'Phantom' veteran signs on to play Don Quixote

LONG BEACH - David Gaines, who performed the title role in Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera" more than 2,000 times during his run on Broadway, will play the role of Don Quixote in "Man of La Mancha," playing Feb. 10-26, 2012 at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach.Gaines performed in "Phantom" in front of more than 5 million people on Broadway, in Los Angeles and in San Francisco, where he received the Bay Area Critics' Award for Best Actor. "Man of La Mancha", one of the all-time great musicals by Mitch Leigh, Joe Darion and Dale Wasserman, opened on Broadway in 1965 and won a Tony Award for Best Musical. The production takes place during the height of the Spanish Inquisition. While awaiting a hearing with the Inquisition, Miguel de Cervantes presents a play as his defense in a mock trial for the prisoners. In it, he plays Alonso Quijana, a man who has set his own reality aside and becomes Don Quixote De La Mancha. Assisted by Sancho Panza, Quixote attempts to avoid his mortal enemy, the Enchanter, and woo the serving wench and prostitute, Aldonza, who he takes to be the lady Dulcinea. The performance schedule for "Man of La Mancha" is Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m., with a 7 p.m. performance added on Feb. 19. Tickets start at $20 and are on sale now online at musical.org, at the Musical Theatre West box office located at 4350 E. 7th Street in Long Beach or by calling (562) 856-1999, ext. 4.

********** Published: September 29, 2011 - Volume 10 - Issue 24