Man of La Mancha pt. 2

Photo by Caroline Thompson

The Cast:
(From the Program I received on Friday)

Miguel De Cervantes: Mario Castro Martinez
Manservant: Richard Hess
Governor: Matthew Moore
Duke: Daniel Reano-Koven

Puppets/Puppeteers:

Don Quixote/Alanso Qujana:
Mario Castro Martinez
Kate Cryan
Cary Babka

Sancho:
Richard Hess
Matthew Escarcega
Kelly Fleischmann

Aldonza/Dulcinea:
Laura Snell
Allison Minick

Dr. Carrasco:
Daniel Reano-Koven
Lee Riggs

Padre:
Bryan Pham
Lowell Abellon

Antonia:
Franchesca Jimenez
Kelsey Yoro

Housekeeper:
Kaitlin Shaw
Kristina Stasi

Innkeeper:
Matthew Moore
Spencer Tregilgas

Maria/Fermina
Melanie Levy
Kaitlin Shaw

Barber:
Lowell Abellon
Jocelyn Tripet-Diehl

Pedro: Elio Gutierrez
Anselmo: Matthew Escarcega
Captain of the Inquisition: Justin Estrada

Puppeteers/Muleteers/Ensemble:
Cary Babka Kelly Fleischmann Diana Bergen
Elio Guttierrez Kate Cryan Allison Minick
Matthew Escarcega Lee Riggs Kristina Stasi
Jocelyn Tripet-Diel Kelsey Yoro

(note: For this writing, the puppets are in bold and the principle actor behind the performance is in italics. The bold and italics are my own and are not seen as such in the program.)

The performances in general were good. The actors were very good but, some had an easier time with the puppets than others. Aldonza/Dulcinea (Laura Snell) was a stand out puppeteer wise (In my opinion). Her singing was wobbly in the beginning of the show but, her speaking voice and personality were perfect for this character. She gave that puppet sass and sex appeal! Every time she was onstage (the puppet), I couldn't take my eyes off of her. Her performing partner, Allison Minick, worked seamlessly with her.

Cervantes/Don Quixote (Mario Castro Martinez) was really fun to watch. He had it tough--he's a young guy trying to voice this old, sick man--and he did an admirable job. I loved watching the gorgeous puppet come to life! His actions and acting gave the puppet a great weight and yet managed to achieve some 'otherworldliness'--he was definitely a dreamer but, didn't float or fly about. His (the puppet) team was excellent and seemed to read each other's minds! I'm a sucker for the little things, and watching Quixote's hands was entrancing--I couldn't get enough of him.

The muleteers could have been background noise--they were simple looking puppets with no feet, similar heads, very little body and only one hand but, many of them had a recognizable personality. Pedro was particularly loathsome (as he was supposed to be!) and the rest of the rabble could make me hate them (in the context of the show!) with ease.

The only performer I would "criticize" is Melanie Levy as Maria (the innkeeper's wife, Maria). Melanie's personality and acting completely outshone her puppet's performance. Meaning, whenever the innkeeper's wife was onstage to complain about Quixote, Melanie's face would be a study in rage and frustration but, her puppet seemed dead. It almost seemed pointless to give her a puppet (she was so great on her own!).

Many of the actors in this production had never worked with puppets before and according to the program, quite a few of the performers weren't even involved in the Drama Department (UC Davis rocks! In that it allows students from all over the campus to participate in performances, regardless of their actual majors! YAY UC Davis!). And that would be the only "weak" spot in this fantastic show. I REALLY wanted to see it with puppeteers. Oh, don't get me wrong! This show is AMAZING and if you CAN see it, DO see it! But, I, personally, wanted puppeteers on stage. I wondered what else they could have pulled from those great puppets.

As for the rest of the stuff surrounding and supporting the performers; the set was wonderful! Huge but, managed to feel very intimate. It felt like it expanded and contracted depending on the scene. The lighting was very supportive of that experience, the costumes were excellent and the music was fantastic!

Remember to check out Art Grueneberger's website to watch a clip of the workshop production! You'll get a chance to watch the puppets in action!