By Marilynn Wood
Not to be missed, Man of La Mancha, presented by Brigham’s Playhouse in St George, Utah will make you laugh and cry, but it will also make you question, “Does truth, justice, and nobility of spirit still exist today?”
Man of La Mancha is really a play within a play. Cervantes (Brant Wadsworth) and his servant, Sancho(Trey Paterson), are thrown into prison during the Spanish Inquisition. To defend themselves against the other prisoners, they present a play about Alonso Quijana (Wadsworth), a country squire who is so disillusioned with life he chooses to live in a fantasy world where he is Don Quixote (Wadsworth), a knight on a quest seeking truth, justice, and nobility of spirit. Sancho, (Paterson) his faithful servant, rides along to keep him out of trouble and pick up the pieces when he fails.
The scenery designed by Tonya Christensen makes you feel you are eavesdropping into a grey, dimly lit dungeon full of unsavory characters. It transforms easily into a roadside inn which Don Quixote imagines to be a castle. Quixote is greeted by the innkeeper (Dan Reber), his wife (Susan Ort), four muleteers (Nathan Benner, Jason Buck, Taylor Richardson, and Roy Eckman), a guitarist (Carolyn Murset), and two serving wenches (Celeste Dixon and Katie Wood). One of these serving wenches is Aldonza (Wood), who Quixote mistakes as Dulcinea, the lady of his dreams. I was mesmerized by Wadsworth’s voice as he sings “Dulcinea” and expresses the significance of this glorious find.
All thirteen actors have accomplished voices and perform the time-honored songs with great skill and technique. My compliments to Eckman, Benner, Buck, and Richardson for their beautiful harmony in “Little Bird, Little Bird,” Jason Buck in the delightful and funny “Barber’s Song,” and Paterson’s totally sincere “I Like Him.”
One of the highlights of the night is when Wadsworth sings “Impossible Dream” with his powerful, baritone voice. You feel the hope he instills in Aldonza. Likewise, you feel Aldonza’s pain when Wood sings “Aldonza”. She enters bruised, broken and disillusioned; Wood beautifully portrays her character’s feelings of betrayal by Quixote with his talk of honor and love in such a cruel and brutal world.
There are funny moments in the play, such as between the innkeeper (Reber) and his wife (Ort). They play well off each other, as do Quixote and Sancho. The Padre (Jeff Thatcher) lifted my spirits as a Padre should, and the niece (Dixon), housekeeper (Murset), and fiancé (Ronny Ruesch) played a greedy household in supreme fashion.
All good plays need a good backup team, and this one has an excellent production crew. Taylor Williams not only directed a successful play, he also did the music and sound. Timothy Merkley and Tamera Merkley provided choreography, including for the fight scenes, and Gloria Morin was in charge of the lighting. The costumer, Savanna Waldron, worked hard to achieve the desired effect.
If you haven’t seen Man of La Mancha at Brigham’s Playhouse, you should. In our world today, full of suspension and distrust, it is valuable to be reminded that we can achieve the impossible dream if we just strive for it. Don Quixote states that whether you win or lose your quest does not matter,only to follow the quest is important. It is the journey that counts.
Brigham’s Playhouse presents Man of La Mancha, book by Dale Wasserman, Music by Mitch Leigh, Lyrics by Joe Darion.
Brigham’s Playhouse 25 North 300 W, Washington, Ut 84780, 435-251-8000
August 22-September 14, 2019, Thursday thru Saturday 7:00 PM, Matinee on Saturdays 2:00 PM
Tickets: $17 – $23
Brigham’s Playhouse website
Brigham’s Playhouse facebook
Email: boxoffice@brighamsplayhouse.com
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