Reviewed 2/1/06
When everything finally clicked for Arizona Broadway Theatre,
it really clicked. The company has finally proven our expectations were well
founded. True, the paint is still drying, some of the furniture is still in
transit, and their kitchen is still not ready for primetime, but the food that
is now catered is exceptional, the wait staff is courteous to a fault, and
when the lights dim, the production they offer is spectacular. In fact, they’ve
raised the bar so high in one leap that I’m hoping they can keep it up.
Not only is the food the best I’ve ever tasted at a dinner theatre, it’s of a quality that rivals some high-end restaurants. The Beef Tournadoes that I ordered were butter soft and perfectly cooked. The accompanying green beans were neither too over- nor undercooked; crisp and flavorful. My guest chose the chicken dish which she crowed about. The food is such a turnaround from their past offerings that one can only hope when they finally do open their kitchen that they’ll remain at this level.
As for the show itself, how can you go wrong with Wasserman, Leigh and Darion’sMan of La Mancha? This is a great musical from the tail end of the Golden Age featuring Ronald L. Brown, a veteran of national tours of this show, playing the role of Quixote. More than just a phenomenal star, director Joseph Martinez’s choices for the rest of the cast are up to Brown’s level. From the moment the ominous stairs crank down upon the Inquisitional dungeon, the production matches the power of the material.
Martinez’s staging is strong, letting the play within a play format always remain through casual observers remaining during several of the scenes, and his blocking creates many great stage pictures. The pacing is a bit more brisk than is normal, but not enough to undercut the emotional pitch of the piece.
Brown is always in the moment. He has this role down to the point where he
can embody his character. His transformation from Cervantes to Quixote is complete
and enjoyable. Dennis Setteducati is a loveable Sancho, funny
without pushing and vocally strong. His “I Like Him” is a highlight
of his great performance. As Quixote’s Lady, Ann Marie Wilcox is
a ferocious Aldonza. The role is made for a semi-operatic voice, and Wilcox
delivers. Where Brown and the rest have excellent voices tailor-made for musical
theatre, Wilcox’s voice is a crossover that turns her alley cat into
an angel when she sings, separating her from the rest. When she belts in “It’s
All the Same,” you can tell that this she’s a special singer.
Other strong members of this well balanced ensemble include an entertaining Wes Martin as the Innkeeper, a sweet-voiced Todd Thompson, whose Padre croons the mellifluous “To Each his Dulcinea,” and Justin Barnette as the hilariously fey barber. The only weak performance comes in a monotone with hard to understand pronunciation from Kirk Douglas as the defensive Dr. Carrasco.
Jennifer N. Poarch’s dance and fight choreography is full of engaging moments and action. Almost every one of John Massaro’s orchestra sounded full and rich, save for the wayward trumpeter.
Where the problems that beset ABT’s first two shows made them hard to recommend, this is a situation where you’re getting much more of your money’s worth when you go to see ABT’s La Mancha. Peoria’s dinner theatre has finally arrived, and with their next production, the hilarious Damn Yankees, we’ll get a chance to see if their in-house dinner offerings can match the stupendous work done for this show.
