A night spent dreaming the impossible dream
"Perhaps to be too practical is madness. To surrender to dreams — this may be madness. To seek treasure where there is only trash. Too much sanity may be madness — and maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be!"
This line struck me on Saturday evening at the opening night of the Milwaukee Repertory Theater's Man of La Mancha. It's the classic tale of Don Quixote told in a five-time Tony-winning musical. Here's a short description from the Rep: "Imprisoned by the Spanish Inquisition, Miguel de Cervantes enlists his fellow inmates to help his defense by telling a tale of a mad knight (Don Quixote) who believes the wrongs of the world can be corrected as he jousts at windmills with his trusty sidekick Sancho and his beloved Dulcinea."
Man of La Mancha is a fairytale, adventure, and a sadly-sweet story of a man who has seemingly lost his mind. And yet, in his delusions, Don Quixote encounters a more beautiful and exciting world, ripe with possibility. He is unflinchingly optimistic, seeing country inns as castles and kitchen maids as queens. Like the above quote says — this is a man who sees life not as it is, but as it should be.
Nathaniel Stampley tackles the role of the starry-eyed Don in this Milwaukee Rep production, and to say he blew the roof off the Quaddracci Powerhouse theater is hardly an understatement. Stampley's voice is incredibly strong — dare I say flawless? At least he will live on in my memory as being flawless on opening night. His delivery is intensely heartfelt and, at times, simply adorable in his dreamy portrayal of a man blissfully living in fiction.
The crowd favorite tunes were Stampley's "Dulcinea" and "The Impossible Dream" — which is the one song you may have heard, even if you haven't been exposed to the rest of the score from Man of La Mancha. It's a beautiful song, inspiring us to do what is right and just with every ounce of our being, no matter how hard, and to always strive to "reach the unreachable star." Stampley's rendering of this song stopped the show as applause and cheers grew louder and louder; I'd put it at one notch below a standing ovation.
Other favorite songs came from Sancho, played by Michael J. Farina. He's the trusty sidekick with a belly full of proverbs and one-liners to keep the crowd chuckling. I loved Farina's "I Really Like Him" — a charming little song about why he remains faithful to Don Quixote's madness. The reason? He simply really likes him. And, clearly, I really liked him, too.
Other things of note: The set is gorgeous — the most ambitious the Rep has ever brought to life in the Quadracci Powerhouse. They've actually extended the stage over two of the aisles for an incredibly dynamic scene. If you can, definitely sit at the orchestra level rather than the balcony — I found it difficult to see at times from my Balcony Center Row B. Also note that the show is two hours long without an intermission. So bring your well-rested self, Kleenex (should you get a little teary eyed), and an open heart.
Man of La Mancha is playing at the Milwaukee Rep now through October 30th. Information and tickets at milwaukeerep.com.
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