A Comedy of Tenors Starts Rehearsals

I was in Cleveland last week for the first three days of rehearsals for the world premiere production of A Comedy of Tenors at the Cleveland Playhouse. It's a co-production with the McCarter Theatre, and it opens the Cleveland Playhouse's 100th anniversary season. What an honor.

The cast is amazing, all hugely talented and all lovely to be with: Lisa Brescia, Bradley Dean, Antoinette LaVecchia, Kristen Martin, Rob McClure, Ron Orbach and Bobby Conte Thornton. They're off to a wonderful start under the direction of the brilliant Stephen Wadsworth. There should be a better word than brilliant. He's remarkable in every way.

We have a first-rate design team working on the show as well, led by the legendary William Ivy Long on costumes. He did the costumes for the original Broadway production of Lend Me a Tenor back in 1989, as well as Crazy for You three years later, and he's one of my dearest friends. Oh by the way, he's also designed - so far - 75 Broadway productions. 75!! And he's in this month's Vanity Fair as one of the 10 Best-Dressed Men in the World. (In fact, he's 4th!)

The wonderful Charlie Corcoran has designed the set, David Lander will do lights and Josh Horvath the sound. Josh did the jaw-dropping sound on Baskerville at McCarter and Arena this past spring.

Over the course of the jam-packed trip, I spent quality time enjoying the wondrous work of all of the artisans behind the scenes.

Here’s our Head Draper, Clare Briggs:

And Properties Artisan, Frankie Teuber with one of my favorite props for the show: the Tongue. No, I’m not going to explain further. You’ll just have to come and see the show.

Here’s the costume shop. What a place.

And I loved this pile of props from past Cleveland Playhouse productions in their production warehouse.

Happy 100th Birthday CPH and thank you for the great visit.