BSM in 'Man of La Mancha'

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 2:53pm

For all those who saw Brian Stoke Mitchell in MAN OF LAN MANCHA:
I would just like your opinions on the show/ his performance.
I did not see the show but love the cast recording, particulary BSM's 'The Impossible Dream'

I'm just curious as to why this Revival was relatively unsuccessful.

[GirlfriendFromCanada]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 2:56pm

If I remember correctly, the show just kind of fell flat. I really enjoyed the production, but it really didn't have much of a spark to it. BSM was INCREDIBLE, I recall his "Impossible Dream" earning the longest applause I've heard in a theater to date, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio was also very good as Aldonza/Dulcinea. There was only one set, but it changed to fit the scene. There's just only so much you can do with that show, I guess, and it didn't really find its audience.

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 2:58pm

Where's Redhot when you need him...

[timote316]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 3:02pm

I think that the shadow effect I often hear about is an amazing visual. I wish I could have seen that.

(the one I am referring to is the one where BSM's shadow is of a knight on a horse)

[Justice]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 3:08pm

Loved the show. Cried, of course. I'm not fond of the music, and his performance was the first time it ever occured to me that I liked Impossible Dream (Then, later realised, I still dislike the song, but still loved his performance) He got a long applause afterwards. Saw it with Mary Sturat Masterantonio. She was great. Wish I would have seen it with Marin. All in all, I loved the show.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 3:08pm

Here's what I wrote about the revival in an earlier thread:

It ran for nine months from December 2002 to August 2003, and was not at all successful -- in fact, it lost its entire investment.

The set was this ultra modern massive modular functional thing that was completely inappropriate for the show -- it looked like it cost millions (the set for the original was a minimalist concept) and had pieces that would shift to reveal flowers or trees, etc... to suggest different landscapes over the course of Quixote and Panza's journey. But it failed to create an integrated atmosphere that could set the stage and enrich the overall storytelling of the piece -- in other words it was a great big waste of money.

Mitchell sang quite well, but I found his characterization of Quixote as an almost comically dottering old man to be wrongeheaded and undermined his performance (he seemed to be doing an impression of Tim Conway's little old man character from the Carol Burnett Show, which, I'm sorry, is just NOT the character).

Richard Kiley who created the role (and won every award in sight), played it some 5000 times in his career and IMO still owns it completely, not only sang remarkably (with more passion and pathos than Mitchell could ever summon) but he played Quixote as a valiant, but deluded, vainglorious, proud, foolish but always noble man (just as Cervantes had written him). Kiley played the role with such charismatic conviction that it was easy to see how everyone he encountered could get swept up in the man's demented vision and why Panza had left his wife and children to follow a man who was so clearly insane (even to Panza). Kiley brought such a stature and dignity to the part that the final scenes in which Quixote is dying were absolutely heartbreaking. Mitchell was good, but no one else has ever come close to playing the role as well as Kiley.
Man of La Mancha Revival Thread

Updated On: 1/17/05 at 03:08 PM

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 3:12pm

Richard Kiley's 'The Impossible Dream' on Broadway's Lost Treasures 2: Some of the most astonishing sounds my ear has ever heard.

[brdlwyr]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 3:14pm

I thought BSM was excellent. His Impossible Dream was outstanding. Marin was superb.

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 3:19pm

Someone said BSM's Impossible Dream was much better in the theater; he was much more the character there, and on the recording he's 'Brian Stokes Mitchell as Don Quixote'. I've always preferred Kiley in that role.

[Switz78]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 3:48pm

Man of La Mancha rarely does well anywhere, even regionally, so it's not a big surprise that it didn't have a long run

[MusicalDirector109]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 3:51pm

Great voice, didn't have the acting chops to pull it off.

[VeuveClicquot]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 4:34pm

As usual, Margo, I agree completely with your assessment.

LA MANCHA seems to be the quintessential "love it or hate it" musical. I'm firmly in the "love it" camp, it's a score that I love every single note of. I'm very partial to that Latin sound. I find the bossa nova beat of "I'm Only Thinking of Him" irresistable. The gorgeous harmonies and flamenco guitar of "Little Bird" send chills up my spine. The bolero that is "The Quest (The Impossible Dream)" is haunting, and hits me right square in the emotional center of my stomach. It's the only show that I have enjoyed every single production (and there are dozens, ranging from high schools to the recent BSM revival) that I have seen.

