Musical Theatre West Will Open 2026 Season With MAN OF LA MANCHA
The production stars Richard Bermudez as Miguel de Cervantes/Don Quixote/Alonso Quijana.
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Musical Theatre West will open its 2026 season with the bold, moving, and visually striking musical: "Man of La Mancha.” Running select nights starting February 13th through March 1st at Carpenter Performing Arts Center, Man of La Mancha invites audiences into a world where imagination becomes a lifeline and courage transforms even the harshest realities.
Man of La Mancha unfolds as a story within a story, following Miguel de Cervantes as he invites a community of prisoners to help him bring his tale to life. What begins as a stark, stripped-down world transforms through imagination, humor, and shared belief, as the characters become co-creators in Don Quixote's quest to see the world not as it is, but as it could be. Blending whimsy with emotional depth, the production celebrates resilience, dignity, and the power of storytelling to set us free. By the final moments, audiences will be left to wonder whether Don Quixote was mad…or simply brave enough to dream out loud.
“Man of La Mancha is a powerful reminder of why we tell stories in the first place,” said Paul Garman, Executive Director/Producer of Musical Theatre West. “This production celebrates imagination as an act of courage, one that allows us to see possibilities where others see limits. With an extraordinary cast and a bold creative vision, we're proud to open our 2026 season with a show that invites audiences to dream bigger, together.”
Starring Richard Bermudez as Miguel de Cervantes/Don Quixote/Alonso Quijana in his ninth production with Musical Theatre West, Man of La Mancha holds deep personal significance for the award-winning performer. This stirring show was the very first musical Bermudez saw as a child, an experience that sparked his love for storytelling and inspired him to pursue a career in musical theatre. A Joseph Jefferson Award winner for his portrayal of Che in Evita at Drury Lane Theatre in Chicago and a San Diego Critics Circle Award recipient for Kiss of the Spider Woman, Bermudez brings extraordinary depth, warmth, and humanity to the iconic dreamer, returning full circle to the story that first ignited his artistic journey.
The production also features a richly diverse and dynamic cast including Reggie De Leon as Sancho Panza and Monika Peña as Aldonza/Dulcinea. Additional cast highlights include Louis Pardo as The Duke/Dr. Sansón Carrasco, Berto Fernandez as Governor/Inn Keeper, Rudy Martinez as Padre, Andrew Diego as Captain of the Inquisition, Tatiana Alvarez as Antonia, and Ali Márquez-Qadiri as Anselmo, among others. Together, the cast forms a vibrant community of storytellers bringing humor, heart, and humanity to a world where imagination transforms confinement into possibility.
Making his Musical Theatre West debut, director James Vásquez brings a compassionate and inventive vision that blends playfulness with emotional depth. Choreographer Shani Talmor shapes expressive movement that evolves alongside the story's growing sense of wonder, while music director Ryan O'Connell leads the cast through the soaring score with clarity, intimacy, and power.
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