Inspire Theatre to Present MAN OF LA MANCHA

Inspire Theatre, Northwest Arkansas' newest professional theatre, announces its premier production, Man of La Mancha. Helmed by award- winning theatre director Christopher Murrah, the production is a departure from the large-scale tradition of the musical, utilizing an ensemble of 9 actors to tell the story of prisoners held in limbo during the Spanish Inquisition. While awaiting their own trials the prisoners are visited by Miguel de Cervantes, a poet and playwright, who spins the tale of Don Quixote de La Mancha and his squire, Sancho Panza. Through Cervantes' imaginative stories, windmills stand as giants, taverns become castles, and a scullery maid is treated with the respect and honor due a noble. The prison, once oppressive and stagnant, begins to open up as the community within frees their minds of "facts" and begins to seek "truth" through their own forgotten generosity and spirit.

"By eschewing the traditional trappings of the play, horseheads and lances and slop pots, let's say, we hope to bring to the forefront the story of change and rebellion through opening up ones thinking," says Murrah. "This community has lived for so long under an oppressive military and religious state that they have given up the practice of hope. As the story expands, so do the minds of the prisoners and they begin to see in the tale of Don Quixote a certain value in believing the impossible to be possible. 'Facts are the enemy of truth,' Cervantes tells one prisoner. "

The one-act play has been stripped of the stone, multi-level set and plethora of theatrical props and costumes. Instead, the creative team behind La Mancha has situated the piece within a community of exiles sharing a small shack on the outskirts of Madrid. Corrugated metal walls and plastic roofing press in on the community and expand only as the story progresses and the prisoner's minds begin to open up to the possibility of the fantastical. Murrah continues, "They begin to see in their dilapidated surroundings the potential for more, for color and light; they begin to stand up straight and stare towards the sky again."

This is the first full scale production for Inspire Theatre, whose mission is to create exceptional theatre experiences that entertain, inspire, & enrich the Northwest Arkansas community & beyond. While Man of La Mancha may be a bold choice for their first musical, the decision has paid off by attracting talent from across the country to join the adventure. The cast and creative team is a mix from the incredibly talented community in Northwest Arkansas and New York City. "We named it Inspire Theatre because we wanted to inspire actors, designers, managers, technicians, directors-and of course audiences," says Founder and Artistic Director Sarah Webb. "And it's already happening. The inspiration we've experienced just in the creative process has been remarkable. I can't wait for audiences to share in it!"