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 4:36pm

I said this before in a thread a couple months back - but you can't judge his performance based on the recording. My roommate at the time played in the orchestra and had stories of being in the studio and having the writer come in and dictate how Stokes should sing it on the recording - very differently from the performance on stage. I have to agree with Margo, though - Stokes' voice is wonderful and he certainly was commited to the role, but made Quixote a bit too much of a doddering old fool -I liked the show, but would have preferred it had he played it a bit less cartoonishly.
Still, I love the show so much that it can make me cry no matter who is in the cast...as long as they have some understanding of the essense of the story. To me, it will always be my favorite show.

[kangaroo]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 4:41pm

I really did not like this show when I saw it. Although BSM was an amazing singer, the story was just dumb. I truthfully remember almost falling asleep, and I never sleep in class! The story was absolutely pointless, and the "dancer" scene was too. But I am glad I saw it because I was able to see BSM, and that was worth even seeing la Mancha.

[dancingthroughlife008]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 4:46pm

I was lucky enough to have the privilege to see BSM in Man of La Manch, as well as Marin as Dulcinea and they were magnificent together. I LOVED the show and still don't understand why it had such a short run. However, I am still thankful that I was able to see them. I love his version of Impossible Dream. The entire production was just fantastic.

[BWayBoy88]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 4:52pm

I really enjoyed the revival. I thought BSM was amazing. He deserved every second of his 5 minute standing ovation after "The Impossible Dream." It had a few flaws that have basically been covered, but I really liked it.

[Razz77]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 5:01pm

That surprises me that you all are saying such good things about Marin's Aldonza...I did not see her in the role but I have heard that she is not too much of an actress...Correct me if I'm wrong...

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 5:01pm

The story was absolutely pointless

Have you ever read Don Quixote?
I would recommend reading Edith Grossman's translation of the novel before you go and dismiss the story as "absolutely pointless"
Cervantes' weaves one of the greatest and most powerful novels ever written in any language.

I have found new elements and meanings to the novel each and every time I re-read it.

[Testing1232]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 5:34pm

Saw it 27 times, so I am biased, but I thought (obviously!) that the revival was fantastic !! And have to disagree with anyone that said that BSM did not have the acting chops to pull it off. Did you happen to see him in "Ragtime". He CAN act. As far as why it did not do that well??? Dont really know. The reviews, for the most part, were mixed to poor, I would say. I am sure that hurt. At the time that it closed, it was not doing that poorly at the box office. Talking to a number of the castmembers
(we were lucky enough to be invited to the closing night cast party), seemed like the producers did not really want to pump any money into the show as far as advertising goes.

[MaTakeALookAtMe]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 6:02pm

I did not see the revival but saw a very good production at a local university a few months ago. I love the story and really, really enjoy BSM on the cast recording. I can't imagine it with a complicated set, as the simplicity of the set here added to the emotional appeal of the show.

As is often the case, I appreciate your firsthand observations, Margo..

[LittleFish8386]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 6:05pm

I am a huge fan of Man of La Mancha, but I remember being extremely bored during the revival. I thought BSM was very good, but at times it tended to drag on and on.

[Eileen2]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 6:43pm

I agree with much of Margo's review. BSM did an amazing job in the singing portions of his role, "Impossible Dream" was amazing and it let me forgive the rest of the production faults. He did play Don Quixote as a doddering old fool, it was a comic characterization of the role.

Mastrantonio did a good job in acting the role. In my opinion, she has an ok voice, but she doesn't have the full, powerful voice needed for the theater, it was weak.

All in all, it was ok, far from wonderful. And "Impossible Dream" was just so good that I can forgive some of it's faults.

Eileen

[kangaroo]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 6:46pm

SticktoPriest, I just thought there wasn't really a plot. It's just my point of view. It didn't seem that interesting, and no I have not read the story. I have only read passages from it.

[dancingthroughlife008]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 6:48pm

" That surprises me that you all are saying such good things about Marin's Aldonza...I did not see her in the role but I have heard that she is not too much of an actress...Correct me if I'm wrong..."

You are wrong. In my opinion at least. I happen to believe Marin is an amazing actress and an even more phenomenal singer. However, you obviously are not able to make any kind of opinion because you didn't see her in the role.

[Razz77]

Posted: 1/17/05 at 7:25pm

Thank you -- I did not see her in the role, which is why I said "I have heard" and "correct me if I'm wrong". What did you think of her in the role? (I agree -- her voice is one of the best!)