[NEohioPAL] Canal Fulton Players- Man of La Mancha is a big success

[DVangaasbe at aol.com]

It was a simply satisfying run  for the Canal Fulton Players at the UMC 
Family Theatre and the actors, crew and  production staff were sad to say goodbye 
to Man of La Mancha, by Dale  Wasserman on Sunday, May 11.  The musical which 
debuted on Broadway in 1965  and earned Richard Kiley a Tony Award played over 
six nights to 353  people.  May 3 was a sellout with 100 patrons and May 9 was 
nearly a  sellout with 81 patrons.  
    Bob Boston gave an excellent  performance as Don Quixote/Cervantes.  His 
tenor voice boomed throughout  the theatre as he told the story of Don Quixote 
to the prisoners of the  Spanish Inquisition.  Ray Olivera gave a bravura 
performance as Sancho  Panza/The Manservant and was always ready to give the 
comical statement at the  appropriate moment. Anita Artzner used her extensive 
dancing background to give  Aldonza/Dulcinea the crackling Latin fire that the 
part requires.  Her  rendition of Aldonza towards the end of the play became a 
show stopper as the  audience was stunned by the fury of her words.  Tim Ch
arlton was excellent  in playing the Padre, who tries to save Don Quixote from 
public  ridicule, and Pedro, the Muleteer, who abuses Aldonza unmercifully.   His 
tenor voice gave To Each His Dulcinea the right spark and ended the first  
act on the right note.  
    Other actors included Ken  Hehmeyer who gave a sinister performance as 
the Duke/Dr. Carasco.  His  portrayal as the Knight of the Mirrors in disguise 
of Dr. Carasco was chilling  as he looked ready to defeat Don Quixote in mortal 
combat.  Gary Liknes who  was dominating as the Governor was equally 
convincing as the meek and mild  mannered Innkeeper.  Mary Kocsis debut as Maria and 
the Mad Prisoner and  transformed herself from the childish prisoner who 
enjoyed everything about the  story to the shrewish Innkeeper's Wife who bullies the 
Innkeeper.  Tara  Corkery was equally impressive as the Housekeeper who is 
only thinking of him  and Fermina, the girl who hates Dulcinea/Aldonza and who 
wants to be a  Muleteer.  Tessa Hammersley went from the highly flirtatious 
prisoner to  the pious niece of Don Miguel Alonzo who is hoping that her uncle's  
hallucinations as Don Quixote does not shatter her engagement with Dr.  
Carasco.  Karl Blanding was humorous as the Barber who wears a shaving  basin on 
his head to deflect the rays of the sun only to have it taken from him  by 
Quixote, who thinks it to be the Golden Helmet of Mambrino.  The  Muleteers, played 
by Park and Jon Neumann and Drew Hutchinson, were excellent  especially when 
they had to have a sword fight with Quixote, Sancho and  Aldonza.  Sinister 
were Dave Van Gaasbeek as the Captain of the Inquisition  and Mike Groom, his 
faithful guard.  
    Dave Van Gaasbeek, who also  directed the play, added a new dimension.  
The Horse and Burro were played  by Emily Liknes and Emma Canfield, two eleven 
year old girls.  They never  said a word but their use of body language gave a 
comical flare to the scenes  especially when the Horse and Quixote charge the 
windmill.  This was Emma's  debut on stage and she came out of her shyness 
shell to give the Burro an  innocent character.  Emily's facial expressions 
especially of fear when she  finds out the she is the charger who goes into combat 
had the audience  laughing.
    The Music Director was Phyllis  Staver who also played the keyboard.  She 
was ably supported by Mike Curtis  on classical guitar and Brad Palmer on 
drums.  
    The total attendance of La  Mancha dwarfed the previous record of the 
Players- 310 who saw My Fair Lady last  year.  This play which was played in the 
Fellowship Hall of the United  Methodist Church of Canal Fulton employed a new 
lighting system, sound system  and set design.  The audience sat on the stage 
and became part of the  dungeon that housed the desperate prisoners of the 
Spanish Inquisition in  1593.  
    If anyone is interested in  learning more about the Canal Fulton Players 
at the UMC Family Theatre, please  contact Dave Van Gaasbeek at either 
330-494-1022 or 330-854-4387.  He can  also be reached by e-mail at 
_dvangaasbe at aol.com_ (mailto:dvangaasbe at aol.com)  or regular mail at 363  Cherry Street SE, 
Canal Fulton, Ohio 44614 or 1303 West Maple Street, Suite 104,  North Canton, 
Ohio 44720.  
    



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