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Review: MAN OF LA MANCHA at Diamond Head Theatre

Running now through June 14

By: Jun. 03, 2025
Review: MAN OF LA MANCHA at Diamond Head Theatre  Image
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When Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra wrote The Adventures of Don Quixote in 1605, it was the height of the Spanish Inquisition. When Dale Wasserman adapted the novel into a 90-minute teleplay titled I, Don Quixote in 1959, fascist dictator Francisco Franco ruled Spain through the bloody “social cleansing” of the White Terror, and the aftermath of McCarthyism still permeated the American cultural landscape. Now, when Bryce Chaddick brings Man of La Mancha to Diamond Head Theatre in 2025, it is in the midst of an alarming rise of fascism and authoritarianism both at home and abroad, and the threat that artists and dreaming impossible dreams poses to those power structures is constantly in the headlines. In brief, to say that this story always seems to be “timely” is an understatement.

It is clear that Mr. Chaddick has invested a significant amount of time and care into shaping this production, even going so far as to visit La Mancha and share his experiences in the DHT newsletter. That immersion manifests itself within the first few notes of Mitch Leigh’s overture, which Mr. Chaddick and choreographer John Rampage use as underscoring for a pantomimed history of the rise of fascism in Spain. This sequence is punctuated by the tearing down of massive flags of the First Spanish Republic, revealing the red/yellow/morado of the post-monarchical Second Spanish Republic of the 1930s, then finally to the imposing flag of Franco’s regime. It is a chilling ballet set unsettlingly to such beautiful and hummable music, but it is undeniably effective in bringing the story of Don Quixote into a much more recent context—an idea further emphasized by the integration of modern clothing on much of the ensemble (costume design by Emily Lane). I can honestly say I have never seen a production of Man of La Mancha where the Muleteers are wearing jeans and the overture ends with a firing squad, but I will admit I really enjoyed this fresh take on one of the most unique and beloved pieces of American musical theatre.

The incredible set design by Deanne Kennedy deserves special mention right off the bat, as does the dramatic lighting by Dawn Oshima. Ms. Kennedy’s set is breathtaking, providing multiple levels and niches and angular planes for what surely must feel like a playground for both cast and director. The retractable staircase leading out of the prison earned a well deserved gasp from the audience at its first outing, and continued to provide an ominous presence throughout. Ms. Oshima’s lighting evokes a large subterranean holding cell, with mottled lighting from above and an air of despair in the shadows. Her quick cuts between the bright white reality of Cervantes’ imprisonment in the 1940s and the warmer tones of the imagined world of Don Quixote in the late 16th century are masterfully done, and I was delighted by an especially beautiful moment of diegetic lighting from lanterns at the conclusion of “To Each His Dulcinea” (a moving solo moment by Laurence Paxton).  Mia Yoshimoto’s hair and makeup design deserve mention as well, with a pièce de résistance in Aldonza’s (Anna Young) fiery red mane, very nearly a character in its own right.

Speaking of Ms. Young, we last saw her on the DHT stage as a budding opera star in Master Class and as the charming Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady—both directed by Mr. Chaddick—and it was lov-er-ly to see them in collaboration again. Her vocals are impressive, and though I wanted to see her indulge a bit more in the grittiness of Aldonza’s foul-mouthed, fire-hardened “kitchen slut reeking with sweat”, she does tap into the tenderness and heart of her inner Dulcinea in quieter moments, delivering an especially beautiful rendition of “What Does He Want From Me?” and kicking off the “Impossible Dream” finale with her clear and plaintive voice. As her literal knight in shining armor, Buz Tennent takes on the dual mantle of Don Quixote de La Mancha and Don Miguel de Cervantes with panache, and brings down the house with his reverential “Dulcinea”and powerful “Impossible Dream”. His Quixote is unrelenting, undeterred, and unimpeachable in his honor, employing rolled r’s for his elevated and anachronistic speech, which provides a nice contrast to his more naturalistic take on Cervantes. While there were a few moments where the gravitas of his Cervantes got lost in the mix, Mr. Tennent had a very clear understanding of both characters and their function within the story, as both man and myth, ideal and idealist, earning a huge reaction with his protestation that “facts are the enemy of truth!”. His sidekick, the delightful Sancho Panza (Mo Radke) has a panza full of proverbs and an enchanting charisma capable of disarming even Aldonza’s cynical heart. Mr. Radke’s Sancho was less clownish than most takes on the character, but nonetheless I couldn’t stop smiling through his “I Really Like Him” and his attempt to deliver a missive for Aldonza from Quixote.

As Quixote, Aldonza, and Sancho take up the bulk of the storytelling, the supporting cast only get a few moments in the spotlight, but they make the most of it. Presley A. Wheeler’s barber was playful and bewildered at Quixote's insistence that his shaving basin is a golden helmet of legend, and his post-song ad libs made me snort. Garrett Hols as the sole “sane” characters of The Duke and Dr. Carrasco was all gravitas and stark realist, with a well-executed turn as a metaphorical knight in a scene laid out like a chessboard, and using his booming baritone to break through the fantasy world and fling Cervantes back to reality. Finally, Lainey Hicks absolutely dazzled as Quixote’s niece Antonia, and she stole the show in the “I’m Only Thinking of Him” trio. I have legitimately never seen anyone make such a meal out of what little we get of Antonia, and Ms. Hicks’ facials expressions alone are worth the price of admission.

Man of La Mancha can be a challenging undertaking, requiring the artists to reach from our loftiest of ideals to the most base of our human capability for cruelty and terror. I tip my Golden Helmet of Mambrino to this company for their willingness to bring this story to life and dare us to envision a world that is better than the reality in which we currently find ourselves, to see life as it ought to be, not how it is. This show reminds us that the refusal to give in to despair is itself an act of resistance, and the light of hope is sometimes the best legacy we can leave behind. Or, in simpler terms, as as our quixotic hero himself says: “I hope to add some measure of grace to the world.” I am grateful to this company for achieving exactly that.

Man of La Mancha is presented without intermission. Running now through June 14.



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