Man of La Mancha, the beloved musical that follows the adventures of the eternally optimistic, Don Quixote, launches the summer season at Palm Beach Dramaworks on Wednesday July 10 (8PM), the first of two shows to be presented in concert as part of the Musical Theatre Masters Series. Man of La Mancha plays a limited engagement through July 21 at the Don & Ann Brown Theatre (201 Clematis Street). The production is directed by Clive Cholerton, with musical direction by Caryl Fantel. Stephen Sondheim’s Company follows from August 7 through August 18.

Often referred to as “America’s Baritone” as well as a regular on Broadway, William Michals will be cast as the production’s “Don Quixote” along with Alix Paige as “Aldonza” and Oscar Cheda as “Sancho.” Ken Clement, Natalia Coego, Rodrigo De la Rosa, Nick Duckart, Joshua Grosso, Barry Tarallo and Cassandra Zepeda complete the acting company.

The Tony Award-winning Man of La Mancha is inspired by Miguel de Cervantes’s seventeenth-century masterpiece “Don Quixote,” about a madman and self-appointed knight errant who sets out to perform heroic deeds. The show, with a book by Dale Wasserman, music by Mitch Leigh, and lyrics by Joe Darion, takes place in a Seville prison where Cervantes is awaiting trial, and is performed as a play within a play. Man of La Mancha opened on Broadway in 1965 with Richard Kiley in the title role, ran for 2,328 performances, and has become one of musical theatre’s most enduring works, with four Broadway revivals and countless productions all over the world. The show’s most famous song, “The Impossible Dream,” beautifully captures the piece’s message of hope.
The Musical Theatre Masters Series features concert versions of classic musicals, with limited instrumental accompaniment and minimal staging and design. These full-length presentations include both the score and the book.

For 13 years, Palm Beach Dramaworks has brought to the Palm Beaches a distinguished roster of plays under the guidance of Producing Artistic Director William Hayes. Palm Beach Dramaworks is a non-profit, professional theatre and is a member of the Theatre Communications Group, the South Florida Theatre League, Southeastern Theatre Conference, Florida Professional Theatres Association, Florida Theatre Conference, and the Palm Beach County Cultural Council.

www.palmbeachdramaworks.org.

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