Casting Announced For CM Performing Arts Center's MAN OF LA MANCHA

To celebrate the kick off of their 35th Anniversary as an organization, The CM Performing Arts Center will present a special limited engagement presentation of Man of La Mancha, directed in the style of their founder, Noel S. Ruiz. Man of La Mancha was the first show to be produced on the now aptly named Noel S. Ruiz Theatre stage.

Man of La Mancha is one of the world's most popular musicals. Inspired by Miguel de Cervantes' seventeenth-century masterwork Don Quixote and set during the Spanish Inquisition, the original 1965 production won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Cervantes is in prison awaiting trial during the Spanish Inquisition. He and his fellow prisoners perform a play-within-a-play, telling the story of the elderly Alonso Quijana, who renames himself "Don Quixote" and goes on a quest to right all wrongs in the world. The rousing, Spanish-inflected score includes the classic numbers "The Impossible Dream," "I, Don Quixote," "Dulcinea," "I Really Like Him" and "Little Bird."

Mounting the show in the style of Noel S. Ruiz is Matthew W. Surico, who was the recipient of The Broadway World Award's Director of the Decade Award for his 2018 production of Ragtime. Stage Management will be handled by Katy Trunz, who has been seen both onstage or working behind the scenes on almost every production since CM opened post COVID.

Leading the cast is Jon Rivera (Don Quixote), Brianne Boyd (Aldonza), Andrew J Beck (Sancho), Brendan Noble (The Governor / The Innkeeper), Ryan Nolin (The Padre), Bob Mittleman (The Duke / Dr. Carrasco), Kara Vertucci (Antonia), Dara Lifschutz (The Housekeeper), Barry Johnson (The Barber), and Samantha Free (Maria, The Innkeeper's Wife). Rounding out the cast's ensemble is Gerard Quigley, Zak Ketcham, Will Brennan, John Mazzarella, Fernando Gomez, Daniel S. Smith, Evan Roth, Juliana Jagielo, Michael Sherwood, Jack McShane, and Andrew Mercogliano.

Man of La Mancha, which is sponsored in part by Panetta Physical Therapy, will be presented for two performances only, Saturday, February 12 at 8PM, and Sunday, February 13 at 2PM. For Tickets, call the Box Office at (631) 218 - 2810 or visit https://cmpac.com/event/manoflamancha/

The organization will turn 35 on February 15th. They will be keeping the celebration going all year long with a different event every month. For More information on those events, go to: https://cmpac.com/35thanniversary/