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Show B1 Life Is The Emery County Review, Tuesday, November 25, 2008 Swell Emery and Carbon Counties, Utah u Living in the San Rafael Swell Area u Health A Passion for work Pam Konakis recognized for efforts in diabetes education B4 Brantz Woolsey plays Cervantes/Don Quixote and Kaitlin Potter plays Aldonza/Dulcinea. Manof La Mancha Emery High Drama brings story of the power of dreams to life A Casey D. Wood s pianos quietly played the overture, the audience was seated. The music grew quiet and the lights grew dim, eventually leaving the Emery High School auditorium black. The cast anxiously awaited the moment when they would transport the waiting audience into the world of the musical. The Man of la Mancha was written by Dale Wasserman, with music by Mitch Leigh and lyrics by Joe Darion. It was directed by Neal Peacock, with musical direction by Marilee Cox and choreography by Heather Madsen. The play was performed Nov. 20-22 to large audiences who learned, through the play, the power of imagination and dreams. Its successful run brought to an end months of preparation to create the world imagined by the author. The musical was announced in May and students in Peacock’s drama classes tried out for the various parts. Lead roles were selected on the last day of the school year and students were given the script with instruction to memorize their lines over the upcoming summer. At the beginning of the 20082009 school year preparation for the play began in earnest. Members of Peacock’s 8th period Advanced Theatre class were given parts, and the class worked relentlessly for the following 3 months to prepare for the production. The musical actually takes place in the dungeon of the palace of the Spanish Inquisition in La Merced, Spain in 1589, though a majority of the scenes are actually in the imaginations of the people imprisoned there. Don Miguel de Cervantes, a poet, playwright, and tax-collector, attempts to foreclose on a Catholic Church that has failed to pay its taxes. For doing so, he is imprisoned by the Spanish Inquisition. After being escorted to the prison chamber, he is put on trial by his fellow prisoners, led by one called “The Governor.” He requests to be able to put on a play he has written for his defense, and after receiving permission from The Governor, he proceeds to do so. The play, called “Don Quixote de la Mancha,” Above, Jacob Davis plays Pedro. Right, Brett Mecham as the Knight of the Mirrors, destroys Don Quixote’s dreams. follows an old gentlemen who is so discouraged by the evil he sees around him that he grows mad, and in his madness, he invents his own reality. He sees himself not as an old man, but as a dauntless knight, Don Quixote de la Mancha, who has Don Quixote (Brantz Woolsey) and Sancho (Ben Partis) have all of their posthe duty of righting all sessions stolen by Moorish Gypsy girls. wrongs, defending the innocent, punishing evil doers, and fighting the hope he once had, sucking nor/Innkeeper, Courtney Amanda Parish and Katie good fight no matter how him back into the harsh Reynolds as Maria, Brett Turner. The Accompanists hard or impossible it may reality. Then Quixote, or Mecham as Antonia’s Fiwere Gwen Peacock and seem. rather Alonzo Quijanna ance, Dr. Sanson Carrasco/ Marilee Cox, the Sound He sets forth with his as he was known in the the Duke, Casey Wood as and Lights Manager was squire Sancho and finds past, returns home. As the Captain of the InquiColton Leavitt, with assishimself in an inn, surhe is lying on his deathsition with Ben Cox and tance from Keisha Holmes rounded by rough men bed surrounded by his Kalin Burr as guards in and Elise DeBry, and the and women. Lost in his beloved, those he cares the Inquisition, and Jacob scenery was built by Peaown reality, he believes for most, his Dulcinea and Davis as Pedro, the leader cock’s Beginning Drama he is in a castle, surhis squire come to see him of the Muleteers. The Classes, his Advanced rounded by nobility. His once more and remind Muleteers were Davin Drama Classes, and the confusion leads him to him who he really is. Bennett, Tyler Cox, Fabio Emery High School Stage believe that a prostitute As Cervantes’ deO’Donnell, Devin Hales, Crew. he meets, named Aldonza, fense comes to a close, the Kalin Burr, Ben Cox, and Many who attended is his Dulcinea, the most Inquisition seizes him and Casey Wood. Moorthe musical announced virtuous and noble of all takes him to trial. ish Dancing Girls were that it had made them women. The cast for the musplayed by Ashley Alger, laugh, it had made them He finds himself cial was Brantz Woolsey Natalie Winn, Allison cry, but most importantly, surrounded by many as Cervantes/Don QuixBarham, Jessica Labrum, it had given them hope, who want to destroy his ote, Kaitlin Potter as Jennie Miller, Nikki Rogfulfilling the goal Peacock reality and his dream and Aldonza/Dulcinea, Ben ers, and Heather Madsen, had in mind as he set forth bring him back into the Partis as Sancho, Rebecca and Prisoners were played to put on the play. When discouraging world he Lofley as Quixote’s nice, by Sabrina Wood, Natalie all was said and done, left behind. After doing Antonia, Justin Cox as Seamons, Amanda Ewell, the play turned out to be battle with and defeating Quixote’s priest, Padre Lethi Guymon, Tineka a magical evening for all the rough men of the inn, Perez, Colton Judd as Curtis, Megan Quinn, in attendance, filled with muleteers, he is confrontthe Barber, Karla Urie as Alisha Royall, Ariel Halhumor, sorrow, joy, and ed by his niece’s fiancé, the Housekeeper, Neal ton, Jessica Larsen, Stevie most importantly, hope. who defeats Quixote in Peacock as the GoverFeuers, Markie Rudman, battle and destroys the Left, the Captain (Casey Wood) and his guards come for a prisoner. Above, Courtney Reynolds as Maria and Neal Peacock as the Innkeeper, respond to Don Quixote. |