Story by Brae Foust

Mistaken identity is never something to laugh at in real life. That is except when you put it on stage hilarious characters and an over-the-top scenario that no one could believe be possible. That’s exactly what you’ll get with Lend Me a Tenor these next couple of weekends over at the Brownwood Lyric Theatre. A comedic & entertaining piece of work that puts the 2026 off to a great start.

Lend Me a Tenor by Ken Ludwig is a fast-paced farce set in 1934 in Cleveland, where a local opera company eagerly awaits the arrival of world-famous tenor Tito Merelli. When Tito accidentally has an overdose and is believed to be dead, the company’s frantic manager convinces his timid assistant, Max, to take his place in the evening’s performance. Chaos erupts when Tito unexpectedly recovers, leading to two Otellos running around the hotel and a series of mistaken identities and romantic misunderstandings. In the end, despite the confusion and mishaps, the show goes on, and Max discovers newfound confidence.

You’re in for a treat the first time you get a look at the set. I took my wife & child to the show and as soon as the stage lights kicked in, they both genuinely said at the same time ‘wow!’ It’s a beautiful throwback to the 1930s that pops out immediately. And it turns out that if you happen to see a chandelier hanging stage right (left-hand side of the stage for the audience) you’ll witness a piece of history. The chandelier in question is one of three that were a part of the original Lyric theatre back in the 1930s.

But this is a comedy, so will it make you laugh? I’m happy to say this show & it’s characters will give you a good couple of wheezes, especially in Act 2 during a certain aria with our two main males in peculiar situations. Drew Ervin plays Tito, and his portrayal of a confused foreigner being put in conversations he has no idea about the context had me snorting in my seat, especially when he and Diana, played by Alisa Hinton, talk about her ‘dreams.’ Jackson Taylor plays Max who is not confident as a character & nervous, which Jackson shows off flawlessly. Gillian Sapp gets to play the ‘fangirl’ of the show absolutely loving Tito & his operatic voice getting herself into some unnecessary situations, to which Gillian plays superb.

Taylor Crow plays an excellent panicking owner of the opera house, as his facial expressions & his ability to turn red in the face with anger added to the performance. Jennifer Reeves hilariously plays a fiery Maria who made me wonder if she was part Italian since she made me think she was an actual angry Italian woman. Keren Moss playing Julia not only got to sparkle in a few of her own scenes but also got to show off a beautiful sparkling dress. Even Brandon Nichols playing the Bellhop got a few moments to shine. All in all, the cast worked well together & the fact that they played off of one another great made this experience even funnier.

Tickets are on sale now at brownwoodlyrictheatre.com, but you can also get them at the door. Showings will happen for the next two weekends with a show on Fridays at 7:30 PM, two showings on Saturdays at 2:30 & 7:30 PM, and matinee showings on Sundays at 2:30 PM. Lend Me a Tenor is a great start for the 2026 season over at the Lyric Theatre so go check it out, as it is sure to be a clown of a time.

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Brae Foust, along with being a DJ for KOXE radio and Sports Broadcaster for local area sports, is a classically trained Baritone who graduated with a degree in Music Education from Texas Tech University. He has performed regionally with the Texas Tech Opera Theatre, Amarillo Opera, and Lubbock Moonlight Musicals. Additionally, he has performed around the country, including Lincoln Center in New York City.