The original Broadway production ran for 2,328 performances and won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The musical has been revived four times on Broadway and is one of the most enduring works of musical theatre.

Musical Theatre Southwest is presenting a commendable production of Man of La Mancha. Director Robb Sisneros has assembled a talented cast and production team of MTS stalwarts. The ensemble includes some exceptionally fine voices and outstanding actors.

The black box MTS theatre is used well, with a unit set and moveable pieces that create all the locations called for. A surprising use of the building's freight elevator door highlights the arrivals of the examiners of the Inquisition to dramatic effect. Indeed, all design aspects of the production are well done. The set design by Jordan Embree, costumes by Avery Edwards, and lighting design by Lucas Zuniga all contribute to the professionalism of the production.

Mention should be made of Zane Barker's dance and fight choreography. The fight scenes and the dance vignettes are staged in very tight spaces. The verisimilitude is skillful and polished. In remarkably close quarters it seems real. Nina Dorrance's properties hold up under all their vigorous use.

Musical director Colin Burdge and his orchestra of ten perform the difficult score with very few glitches. The orchestra and the singers work well together. This is a difficult score to play and sing.

The sixteen-member cast of five women and eleven men is a true ensemble. Everyone is focused and at the top of their game. The principals of Matthew Miller as Cervantes/Quixote, Ryan Pennington as Sancho Panza, and Tasha Booth as Aldonza/Dulcinea deliver great acting and singing. Veteran performer Matthew Miller had some difficulty with his singing but valiantly continued at the performance I attended.

Ryan Pennington, Tasha Booth, Patrick W. Hale, and Lina Ramos deliver beautiful harmonies on several songs, and Nicee Brown is a delightful Moorish dancer. All the prisoners are well-developed characters who add to the depth and nuance of the show.

Man of La Mancha holds up after sixty years as a classic of the American Musical Theatre. The run at Musical Theatre Southwest is almost sold out and deservedly so.

Man of La Mancha runs through March 23, 2025, at Musical Theatre Southwest, 6320 B Domingo NE, Albuquerque NM. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm, and Sundays at 2:00 pm. General Admission $33, Discount Admission $30 (senior, military, students, ATCC, TLC, ATG). For tickets and information, please visit mtsabq.org or call 505-265 9119.

Directed by Robb Anthony Sisneros, Music Director-Colin Burge, Dance and Fight Choreographer-Zane Barker, Scenic Design-Jordon Embree, Lighting Design, Lucas Zuniga, Properties Design-Nina Dorrance, Costume Design-Avery Edwards, Stage Manager-Vicki Marie Singer. Cast: Matthew Miller, Ryan Pennington, Tasha Booth, Patrick W. Hale, Douglas Vadewinckel, Russell Rietmann, Adam Berndt, Jessica Ubiera, Lina Ramos, Angela Robinson, Nicee Brown, Brandon Price McDaniel, Frank Ballejos, Jim Williams, Isaac Carrillo, Ra Worthy.