A Singer’s Notes 41: To Dream the Impossible Dream: Man of La Mancha at Capital Rep, by Michael Miller


Kevin McGuire as Don Quixote and Robert Anthony Jones as Sancho Panza in Man of La Mancha at Capital Rep.

Man of La Mancha is manifestly a show which tries to convert. It is not a simple narrative, though its main functional device is story-telling. It seeks to do no less than convince.  It is as close to polemic as musical theatre gets.  It must succeed in doing this, or it has not worked. Capital Rep's new production of this classic musical is fully professional. It is well-cast, musically inventive, and consistently well-paced. Kevin McGuire in the title role has more than a touch of Falstaff in his portrayal. He seemed almost bewildered as Cervantes in prison, and then by turns, tired, rueful, and very human, portraying Don Quixote. He did not hog the stage; often he was the quietest presence on the stage. His singing did not set out to command, but to move. I could imagine a more bravura performance, but Mr. McGuire's was direct and convincing. I thought the strongest parts of his portrayal were the quieter moments, again, sometimes touched by bewilderment or confusion. He humanized the hero.Supporting roles were very well taken. Anne Fraser Thomas as Aldonza did not begin on the defensive. There were other things in her portrayal than anger. If anything the scenes which are the most appalling were a little routine, perhaps too well-executed. I found Ms Thomas increasingly convincing as the show went on, and most convincing at the end of the show where her portrayal, like Mr. McGuire's, was not overstated.

Read the full review
 on the Berkshire Review, an International Journal for the Arts!