Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre Presents MAN OF LA MANCHA, Opens 10/18 At No Exit Cafe

Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre's second production of the season is "Man of La Mancha," presented in association with Michael James. Opening night is 7 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 18 at the No Exit Café, 6970 Glenwood Ave. in the Rogers Park neighborhood of Chicago.

Performances run through November 22 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m. The No Exit Café space, owned by James, is a cabaret setting, where dinner is available one hour prior to curtain and food and drinks are served by the cast.

Directing this production is David Heimann, a Jeff Award recipient. Music direction is by Ethan Deppe, who composed the original incidental music for Theo Ubique's "The Taming of the Shrew." Maggie Portman, the 2009 Jeff Award recipient for Actress in a Principal Role for "Evita," is choreographer. She received a Jeff Award nomination for choreography of Theo Ubique's 2008 production of "Cabaret."

Playing the lead role of Cervantes/Don Quixote is multiple Jeff Award recipient Danielle Brothers. Other cast members are:
Sarah Hayes as Aldonza
Anthony Apodaca as Sancho
Kent Joseph as Pedro/Govenor
Dan Waters as Padre
Kyle Greer as Anselmo/Housekeeper
Jennifer Young as the Captain
Trisha Ditsworth as the Barber
Michael Hershberg as Innkeeper/Innkeeper's wife
Maggie Portman as Antonia
Tom Moore as The Duke/Dr. Corasco
Performance Details
for "Man of La Mancha"

Previews are 8 p.m., October 16-17 and preview tickets are $15. Regular performance tickets for October 18-November 22 are $30 for Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays and $35 for Saturdays. A show/dinner package is $53 for all performances (reflecting a $5 discount on Saturdays). Dinner is optional and starts one hour prior to curtain. Free parking is available at the parking lot on the corner of Morse and Ravenswood with free transport on the Lifeline shuttle van to and from the lot. The No Exit Café is by the Morse stop on the Red Line.

Original 'Man of La Mancha' memorabilia on display at No Exit Cafe during run
Original La Mancha posterMichael James is going back to his roots with production of "Man of La Mancha". His father, Hal James, was one of the original producers of the first Broadway production.

James was at Lake Forest College playing football at the time and grew up around the theatre business. Hal James as co-producer won a Tony Award in 1966 for "Man of La Mancha" as Best Musical. In 1968, he won two more Tonys for "Hallelujah, Baby!" for Best Musical and Best Producer (as one of four) and produced another musical and a play before dying suddenly of a stroke in 1971 at age 59. A revival of "Man of La Mancha" was produced in 1972 under his name as producer.

James is putting together an exhibit of original souvenirs and paraphernalia of the original "Man of La Mancha" production on Broadway. The exhibit will be on display at the No Exit Café, which he owns and where Theo Ubique performs in cabaret theatre style, during the October 18-November 22 run. His mother, Florence James, 95, of Westport, CN will visit Chicago to see this production.

Cast studies roles with Trilogy staff, clients; donating some ticket proceeds as give-backMan of La Mancha photo
To study for their roles in "Man of La Mancha," the cast met with staff and clients at Trilogy Behavioral Center in Rogers Park. "It helped inform their roles to be authentic, rather than stereotypical, as patients in an insane asylum where the story takes place," said Director David Heimann. In return, 10 percent of ticket sales sold by Trilogy will go back to them.

 

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