Reviews: Lend Me A Soprano at The New School of Northern Virginia
Written by Penelope Meier of Duke Ellington School of the Arts
If you love mistaken identities, love triangles, and slamming doors, then The New School of Northern Virginia's production of Lend Me a Soprano by Ken Ludwig is for you.
Originally written as Lend Me a Tenor, starring two men, Ken Ludwig rewrote it to feature more lead female roles and thus renamed it Lend Me a Soprano. The play is a farce, screwball comedy, and in The New School's production, it is set in the 1980s.
The play follows the manager of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company, Mrs. Wylie, played by Arminé Heard, as she attempts to assemble what she believes is the best show the company has ever seen. It is a performance of Carmen starring the famous soprano Elena Firenzi, played by Sophie Grzadzinski. However, everything that could possibly go wrong goes wrong, turning the night into chaos.
This play was written with the hope of featuring more women in lead comedic roles, and the three main female actors did not disappoint. Arminé Heard, playing Mrs. Wylie, utilized the elements of farce and slapstick comedy wonderfully, allowing the audience to grow compassion for her character, but also laugh at her character. Arminé's physical comedy, comedic timing, and distinct relationship with the other characters on the stage continued to draw the audience's eyes to her. Additionally, Molly Manchester's performance as Jo fully encompassed Jo's character development as the play begins with her in her usual frantic and frazzled state. However, as every other character in the play begins to fall apart, Jo steps up to maintain order and control. Manchester delivers a captivating performance, showing Jo's change from Act 1 to Act 2. Lastly, Sophie Grzadinski, who plays Elena Firenzi, captured Elena's melodrama to a tee. She had incredible endurance to maintain her character's many breakdowns, including minutes of tears, physical fighting, yelling, and even moments of insane stillness, making Jo believe she was dead.
The entire cast's connection to their environment and presence in the space, even when they were not the main focus, was extremely impressive and added a sense of realism that served as a breath of fresh air in a rather absurd play. Drew Reynolds, who played Pasquale, was especially good at this, as he was often left in the hotel room to himself while characters talked in the other room. It was clear what Pasquale could hear from the other room and what he could not hear, making his performance rather captivating despite having no dialogue in these moments.
The New School Theater Tech Class and Set Design Class immediately transported the audience back to the 1980s through their distinct color and furniture set choices. Additionally, they were able to incorporate six doors on a rather small stage, which allowed for many of the key slapstick comedy elements of the show. The prop team, led by Noa Le and assisted by Aspin Flajser, Victoria Reidenbach, and Emmy Gremminger, also helped create the 1980s environment as they thrifted the props they used on stage to ensure they were truly authentic to the time period. Lastly, the lighting led by Ben Cauvel and assisted by Alex DeSilva and Aspin Flajser was simple yet effective. Since the stage had two rooms, where actors would often switch between, the lighting served as a guide for the audience on which room to focus on.
If you're looking for a show that will guarantee laughter and keep you engaged from beginning to end, then your next watch should be the New School of Northern Virginia's Production of Lend Me A Soprano.
Written by Max Gerstenberg of West Springfield High School
Door slamming misunderstandings, spoiled shrimp but worst of all of all, a missing star. Everything's gone wrong, but the show must go on. This is the New School of Northern Virginia's Lend Me a Soprano, reminding us all that confidence and camaraderie always wins over competition.
Lend Me a Soprano is a comedy written by the award winning playwright Ken Ludwig and based on another one of his works, Lend Me a Tenor. However, this time genders are swapped. Lend me a Soprano premiered at the Alley Theatre in Texas in 2022. Set in the 1980s, the plot follows a timorous young assistant with dreams of being someone. When her boss, Manager of the Cleveland Opera Company Lucille Wylie discovers that the proclaimed opera star Elena Firenzi won't be able to go on, Jo hesitantly steps up to the task.
Arminé Heard as Mrs. Wylie took control of the scene every time she entered with her anticipatory demeanor and incredible presence. She brought the most out of every comedic moment with impeccable timing and outstanding delivery as well as kept the pacing high with her overwhelmed portrayal. The story takes a presagefully unexpected turn when the door swings open and the temperamental Elena Firenzi played by Sophie Grzadzinski struts into the room. Throughout physically complex and draining scenes, Grzadzinski exhibited true endurance, keeping the audience fully immersed. Her relationship with each character was perfectly built up and presented, and top it off, she demonstrated an incredible use of comedic timing and dynamic range which left the audience craving for more. Drew Reynolds as Pasquale showed his unmatched level of commitment in several ways. From his superior delivery to heightened emotional dynamics with Grzadzinski (Firenzi) and even remaining in character a room over, building out the scene and creating a new realm of believability.
The New School Theatre Tech Class and Set Design Class did outstanding work to create a lively space, including carpet, doors, and walls, that tied with the audience's close proximity to the stage, would entirely immerse the audience. From planning to constructing, the teams worked with a focus on accuracy to the time period, intense collaboration, and thoughtful execution to fit six doors and the rest of the effectual set in such a small space. Adding depth to each room, Aspin Flasjer, Victoria Reidenbach, and Emmy Gremminger masterfully incorporated props that supported the scene and contributed to the plot. In order to fit the style of the show and set, props were thrifted and selected based upon accuracy to the 80's time period. Beyond that, some props included student added details, down to handwritten notes or labels, adding an extra layer of immersion for the actors.
From the total immersion to the comedic choices, New School of Northern Virginia's Lend Me a Soprano checked every box, leaving the audience wiping tears of laughter from their eyes. They walk away not only remembering the show as a screwball farce, but also as a call to action for those lacking the confidence to make a change.