On October 26, 27, and 28, Houghton Lyric Theatre will be presenting The Old Maid and the Thief and The Telephone. These two one-act comedic operas are directed by Prof. Amanda Cox and will be performed by Kingsley Kolek ‘18, Lauren Grifoni ‘19, Daniel Bussey ‘20, Alessia Paolini ‘20, Ellenore Tarr ‘18, Aniela Perez ‘18, Sissi Lu ‘18, and Joshua Ellis ‘21, with piano by Elizabeth Liddick.
The two one-act comedic operas were composed in the early twentieth century by Gian Carlo Menotti. Originally written to be broadcasted over radio, the two shows are designed to be appreciated by the common person who could not afford to go to the theatre. The results are gripping, dramatic, and hilarious shows that are fueled by modern music.
The Old Maid and the Thief tells the story of an old maid, Miss Todd, and her housemaid, Laetitia. When a good-looking man named Bob wanders into town, the two convince him to stay with them. Miss Pinkerton, the town gossip, has heard rumors of an escaped convict in the area and warns Miss Todd that she may be harboring him. Meanwhile, Laetitia falls in love with Bob, but convinces Miss Todd that he is in love with her so that she will continue to allow him to stay with them. Eventually, Bob and Latitia run away together, but not before the true thief is revealed.
In The Telephone, Ben comes to visit Lucy at her apartment, hoping to ask for her hand in marriage before he leaves on a trip. Ben’s attempts to propose to Lucy, however, are interrupted by incessant phone calls. As Ben tries to pull Lucy’s attention away from her telephone long enough to pop the question to her, he becomes more and frustrated. This opera is full of suspense and hilarious moments that build up to a delightfully ironic conclusion.
The Old Maid and the Thief and The Telephone provide a unique opportunity for some of Houghton’s music majors. Lauren Grifoni said, “Being a part of this production is such a delight. Under the direction of Professor Cox, our cast has grown both as actors and as singers. The music has been very challenging but everyone has worked so hard to learn it and bring it to performance level.”
I’m a Lyric Theatre newbie, and I’ve appreciated working with Professor Cox and my talented castmates. They’ve been a huge source of encouragement for me as I’ve stepped into something out of my comfort zone, and I love witnessing their enthusiasm and positivity. I’m excited to portray a pretty nasty character in The Old Maid and the Thief. Mrs. Todd isn’t exactly likable, but she certainly has a lot of passion. It’s just hidden behind her knitting.
Tickets are only $5 for Houghton students and the shows will be at 7:30pm in the Center for the Arts next Thursday, Friday, and Saturday!