Dream the impossible dream in the dungeon at 'Man of LaMancha'

October 25, 2:49 AMCincinnati Theater ExaminerElizabeth Crowe

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Kevin Moore (Don Quixote) and David C. Maxwell
(Sancho Panza) star in Human Race Theatre's
production of 'Man of La Mancha.'
Photo by Scott J. Kimmins.

Dream the impossible dream in the dungeon at 'Man of La Mancha.'

Human Race Theatre's production of 'Man of La Mancha' has been hailed as the show to see.  Designer David A. Centers and Technical Director Scott Kimmins have turned the entire theater, including the audience, into a dungeon for this once-in-a-lifetime show.  The curtains open for a preview this Thursday, October 29 and the show opens the following day, Halloween Eve.  Performances continue through November 15.

In order to bring the show to life, the Theatre had to knock out part of a wall and the cast is the biggest in at least a decade with 18 members.  Human Race excels in its ability to connect with the audience and spares no expense at ensuring its fans' enjoyment.  Once you have been to Human Race, you always go back. 

This holds true for actors as well.  Returning to the Human Race stage is Aaron Vega, who starred in the Theatre's recent and fabulous production of 'Lend Me a Tenor.'  Also returning to the Theatre's stage are local favorites Jamie Cordes, Renee Franck-Reed, Mike Kennedy, Jake Lockwood, and J.J. Tiemeyer.  Scott Stoney directs and Scot Woolley conducts.

The show itself is known the world over for its humor and music (I Really Like Him, Dulcinea, and The Impossible Dream, Golden Helmet of Mambrino, The Combat (instrumental), and Knight of the Woeful Countenance to name a few).  The script for the musical was written by Dale Wasserman with lyrics by Joe Darion and music by Mitch Leigh (composer of the jingle, ‘Nobody Doesn’t Like Sara Lee').  It is adapted from Wasserman’s non-musical teleplay, ‘I, Don Quixote,’ which was inspired by Cervantes’ masterpiece, ‘Don Quixote.’

The story is about a failed author-soldier-actor-tax collector Miguel de Cervantes who has been thrown into the dungeon, along with his manservant, to await his hearing with the Spanish Inquisition. While in prison, the other prisoners set up a mock trial and attempt to steal from him his only prized possession, a manuscript. He offers up a play to establish his defense and everyone agrees. And so it becomes a play within a play.

Within the play, the manservant becomes Sancho Panza while Cervantes becomes Don Quixote. What follows is a tale about a windmill turned four-arm giant, a run down bar being mistaken for a castle, and a barber wearing a wash basin on his head to keep out the sun.

The musical is the winner of five Tony Awards (Best Musical (Wasserman), Best Composer and Lyricist (Leigh and Darion), Best Actor in a Musical (Richard Kiley), Best Scenic Design (Howard Bay), and Best Direction of a Musical (Albert Marre).

For the exceptional lengths to which this theater went in order to bring this show to stage, special thanks to the theatre's sponsors: The Muse Machine; DP&L Foundation; Tim & Char Scroggins; Emerson Climate Technologies; Unibilt Industries; The Roberts Foundation; App Architecture; Taft, Stettinius & Hollister LLP; and Clarksville Stave & Lumber Company.

To purchase tickets:  The theatre is located at 126 North Main Street in downtown Dayton, between First Street and Second Street, between the Victoria Theatre and Uno’s Restaurant. Just look for the big red canopy! Once inside the lobby, take either the stairs or the elevator to the third floor.  Ticket prices vary depending on night with a range of $27 to $36 with a discount for children and students.  Please purchase your tickets either by calling Ticket Center Stage at (937) 228-3630 or toll-free at (888) 228-3630 or visit the box office online at www.humanracetheatre.org.

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