On April 1, 2014 more than thirty of Señora Beauchamp's Spanish two and three classes were given the opportunity to travel to Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Virginia to see the Tony award wining play "Man of La Mancha." The musical, first preformed in 1965, is based off the book "The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha" (Original Spanish title "El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha") written by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. Cervantes' book is considered a literary masterpiece that is studied in Spanish classes by students on both a high school and collegiate level. Señora Beauchamp begins teaching her students about Don Quixote in Spanish two and reads the story with her class in Spanish three. This field trip was a wonderful opportunity for her Spanish students to see the story brought to life by a lively and extremely talented cast.
The musical "Man of La Mancha" stars a character that is depicted as the books author, Cervantes, himself. Cervantes in the musical is an actor-playwright-tax collector that is thrown into a debtors prison* during the Spanish inquisition* for foreclosing on a monetary. With nothing but a costume chest and his manservant, Cervantes is thrown into a dungeon filled with a rough bunch of individuals who are jaded by the Inquisitions treatment. His cellmates hold a mock-trail for all of his possessions that he is sure to lose, but Cervantes is able to deffer their verdict by acting out his latest work "Don Quixote". "Don Quixote" (both the book and play within "Man of La Mancha") is the story of a man driven mad by reading too many books about knights and ladies fair. The main character of the fable is the gallant Don Quixote, who believes he is a knight. This of course, causes lots of problems for the poor old man. Aided by his sidekick Sancho Panza, the two fight windmills and muleteers in order for Don Quixote to win the heart of Dulcinea, who is actually a local prostitute by the name of Aldonza.
Barter Theatre's version of "Man of La Macha" is a complete delight. On April 1, 2014 I got to experience the musical for the first time and returned completely impressed. The musical features high energy dance numbers and moving ballads that are sure to tug on your heartstrings. Personally, my favorite part was a dance number entitled "Moorish Dance" where Don Quixote runs into a band of gypsies who steal everything Quixote and Sancho own. I enjoyed the upbeat tempo and the bright costumes that were featured in that particular number as well as "Dulcinea" a powerfull ballad where Don Quixote expresses his adoration for his lady fair. Ultimately, Barter theater's 'Man of La Mancha' features love, action, and comedy in a uniquely enjoyable way that is close to home.
You can purchase tickets for 'Man of La Mancha' or any other of this season's shows on the Barter Theatre website.
Notes:
*Debtors prison - a prison for people who are unable to pay debt to an individual or tax to the government.
*Spanish inquisition - an inquisition initiated in 1478 by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella that guarded the orthodoxy of Catholicism in Spain. (More info here)
(definitions from The Free Dictionary)