Mirror staff reports:

Centerstage Theatre presents the classic comedy “Lend Me A Tenor,” which runs March 1-24 at the Knutzen Family Theatre, 3200 SW Dash Point Road.

The plot revolves around the Cleveland Opera Company. A famous Italian tenor is making his American debut in the company’s production of “Otello.” The financial and critical success of the company depends on his performance, and nobody is more aware of this than the short-tempered general manager, who’ll stop at nothing to make sure the show goes on.

He gives his long-suffering assistant an order: babysit the tenor in his hotel suite and let nothing – especially wine and women – keep him from his appointed curtain time. But when the tenor swallows too many sedatives and must be replaced by the nervous assistant, all operatic and farcical hell breaks loose.

The show is a classic example of a farce, said Centerstage Artistic Director Alan Bryce.

“The dictionary defines farce as ‘a comic dramatic work which uses buffoonery, horseplay, broad humor, simple characterization and ludicrously improbable situations.’ But as buffoonery, horseplay, broad humor, simple characterization and ludicrously improbable situations go,” said Bryce, “it doesn’t get any better than ‘Lend Me A Tenor.’ So yes, I do like it because it is quite simply the best of its kind.”

Appearing in the Centerstage cast are Bob DeDea, Rosalie Hilburn, Daniel Wood, Chris Maxfield, Kate Alden, Alexandra Novotny and Alison Soma. The show is directed by Vince Brady and designed by Michael Ward, with costumes by Rachel Wilkie.

Check it out

Shows are at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays with matinees at 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are $28 for adults, $24 for seniors/military, $10 for ages 25 and under. Info: (253) 661-1444 or centerstagetheatre.com.