the word is out...
Audience Reviews posted on local ticket service:
"This the third time that we have been seen "Man of La Mancha" ... this performance by the Keegan Theatre was simply WOW.... I have to say David Jourdan was simply splendid in the role. In fact the whole cast was excellent ... Carolyn Agan was the best Aldonza I have had the pleasure to experience. Great acting, fabulous voice and just a delight to behold. ..."
"The acting was wonderful. The staging was imaginative. The costumes were great. ... Don’t miss it."
"Everyone left the theater inspired and ready to dream the impossible."
"The singing, acting performances were top notch. We’ve been raving about it to everyone we know. The cast and crew did a fabulous job. Thank you for a wonderful performance of Man of La Mancha!!"
"Wonderful. A great small stage production. Terrific set design and costumes"
"A spirited, talented cast. Venue is great; small and not a bad seat in the house. Some clever staging, too."
Senior Beacon
"Splendidly performed and nuanced... the intimate performing space is the perfect venue for Man of La Mancha... Director Mark A. Rhea's approach is daring and successful, providing a fully developed version of a musical and laying bare its earnest, clever premise ... a beautifully staged fable."
-Read Michael Toscano's full review
Metro Weekly
"A lovely production with some genuinely outstanding performances, this might well be your best chance of getting beyond the legacy of Old Blue Eyes and experiencing what an innovative show Man of La Mancha is ... The Keegan Theatre’s production is cleverly designed with a ’’kids playing make believe’’ attitude. The work done by designers George Lucas (sets), Kelly Peacock (costumes), and Carol Baker (set dresser) manages to acknowledge the humor of La Mancha without sacrificing the polish needed to carry the musical’s weightier bits .... It’s all put to good use by the cast director Mark A. Rhea has assembled ... Jourdan brings something altogether unique and richly textured to the stage. His is the work of an intelligent actor. Keegan Theatre’s Man of La Mancha manages to feel both familiar and refreshing. ..."
-Read Tom Avila’s full review
DC Theatre Scene
"Mark Rhea demonstrates in this reprise mounting that Man of La Mancha resonates deepest in an intimate environment. The dank, rustic set and lighting perfectly establish the scenes. ... David Jourdan’s Quixote is alternately distracted and driven, frail and heroic. There’s a lot of acting wisdom in Jourdan’s performance, delivering “Man of La Mancha,” Dulcinea,” and “Impossible Dream” in fine voice and, more importantly, perfectly in character. ... Michael Innocenti imbues his character with kindness and gentle humor, and the audience warms to him from the beginning. ... choreography by Melissa-Leigh Douglass is earthy and raw. ... The production is a mature take on an essentially serious, and seriously intelligent, musical ..."
-Read Gary McMillan’s full review
The DC Examiner
"perfect summertime fare for the whole family ... the two most challenging roles are in the hands of Jourdan and Agan, two of the area’s most underrated singing and acting talents, with fine support from the entire ensemble, especially Innocenti. Kudos to Melissa-Leigh Douglass’ athletic choreography, George Lucas’ set and Dan Martin’s lighting. Superlatively directed by Mark A. Rhea ..."
-Read Doug Krentzlin’s full review (pdf)
-Read review online (go to July 16, p. 23)
The Metro Herald
"Run, don’t walk, to Church Street near Dupont Circle to see Mark A. Rhea’s masterful staging of Man of La Mancha. ... Lighting (designed by Dan Martin), costume (Kelly Peacock), set (George Lucas) and sound (Tony Angelini) design – all come together in a cohesive whole.... All of the principals and even the supporting players are impressive in their roles. ... a full musical ensemble under the direction of Amy Conley offers strong and dramatic support to the cast on stage ... Keegan is wise to stay put in the delightful Church Street space, where there is not – cannot be – a bad seat in the audience. ...Keegan’s Man of La Mancha deserves to be seen. It is inspiring, touching, and bold in its execution. Catch a performance before it’s gone. ..."
-Read Rick Sincere’s full review
The DC Traveler
"Keegan Theatre puts on an emotional and powerful performance ... With her powerful singing voice, Agan seems not to play the role effectively, but actually becomes her role ... The other cast members perform and sing with gusto, delivering the moments of humor and irony believably ... Innocenti, Adams, and Jourdan delight the audience..."
-Read the DC Traveler’s Full Review
The Washington Post
"The score is robustly sung by the energetic cast and gamely played by a small orchestra above the stage... Director Mark A. Rhea has assembled a big, full-throated ensemble that swaggers seriously and sounds plenty lusty during the big choral numbers ... everyone looks grubby as they lurk and loll about George Lucas’s crude, craggy set ... the good singing goes surprisingly deep in the cast .... Michael Innocenti shows solid musical-theater chops as Quixote’s sidekick, Sancho Panza ... Melissa-Leigh Douglass’s musical staging of Aldonza’s abduction scene is notable for its athletic discipline ... It’s a knockdown, shoulders-to-the-door approach to musicals ... With conviction and a handful of fine voices, these dreamers manage to hold the big show together..."
-Read Nelson Pressley’s full review
