Alhambra to Present MAN OF LAMANCHA, 9/10-10/12

In his previous appearance at the Alhambra as the lead in South Pacific, Christopher Sanders received a standing ovation each night. On September 10, the dashing singer returns to the Alhambra as Don Quixote in the play inspired by Miguel de Cervantes' seventeenth century masterpiece by the same name. Presented by Brumo's Automotive, Man of LaMancha opens on September 10 and runs through October 12.

About the show: Man of LaMancha tells the story of the "mad" knight, Don Quixote, as a play within a play, performed by Cervantes and his fellow prisoners as he awaits a hearing with the Spanish Inquisition. The original 1965 Broadway production ran for 2,328 performances and won five Tony® Awards, including Best Musical. The musical has been revived four times on Broadway, becoming one of the most enduring works of musical theater. The principal song, "The Impossible Dream," became a standard. The musical has played in many other countries around the world, with productions in Dutch, French (translation by Jacques Brel), German, Hebrew, Japanese, Korean, Icelandic, Gujarati, Uzbek, Hungarian, Serbian, Slovenian, Swahili, Finnish, Ukrainian and nine distinctly different dialects of the Spanish language. Man of La Mancha was first performed at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam (Connecticut) in 1965, and had its New York premiere on the thrust stage of the ANTA Washington Square Theatre in 1965.

About Christopher Sanders: Christopher Sanders is an award-winning actor and singer and has performed in venues around the world. He has performed with George Hearn, Roddy McDowell, Carol Lawrence, John Raitt, Debbie Boone, Steve Kazee, and Rosemary Clooney. Most recently he received critical acclaim for his portrayal of Javert in Les Miserables and Emile in South Pacific. Additional theatrical credits include Fred/Petruchio(Kiss Me Kate), Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde (Jekyll and Hyde), The Beast (Disney's Beauty and the Beast), Don Quixote (Man of La Mancha), Chauvelin (The Scarlet Pimpernel), Juan Peron (Evita), title role Kopit and Yeston's (Phantom), Henry Higgins (My Fair Lady), and Cinderella's Prince/Wolf (Into The Woods). His concert work includes engagements with the Pittsburgh Symphony, Knoxville Symphony, Bangor Symphony, Pasadena Pops, and The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber at the National Theatre and Concert Hall Taiwan. Christopher tours the country as the baritone for the legendary 1940's-style singing group - The Pied Pipers. In 2001, they were inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame along with the Bee Gees and The Lettermen.

Said Craig Smith, Managing Partner of the Alhambra Theatre & Dining, "We never received as much fan mail about anyone as we did Chris when he was in South Pacific. People were virtually begging us to bring him back, and we are so excited we could find a show for him." He continued, "He kind of reminds me of that old saying you used to hear about James Bond, 'men want to be like him and women want to be with him.' Chris is a serious talent and we are sure delighted to showcase him again."

Brumo's is taking the role of presenting sponsor for its third time in as many years. "Their partnership has meant so much to us," said Smith. "They care so deeply about this theater, this city and its arts and cultural scene. I am grateful they recognize The Alhambra as being part of their cultural investment." In 2012 Brumo's was the presenting sponsor of Phantom and last season they sponsored, quite coincidentally, South Pacific.

About the menu: As always, Executive Chef DeJuan Roy has created a new menu consistent with the themes of the show on stage. The first course features a choice of black bean soup or traditional Caesar salad with chopped romaine, shredded Parmesan, and croutons accompanied by Chef Roy's Caesar Dressing. The second course features a choice of classic Spanish paella with chorizo sausage, chicken, shrimp, mussels, authentic Sofrito base, peas and haricots vert, over yellow rice; or Ropa Vieja served with black beans & yellow rice and stewed tomatoes; or roasted Sazon-flavored chicken served with a choice of potato or chorizo hash and haricots vert; or black bean and quinoa cakes with cilantro yogurt sauce, lime rice, and a Chef's selection of grilled vegetables. For dessert, guests can choose from Spanish sponge cake with a rum demi-glaze or traditional Spanish flan with fresh whipped cream.

Man of LaMancha will run at the Alhambra Theatre & Dining September 10 through October 12, 2014. Show time is 8:00 PM for evening shows. Doors open at 5:45 PM and dinner will be served until 7:30 PM. Matinees on Saturday are at 1:15 PM. Doors open at 11:00 AM and brunch starts at 11:15 AM. Sunday matinee is at 2:00. Doors open at noon and the meal starts at 12:15 PM. Group sales are available. Pricing starts at $35 and includes dinner, show and parking. The Alhambra is located at 12000 Beach Boulevard in Jacksonville, FL. Call the box office at 904.641.1212 or www.alhambrajax.com.

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