July 7, 2023 – Sarasota

Florida Studio Theatre (FST) is proud to present Ken Ludwig’s A Comedy of Tenors, an over-the-top comedy full of mistaken identities, blissful romance, and madcap delight. It is 1930s Paris and the stage is set for “the concert of the century,” where the world’s top three tenors are going to deliver a once-in-a-lifetime performance. But love affairs, humorous mix-ups, and opening night chaos have producer Henry Saunders ready to try just about anything to ensure that the show goes on. Called “Astoundingly good” and “Glorious” by DC Theatre Scene, A Comedy of Tenors begins playing August 2 in FST’s Gompertz Theatre. 

A Comedy of Tenors is part of a three-show subscription package. Also included in the Summer Mainstage subscription package is the comedic murder mystery Shear Madness and the uplifting historical drama, Black Pearl Sings!. Subscriptions for all three Summer Mainstage shows can be purchased for as little as $49, and single tickets for A Comedy of Tenors range from $25-39. Subscriptions and single tickets are on sale at FloridaStudioTheatre.org or at 941.366.9000.

“Ken Ludwig is one of the few playwrights today who can write a really good, funny, and smart comedy,” said FST’s Producing Artistic Director Richard Hopkins. “He writes intelligent, character-driven comedies that also make you care about the people onstage. A Comedy of Tenors has just the right tone and rhythm to it, which is difficult to accomplish.”

A Comedy of Tenors features some of Ludwig’s most popular characters from his Tony Award-winning hit, Lend Me A Tenor, which garnered massive acclaim from audiences and critics, alike. Directed by Sean Daniels, FST’s Associate Director, this rollicking comedy marks Daniels’ FST Mainstage directorial debut.

“In addition to being hilarious, A Comedy of Tenors is a play about people desperately trying to make amazing art despite being foiled at every turn,” said Daniels. “I hope audiences revel in seeing the lengths that we, as artists, go to in order to put on a show. We deal with all the trials, the personalities, and the hiccups, but when that first giant laugh comes from the audience, it’s all worth it.”

FST’s production of A Comedy of Tenors will be brought to life by an ensemble of seven guest artists, three of whom are making their FST debuts: Andrew Benator, Jennifer Cody, and Aaron Muñoz.

Benator plays Henry Saunders, an opera producer tasked with keeping Italian superstar Tito Merelli and his hot-blooded wife, Maria, from causing utter chaos. Benator has performed in more than two dozen productions at regional theatres across the country. Cody plays Maria, Merelli’s passionate and outspoken wife, a role she has played twice before—earlier this year at Riverside Theatre and in 2017 at Pioneer Theatre Company. Cody is probably best known for voicing the character of Charlotte La Bouff in The Princess and the Frog. Muñoz plays Tito Merelli, the world’s most renowned opera tenor and an infamous womanizer. Muñoz has extensive theatre, film, and television credits, including recurring roles on Stranger Things and Chicago Fire. 

Lucy Lavely (Babel, The Last Match), Michael Perrie Jr. (Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, The Last Match), Alanna Smith (Smoke & Mirrors), and Hank Von Kolnitz (New York State of Mind: All the Hits of Billy Joel With The Uptown Boys) all return to FST for A Comedy of Tenors. Lavely plays Racon, a fierce and fiery Russian soprano and Tito’s former lover. Perrie Jr. plays Max, the former assistant to Henry Saunders and an up-and-coming tenor. Smith plays Mimi, the Merellis’ daughter and a young actress looking for her big break—a role she played at Walnut Street Theatre in 2019. Von Kolnitz plays Carlo Nucci, Mimi’s love interest who also has some awkward run-ins with Tito and Maria Merelli. 

The production’s creative team includes Isabel A. Curley-Clay and Moriah Curley-Clay (Scenic Design), Daniel Ciba (Costume Design), Suzie Sajec (Costume Coordination), Michael Pasquini (Lighting Design), and Louis Vetter Torres (Sound Design).

FST’s production of A Comedy of Tenors is sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and the National Endowment for the Arts. The production is also supported by the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, and Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax Revenues.