Here & There Column 7-12-11

Don Quixote (Kevin Loreque and Sancho Panza (Jim Bray) tilt at windmills.

Man of La Mancha Outstanding

The Forestburgh Playhouse production of Man of La Mancha was brilliant and it's easy to understand why the original 1965 Broadway production won five Tony Awards including Best Musical.
The talent at the Forestburgh Playhouse can never be topped by anyone and this production under Edward Juvier's directorship brought top quality live theatre to Sullivan County as they do with all of their shows.
Outstanding vocals by Kevin Loreque as Miguel de Cervanes/Don Quixote, Jim Bray as Manservant/Sancho, Pilar Millhollen as Aldonza/lady Dulcinea, Dann Dunn as The Duke/Dr. Carrasco......and the entire cast.
Local well known musical talent with a beautiful voice, Lori James, played the part of The Housekeeper.
Professional guitar music titled "The Guitarist" was provided by Coyote Anderson and was a pleasure to listen to.
One does not have to be a musical purist to get caught up with songs like Man of La Mancha, It's All The Same, Dulcinea, I'm Only Thinking of Him, I Really Like Him, What Do You Want of Me, Little Bird, Little Bird, The Barber's Song and the principal song in this play, "The Impossible Dream."
In singing The Impossible Dream Quixote explains his quest and the reasons behind it and in doing so he captures the essence of the play and it philosophical underpinnings.
For me.....it is absolutely magical and the lyrics, "to dream...the impossible dream, to right...the unrightable wrong, to reach the unreachable star, this is my quest.....to reach the unreachable star," will remain with me forever.
The Forestburgh Playhouse fits perfectly into "The Impossible Dream" by not only dreaming but reaching the impossible dream and reaching and producing the unreachable stars for all to hear and see with their summer productions.
Their next show, Jekyll & Hyde, starts tonight (July 12) and plays through July 24.Tickets and information are available by calling 794-1194.