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Man of La Mancha returns to London
Kelsey Grammer leads the cast for a limited season
Produced by Michael Linnit and Michael Grade – the team who brought Chess, Carousel, Sunset Boulevard and Sweeney Todd to the London Coliseum – and in collaboration again with English National Opera, the multi-Tony award winning Broadway musical Man of La Mancha returns to London this April for the first time in over 50 years.
Featuring the iconic song Dream the Impossible Dream, Man of La Mancha is inspired by Miguel de Cervantes’ masterpiece, Don Quixote.
In a 16th century dungeon, Cervantes and his man servant await trial from the Spanish Inquisition. In his possession he has a trunk carrying an unfinished novel, Don Quixote. As prisoners attempt to steal his possessions, Cervantes embarks on acting out his novel as his defence, transforming himself into Alonso Quijano.
Quijano, deluded, believes he is a knight errant, renames himself Don Quixote de la Mancha, and sets off on a fantastical quest with his man servant, Sancho Panza. Chivalry abounds in this classic tale of knighthood, love, loyalty and adventure.
Leading the cast is Emmy Award-winning and Tony-nominated actor Kelsey Grammer, best known for playing Dr Frasier Crane in NBC’s hit series’ Cheers and Frasier will make his West End debut playing Miguel de Cervantes and Don Quixote, while international opera star and soprano Danielle de Niese will share the role of Aldonza and Dulcinea with West End superstar Cassidy Janson.
Watch Kelsey Grammar and Danielle de Niese perform The Impossible Dream below:
This incredible trio of stars will be joined by BAFTA award-winning actor Nicholas Lyndhurst, who will play the Innkeeper and the Captain is best known for his TV work roles in the classic series Only Fools and Horses, Goodnight Sweetheart and New Tricks. His previous stage credits include Carousel at The Coliseum and Trevor Nunn’s The Tempest at the Theatre Royal Haymarket.
Man of La Mancha will be directed by Lonny Price, who directed Linnit and Grade’s acclaimed London production of Sunset Boulevard at the Coliseum starring Glenn Close, as well as its hugely-successful subsequent Broadway transfer. Joining Price on the creative team is conductor David White, set designer James Noone, lighting designer Rick Fisher, sound designer Mick Potter and casting director David Grindrod CDG.
The music in Man of La Mancha is by Mitch Leigh, lyrics by Joe Darion and book by Dale Wasserman.
The impossible Dream has become an internationally-renowned song, and has been performed by Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Andy Williams, Luther Vandross and The Temptations, amongst others.
Man of La Mancha will play a limited season, with performances from 26 April to 8 June 2019. Tickets are on sale now – get yours via Ticketmaster.co.uk
