By: Anthony Danilov
Bergenstages’ production of Man of La Mancha premiered on November 30th at our Anna Ciccone Theater and I was there to see it. It’s safe to say that by the end of the musical, I did not want to leave.
I always love going out and seeing productions in any capacity. Whether it be big Broadway productions out in the city or local small-scale productions, it doesn’t matter. What makes a performance stay with me is if it captures the feeling of true theater. The feeling of an ensemble of actors, vocalists, and dancers getting together and losing themselves in a story. Not only that, but also being able to take the audience along the journey with them and make it feel as if we’ve been whisked away to another world. This production of Man of La Mancha did just that and I was glad to be a part of every minute of it.
I studied drama for four years at my high school back in New York and even started performing in musicals all the way back in middle school. I’m a creative soul and I know I always will be no matter whether I’m actively doing it or not. Moments like these, however, bring so much joy and emotion into my heart and are the ones I cherish the most. I was new to the story of Man of La Mancha but the name did sound vaguely familiar, and when I heard that the play was basically a “play within a play” I was even more intrigued to see what it would be about and if the cast would pull it off.
First off, the stage was designed simply but effectively. It was meant to represent the common room of a stone prison vault, and I could see the vision. In full honesty, even when watching the show, I realized I basically understood 75% of it with a couple of mishaps here and there. So even though originally I thought it was some kind of town square, I see how that mistake could be made. The team did what they had to do with the stage they were given. My favorite element was the steps that would go up and down throughout the show when the Spanish Inquisition would come to converse with the prisoners. Though it was not used frequently, I thought it was a nice touch to show the skill of the set designers, so props to them.
Now in terms of the choreography throughout the musical, I’d have to say that that was my least favorite aspect of the production. Though it was minimal and not an integral part of the musical, I’d like to clarify that I separate dancing from staging. While the musical was staged very well, the dancing didn’t sell me on the time period and setting of the story. It doesn’t take away from the viewing experience, however, as Man of La Mancha doesn’t per say need it as much.
As for the acting, I believe everyone committed to their part fully and truly immersed themselves in the world of Man of La Mancha. My personal favorites were the actors who played Don Quixote, Sancho, and the Barber, Zachary Ingledne, who I last saw in the previous production of The Laramie Project. His character comes in for only one scene but his commitment to the archetype makes it a moment you cannot forget. Ethan Benell, who plays Don Quixote, switches between Cervantes and the fictional character so seamlessly and perfectly captures the energy of the play as the lead.
In regards to the music and vocal delivery, I would have to say that that aspect was my favorite part of the musical and what drew me in the most. Every single song shares a similar musical thematic feel, but each has its own unique story that stands out. All together the composition and production of every track just brings the story together and is the glue that holds everything down. Experiencing it made me fall in love and get so emotional about the world of theater and creating a family bonding experience with your cast, especially the closing number to the musical that simply brought me to tears. Major acknowledgment to the orchestra and vocalists of the cast; overall there was a strong presence in every song vocally and I felt passion and emotion sung into every song. Some of my favorite tracks from the musical were “Man of La Mancha,” “I’m Only Thinking of Him,” “I Really Like Him,” and of course, the classic “The Impossible Dream.”
Both Christine Dunning, who plays Aldonza, and Kevin R. Maphis, actor for Sancho, have voices that were simply made for the stage, and Maphis had to be the standout star for me. In every scene that he was on stage for you couldn’t help but pay attention to him; his presence demanded to be heard and he clearly has a true passion for the theater. I’m very excited to see where his career goes if he chooses to pursue it, and can’t wait to see him in future productions. There were also other familiar faces from Bergenstages’ last play and it was great to see them contribute as well; it’s nice to see that Bergen has built such a community in the theater.
The themes of this musical really hit home. What I took away from it were issues dealing with identity and what the world tells us to be. To everyone else, Alonso Quijana is a madman who brings constant worry. All his relatives do everything they can to stop their grandfather from imagining this lie of him being a knight. Still, even after he falls into a coma and loses memory of everything he believed, all he needed was his Sancho and Dulcinea by his side to remember who he is. His family members did not have the best in mind for their grandfather, but his friends did. This is a very recurring situation in many people’s lives today. Society constantly tries to fit us in a box based on who we are and tries to tell us what we should be doing. I believe in my heart of hearts that we should never stop reaching for that dream or that wish to be whoever we want, just as Alonso Quijana did. We all share those hopes and desires and each of us striving for it is what makes us human and brings us together in the darkest of times. I believe director Jim Baumgardner has this in mind when choosing the musical for this 2023 fall season and when casting each and every one of his actors. Their work along with his is remarkable and I urge everyone on campus to take a moment to fall in love with the world of theater and the messages it conveys.