Quixote's Quest

RONAN- For director Rita Tingey and the cast of “Man of La Mancha”, everything went smoothly at this past weekend’s opening performances.  Well, except for the mustache.

This past Friday and Saturday, the Friends of the Ronan Performing Arts Center’s production of the musical classic practically went off without a hitch, with the only minor mishap occurring when the main character’s adhesive fake mustache kept slipping off of his face in the opening scene of Saturday’s performance.

The musical is based on the story of Don Quixote- the enduring masterpiece of Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes.  The theatrical adaptation features a play within the play that parallels the fictional quests of Don Quixote and his loyal squire, Sancho Panza, with the trial of Cervantes before the dreaded Spanish Inquisition.

Tingey, a Ronan native, says that “Man of La Mancha” is her third community theater production in as many years.  Convinced that the shows keep getting better every year, she attributes this year’s success to her stellar cast and crew.

Bob Ricketts of Polson plays the dual roles of Cervantes and Quixote. Ricketts brings a 35-year history of musical performance to the table, including experiences singing professionally across the United States and Europe.

Though Ricketts may play the titular role, he is quick to deflect any praise to the talented individuals around him, and he insists that the true star of the show is Melina Pyron of Florence, whom he describes as “an off-the-scale pro.”

“For us to get a voice of her caliber is a real treat,” Ricketts adds.

Pyron plays the story’s lead female heartthrob, Aldonza- or Dulcinea (which translates to “sweetness” in Spanish) as she is affectionately dubbed by her knight in shining armor (and shaving basin).

Pyron is no stranger to stardom in the spotlight.  Like Ricketts, she, too, has taken her musical talents abroad, logging notable stints in Austria and also with the Seattle Opera, among many other places around the globe.  Even though she has spent her illustrious career performing under the brighter lights of bigger cities, Pyron has genuinely enjoyed her experience on-stage in Ronan.

“It’s been lovely. The people here are so good, especially character-wise. Too often in the performing arts, you see good will between (actors) ruined by the competitive, high-pressure environment.  It’s such a relief to be welcomed like a friend.”

All in all, Pyron says her time in the Mission Valley has refreshingly allowed her to “get back to my roots, and have fun with theater.”

Ricketts also loves the inclusiveness of the community theater experience.  “That’s the true beauty of it. I’ve never seen that kind of love in the professional world (of music),” he says.

Tingey heaped praise on the entire cast and crew, and spoke glowingly of the contributions made by the show’s two headlining stars.

“Having (Ricketts and Pyron) was a very positive experience,” Tingey said. “Because of their expertise, they raised (the play) to another level. They were great with the cast.”

Even with the music and acting in capable hands, that the play ran smoothly was no small feat considering some of the eyebrow-raising stunt work involved. Towards the beginning of the show, the daredevil Ricketts channels his inner James Bond by soaring above the orchestra on a zip-line in Don Quixote’s ill-fated joust with a windmill.  It is a moment of gallantry that Quixote, himself, would be proud of.

Understandably, Ricketts felt that the zip-line would lend an original twist to the play’s iconic windmill scene, and is proud to say that, in all likelihood, he now has a claim to fame as “the first flying Don Quixote in the history of theater.”

Besides good music and general entertainment value, like any well-told story, “Man of La Mancha” is made memorable by the broader life lessons that it imparts with its characters and audience.

For instance, in the show, Cervantes’ idealism and his unabashed daringness to dream resonate with those imprisoned by the Inquisition, but they have also succeeded in inspiring those involved with the play in real life.

“Sometimes in life we are called on to ‘Dream the impossible dream, to hope beyond hope, to reach the unattainable sky.’” Tingey said, quoting the play’s most famous song, “Dream the Impossible Dream.”

Like Cervantes, it’s “important to believe in a better world, despite what’s going on around us,” adds Pyron.

While watching a production evolve from words being read from a script into truly captivating drama is rewarding enough, that is especially true for Tingey, whose relationship with some of the actors dates back 20 years to when she taught drama out of a barn in St. Ignatius.

“To watch them progress has been so rewarding and has made me so proud,” she says.

Tingey echoed her gratitude to Ronan superintendent Andy Holmlund and to the community as a whole, saying that the show could not have enjoyed its level of success had it not been for the outpouring of help from others.

With two successful shows under her belt, Tingey is hopeful that the play’s final productions- slated for this Friday and Saturday- will be even better.  The actors shouldn’t have to contend with any lingering butterflies from opening weekend, and, yes, they even have a new mustache strategy in place.