BROADWAY SNAP-SHOT
by Russell Bouthiller
Dateline: 28 December 2002
MAN OF LA MANCHA
Tony-winner Brian Stokes Mitchell returns to the stage of the Martin Beck Theatre in a grand revival of the Mitch Leigh/Joe Darion/Dale Wasserman musical MAN OF LA MANCHA, directed by Jonathan Kent. In this picaresque tale of truth, honor and glory, a self-appointed noble sets to right the wrongs of man and discovers more than few bumps along the road to enlightenment.
Based on a television play "I, Don Quixote" by librettist Wasserman, MAN OF LA MANCHA is one of the theater's great success stories. The show opened Off-Broadway at the Anta Washington Square Theatre in November of 1965 and launched Richard Kiley into the pantheon of musical legends for his portrayal of Don Miguel de Cervantes and his Don Quixote. A tremendous critical success, the production moved to the Martin Beck Theatre on Broadway in 1968 and ran a whopping 2,328 performances.
MAN OF LA MANCHA opens with Cervantes and his dutiful servant Sancho thrown into a Spanish prison during the Inquisition. Set upon by a swarm of ruthless knaves and murders, the poet pleads his case to "The Governor," the dungeon capo, in a narrative about a delusional, though altruistic squire Alonso Quijana who imagines himself to be the knight-errant Don Quixote of La Mancha.
As the tale unfolds, Quixote and sidekick stumble upon an inn full of drunkards and whores. Among them is the "fair virgin" Aldonza whom the daft Don dubs his Dulcinea. Thinking he wants from her what most men do, Aldonza dismisses his gallantries as just a tired tactic. It's not until this "Knight of the Woeful Countenance" protects her from a group of ruffians that the sultry Aldonza tilts his way.
Led by the conniving nephew-to-be, Carrasco, Quijana's kin aims to rope in this wayward war-horse and gain his fortunes. The Don envisions Carrasco to be the Great Enchanter and prepares for the ultimate battle, only to see himself as the greatest of all fools. Dejected, he returns to his manse to die. In his final moments, the mock hero's hope is restored when the fair Aldonza, his Dulcinea, comes to his side and eases his passage to the Elysian Fields.
With Mitch Leigh's inspiring melodies and Joe Darions' fluid lyrics, songs such as "Man of La Mancha (I, Don Quixote)," "Dulcinea" and "The Impossible Dream," have become staples of the American songbook and have been sung for decades in piano bars and concert halls from Singapore to Cincinnati.
Brian Stokes Mitchell's honey-hued baritone lifts these immortal classics to illustrious heights, leaving not a dry eye in the house. Stokes (as he is known) magnificently displays the world-weary aspect of the Don while consistently allowing his glimmer of optimism to shine through, even in the darkest moments.
As the strumpet, Aldonza, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio decisively sheds her character's coarse exterior to reveal the illusory and quixotic center of Dulcinea. With steady confidence, she manages a dramatic counterpart to her glimmering co-star. Vocally, she offers a soft, yet sturdy delivery, especially with "What Does He Want of Me."
Ernie Sabella as Sancho proves a stalwart footman. Sabella savors every moment of his unflappably devoted, adorably befuddled character. Stephan Bogardus gives us an arch Carrasco as well as a driven Duke. And, Don Mayo, also in dual roles as the Governor and the Innkeeper, richly shades this Counter Reformation tapestry.
Director Jonathan Kent has orchestrated a dynamic collaboration of talents to create a truly inspirational show. Paul Brown's cylindrical dungeon is eerily conceived and its breathtaking spiral staircase sends a chill down the spine. His dingy costumes for the underworld denizens complete the sense of despair and isolation. Lighting designs by Paul Gallo embellishes the scene with haunting chiaroscuro. MAN OF LA MANCHA, a timeless classic lavishly staged.