BWW Reviews: MAN OF LA MANCHA at Vagabond

Mention "Don Quixote" and most folks will conjure images of a crazy old Spanish knight and his tubby sidekick...and that's about it. Oh, there's something about "tilting at windmills" and wasn't there a movie? (Yes, 1972 film with Peter O'Toole and Sophia Loren). But few know the story of the famed "man of La Mancha."

There are many. There's the musical by Dale Wasserman, now playing at Baltimore's Vagabond Theater, which was based on a Wasserman's own 1959 non-musical teleplay which was inspired by 17^th century writer Miguel de Cervantes' novel, Don Quixote, which itself was based on a manuscript by Moorish historian Cide Hamete Benengeli...so sayeth Wikipedia.

Regards the musical, the play opens in a dungeon where prisoners wait to be brought forth before the Spanish Inquisition. Enter aspiring (or better, starving) artist, poet and actor Cervantes (Edward J. Peters) and his assistant (B. Thomas Rinaldi) whom we learn have taken jobs as tax collectors to pay the bills. Finding one of his clients in arrears, Cervantes puts a lien on the property...which happens to be a church...hence his date with the Inquisition.

His fellow prisoners and jailor (played by Ken Ewing, Tom Moore, Jeff Burch, Kelsey Lake, Liz Boyer, Hunnicutt, H. Ray Lawson, Carl Stevens, Tim Flaharty, Donnie Lewis, Leanto Jones, and Mike Ware) find this hilarious (as did the audience) and decide to put Cervantes on trial for the return of his belongings, in particular, a manuscript Cervantes holds dear (and can we all guess what that manuscript contains?).

Accused of being an idealist, Cervantes fashions his defense by telling the story of Don Quixote -- the one-time old gentleman Alonso Quijana gone mad from reading too many books of chivalry -- and the audience is treated to a play-within-a-play.

If a musical is to have any chance of being a success, the lead better have a good voice. Happily, Mr. Peters does, full, resonating and demonstrating good range as he sings such favorites (and the audience is warned NOT to sing-along) as "Man of La Mancha," "Dulcinea," and, of course, "The Impossible Dream."

However, like Secretariat in the Belmont, Peters is at least 31 lengths (and measures) ahead of his fellow actors in this department. Mr. Rinaldi as Quixote's squire, Sancho Panza, and Tamarin Lawler as the prostitute Aldonza/Dulcinea do exemplary jobs in their dramatic roles (if Peters is hoary, Lawler is whore-y, and Rinaldi a tad Chris Farley-esque), but fall short when it comes time to sing. Rinaldi's voice remains in his head rather than coming from the diaphragm, and Lawler's voice is too high and thin for the role of the lusty wench, Aldonza.

As for the supporting cast, don't expect Broadway caliber vocals, but then again, this isn't Broadway (and you are certainly not paying New York prices as the tickets were only $20). As a nonmusical, "La Mancha" is well executed as the cast juggles multiple roles, playing prisoners one moment and then characters in Don Quixote's tale the next. My play companion found the final moments between Don Quixote, Sancho Panza and Aldonza quite touching, and little occurs on stage to make one cease one's suspense of disbelief (though I would recommend that director Eric J. Potter find another way to create the sound effect of a prison cell door opening and closing as the recording they play leads one to initially wonder 'what the heck was THAT?' and ends too abruptly as though one were striking "stop" on a tape recorder).

Kudos to Vagabond's set designer and costumer for creating a believable late 16^th century dungeon and wardrobe befitting the era, particularly Don Quixote's armor (and appropriately bent-out-of-whack sword). Perhaps the best thing about "Man of La Mancha," of course, is the message-that it is a good thing to have ideals, and that it is worse to settle for how things are rather than fight for how they should be.

"Man of La Mancha," with musical direction by Chris Rose, continues its run at the Vagabond Theatre, 806 South Broadway in Fells Point through Feb. 7^th, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 with discounts available for seniors and students. Call 410-563-9135 or email reserve@vagabondplayers.org for reservations.

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