ken Ludwig and directed by Todd Jasmin, was well-attended by an audience that laughed out loud many times.

The premise of the story is far-fetched and a little goofy, but just enough so audience members can suspend their disbelief and get wrapped up in the plot.

Steven M. Anderson played Max, an anxious young man who finds himself in a rather interesting situation. His boss Henry Saunders (played by Dave Rideout) is the general manager of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company, a somewhat classy gentleman with a "the show must go on" mentality. He is eagerly anticipating the arrival of "Il Stupendo," the world-class Italian opera singer Tito Merelli (Ricardo Rivera). When Merelli arrives and gets into a spat with his stunning but hot-headed wife, Maria (Trigger Weddle), an explosion of emotion and predicaments ensue. All the while, poor Max is trying to keep his cool while the girl he fancies (Maggie, played by Alyssa Herzinger) is gaga for Merelli. Other dames enter the mix, identities get confused and many, many a door slams.

"Lend Me a Tenor" all takes place in Merelli's hotel suite, a room where few people actually knock before entering. The set was designed with a "wall" separating the sitting room from the bedroom so audience members could see what was happening in both rooms at all times, which was sometimes quite necessary to the story. The lighting was bright as hotel fixtures often are, and the antique telephone, sofa and chairs indicated a time period somewhere in the 1930s.

This production served as another reminder that the arts are alive in Coeur d'Alene. The believability of the characters, from the actual Merelli to the kittenish Diana (Hannah Paton) to the eccentric bellhop (Brandon Montang) and the pushy Julia (Monica Thomas) showed the time and dedication put into making "Lend Me a Tenor" a fun ride for all who saw it.

Lake City Playhouse will be presenting "Santaland Diaries" from Dec. 6 to Dec. 22, a story about a Macy's elf during the busy holiday season. For those who have never seen a live play or who haven't been in a while, it might be the time to treat yourself to some theater culture, served up fresh by the actors and staff of Lake City Playhouse.

Info: lakecityplayhouse.org