Saturday, February 08, 2003

By Christopher Rawson, Post-Gazette Drama Critic

"Extraordinary how potent cheap music is," writes Noel Coward in another context. Mitch Leigh's music for "Man of La Mancha" isn't cheap, but endless hearings and parodies of "The Impossible Dream" have sure staled it with familiarity. It is pleasant, then, to discover how potent this creaky story still is, produced with eclat and intimacy at Pittsburgh Public Theater.

Tari Kelly, left, is Aldonza and Brian Sutherland is Don Quixote in the Public's production of "Man of La Mancha." (Suellen Fitzsimmons) "Man of La Mancha" WHERE: Pittsburgh Public Theater at O'Reilly Theater, Downtown. WHEN: 8 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays, with variations, through March 2. TICKETS: $12-$53; 412-316-1600.

In Dale Wasserman's book, Cervantes, author of "Don Quixote," has been seized for examination by the Inquisition (the Spanish Inquisition, but hold the Monty Python routine). Imprisoned among thieves, he's forced to stage his story or have his manuscript destroyed.

"Forced?" Cervantes goes to his trial-by-drama with glee, whipping out his makeup kit as if all the world were his stage. He's a man of the theater, and "La Mancha" is a thinly disguised backstage musical, as much as "42nd Street." The fun is in watching the thugs in the frame story swept up into the dramatization, all under the direction of master magician Cervantes, who also plays Quixote, his elderly knight errant, a wise fool with a romantic bent.

In fact, Cervantes actually plays an elderly Spaniard who imagines he's Quixote, creating three levels. Everyone else plays just prisoner and character, except for her who plays Aldonza, the tavern whore, who rises into the Don's image of her as Dulcinea. (Sadly, we never get to know anything about the prisoner who enacts this transition.)

It's a performance feast for an ensemble of 17 actor-dancer-singers, and director/choreographer Ted Pappas manages it with energy in a tight 110 minutes. Designer James Noone folds the whole prison neatly into the O'Reilly's thrust space, including the lugubrious staircase that leads down from autocracy above.

Brian Sutherland's Don has the audience in the palm of his hand with his rich voice, energy and restrained characterization. Tari Kelly is a combative Aldonza, making her transformation more touching. Avery Saltzman plays Sancho's comedy with delicacy. Jeffrey Howell, Daniel Krell, Tim Salamandyk and Larry Daggett all contribute.

Inevitably, some of Shaun Rolly's fight tricks are obvious in the intimate thrust configuration. Let's assume that's why Pappas has the rape of Aldonza take place offstage, rather than risk any queasiness about the overtly sexual.

F. Wade Russo directs the eight-piece orchestra out of sight backstage, and sound designer Zach Moore miraculously balances it all.

Idealism is in poor favor these days. The Don comes at a good time.