Man of La Mancha
Book by Dale Wasserman
Music by Mitch Leigh, Lyrics by Joe Darion
Directed by Prof. Jim Bumgardner
Music Directed by Prof. Jess Abrams
Dec., 1, 2 7, 8 & 9, 2023 at 7:30 PM
Dec. 2 & 9, 2023 at 2:00 PM
Ciccone Theatre
Based on The Adventures of Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes, Man of La Mancha is a comic tragedy of mankind’s struggle to better both himself and the world in which he lives. A tale of the adventures of an eccentric idealist in a hostile, greedy and cynical world. As with all the best allegorical tales, the oppressive mood of the fight against eternal evil is heightened by the sometimes comic, sometimes dramatic attempts of the hero to right all the wrongs of the world. Although his efforts at times seem puny and pathetic, the audience is left in no doubt as to the purity of intent that he instils into his self-imposed crusade. The story is both very entertaining and very moving, and will warm the heart of everyone whose spirits were ever raised by the prospect of a victory by the underdog against all the odds. The score is a musical delight, and contains one of the most moving moments in musical theatre as Don Quixote relates his personal credo in “The Impossible Dream.”