What happens
Archie, the bookish barkeep at Duffy's Tavern, has been to the opera and comes away convinced he can do better, so he decides to write one himself. Miss Duffy is recruited to sing, and Archie plans to cast his guests from Mrs. Pilkington's literary society in the audience. He reworks The Barber of Seville, with Figaro, Rosina, Don Bartolo and a wealthy rival, while the tavern staff weigh in on the production. The broadcast is a comedy skit drawn from the Duffy's Tavern series, a show with Ed Gardner and Shirley Booth in the lead roles.
Duffy's Tavern, a New York bar and restaurant, and the mock opera staged in the back room.
Characters: Archie, Duffy, Miss Duffy, Finnegan, Mrs. Pilkington, Charlie, Miss Duffy
Listen for: Archie's ever-escalating plans for his opera, and the reactions of Mrs. Pilkington's guests when the performance begins.
Written from the episode itself; it never gives away the ending. Every recording is remastered for the stream: cleaned of rumble, hiss and mains hum (and the old TV whine where we found it), then levelled in two passes to steady broadcast loudness, so one show is never quieter than the next.