Mitch Leigh, Man of La Mancha composer, dies at 86

[robertsp]

Posted: 3/16/14 at 2:03pm

Mitch Leigh, 'Man of La Mancha' composer, dies at 86 Updated On: 3/16/14 at 02:03 PM

[ARTc3]

Posted: 3/16/14 at 2:22pm

I wonder what will become of Jackson 21? I always thought Mr. Leigh's desire to build a utopia for artists a noble - if not misguided - dream. To dream the impossible dream...

Updated On: 3/16/14 at 02:22 PM

[Mr. Nowack]

Posted: 3/16/14 at 4:29pm

I was just listening to MAN OF LA MANCHA and CRY FOR US ALL yesterday. So sad to hear he's died.

[Tink2]

Posted: 3/16/14 at 5:22pm

This is, and always will be, one of my favorite musicals. Great score. RIP Mr Leigh and thank you.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 3/17/14 at 1:47am

One of my favs, too. Did it in college and have such fond memories of chasing windmills. Shame he didn't get more of his work produced.

[hushpuppy]

Posted: 3/17/14 at 10:56am

Don't forget HOME SWEET HOMER and AIN'T BROADWAY GRAND, both of which I saw (full disclosure: I saw HSH in San Francisco when it was called THE ODYSSEY). HOME SWEET HOMER was a real dud, opening and closing on the same night, although the stunningly handsome Russ Thacker got things stirring inside me that never stirred before.

I actually kind of enjoyed AIN'T BROADWAY GRAND, even the campy curtain call sing-along (follow the bouncing ball).

[jkstheatrescene]

Posted: 3/17/14 at 11:09am

Mr. Leigh was partially responsible for my passion and love for musical theater. MAN OF LA MANCHA was the first show I was ever in, and he directed my very first Broadway show, the 1983 revival of MAME. Thank you, and rest in peace, sir.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 3/17/14 at 2:13pm

As a lifelong Jackson resident I will forever regret not getting to meet Mitch Leigh

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 3/17/14 at 3:58pm

RIP. By all accounts he was an extreme egotist, a terrible collaborator and a blowhard but, really, the overture of La Mancha forgives everything. And that orchestration is soaring (thanks, Neil Warner). Whose idea was it to split the orchestra between both sides of the stage? Maybe something that came from Albert Marre, director and husband of the leading lady? As for Ain't Broadway Grand?, despite the heroic efforts of the terrific choreographer, Randy Skinner, doing everything but setting himself on fire to get those numbers off the ground, they never lifted. Leigh bears some responsibility for this, the score being largely (and I'm trying to be polite) forgettable. We'll always have La Mancha.

[MrMidwest]

Posted: 3/17/14 at 4:40pm

Ed Sullivan 'Mancha' clips