There are three elements in Diamond Head Theatre’s “Man of La Mancha” that elevate, fascinate and thrill audiences:
- The pair of lead voices of Buz Tennent as Miguel de Cervantes /Alonso Quijano/Don Quixote and Anna Young as Prisoner/Aldonza/Dulcinea bring power and finesse to their roles. Note the slashes (/) between the character names; they’re plentiful in this show.
- The inspirational and immortal tune, “The Impossible Dream,” is the exit song audiences sing or hum en route home. And Tennent owns this one, each time he sings it. He projects, perfects, and protects the integrity of the power ballad that is the essence of hope and conquest.
- Deanne Kennedy’s impressive single set, comprising eye-filling arches beneath which all the action takes place, is formidable and smartly functional. There are smaller arches reflected in the window designs, and this single three-in-one set disavows noisy movements of smaller set pieces shoved on and off stage, a problematic quest for DHT since its new theater opened. The set is challenged only by a metallic staircase that unexpectedly drops from the heavens, sort of, to provide a dramatic entrance and exit in two scenes in the show. Smoothly and quietly.
The musical, written by Dale Wasserman (book), Mitch Leigh (music) and Joe Darion (lyrics), is a tangle of hope, dreams, and intentions of a playwright and poet (Quixote), who is fascinated by windmills, and his idealism, imagination and inclinations collide in his characterizations. Simply, he struggles and is conflicted between reality and delusion. As Cervantes, he is sent to prison during the Spanish Inquisition where he relates the tales of Don Quixote via a play-within-a-play with his fellow prisoners to protect his Quixote novel.
Multiple themes – perseverance, imagination, and the element of dreams – are heightened via recurrence and repetition. Quixote and his devoted manservant, Sancho Panza (Mo Radke) are Spaniards in Seville, though their mission to right wrongs and undo evils, might emulate the knights of the roundtable upholding chivalry in “Camelot.”
The delusional Quixote mistakes a windmill for a huge four-armed giant. Worse, at a roadside inn Quixote thinks it’s a castle, and he challenges muleteers and recognizes Aldonza, who toils at the inn, but mistakes her for Lady Dulcinea, to whom he has been eternally loyal. Also shamelessly loyal: Sancho, who pledges his bond with Quixote on “I Really Like Him.”
This not the easiest show to sit through, because of the volley of themes and tuneful reprises. Besides the two lead voices, there are a few other dependable and dedicated singers, too: Larry Paxton (Padre), Garrett Hols (Dr. Carrasco) and Lainey Hicks (Antonia).
Director Bryce Chaddock is like a prison warden here, taking on this journey of quixotic quests and dreams of a creative soul searching for perfection in an imperfect world. Of the cast of 21, 15 play prisoners and other double- and triple-cast roles.
Two faux horses generate smiles and appeal; they giddy-yup and trot with amusement and charm, but the actors are not credited in the playbill. At least, I couldn’t detect the identities.
John Rampage is choreographer, though “La Mancha” isn’t a dance-centric show.
Jenny Shiroma gets a full sound from her eight-piece orchestra, and the tech work is efficient and clean – Dawn Oshima (lighting), Mike Minor (sound), Kyle Connor (props), Emily Lane (costumes) and Mia Yoshimoto (hair and makeup) can all take a bow.
Advisory: There is no intermission, so the advice is to sip your drinks and visit the bathroom before the show. Running time: 1:55…
And that’s Show Biz…
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‘Man of La Mancha’
What: A musical about Miguel Cervantes, who stages his ‘Man of La Mancha’ while imprisoned. The show was written by Dale Wasserman (book), Mitch Leigh (music) and Joe Darion (lyrics).
Where: Diamond Head Theatre
When: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 3 p.m. Saturdays, 4 p.m. Sundays; extended playdates at 7:30 p.m. June 13 and 3 p.m. June 14.
Tickets: $41 to $68, at www.diamondheadtheatre.com and (808) 733-0274