'La Mancha' good in spite of its flaws
By Mark Lowry / Star-Telegram Staff Writer

FLOWER MOUND - It's hard to believe that Flower Mound Performing Arts Theatre's recent move to a suite in the Parker Square development would result in a space that's more intimate than its equally small former site at the Barn Door Theatre. But it did.

The new home, with fewer than 100 seats and a thrust stage, is the kind of space that puts the actors practically in the audience's lap -- especially when it's a large cast, such as Dale Wasserman and Joe Darion's musical Man of La Mancha.

Such an experience can be exhilarating, because you can see every hint of expression on the actors' faces, But it can also be a setback, because any flaws are that much more obvious.

There aren't any obvious flaws in Michael Robinson's costumes, which are meant to evoke 16th-century Spain; nor in Scott Kirkham's clever, simple and vertical set design (in a space this small, one must make use of every square inch).

But in the production, directed by Grant James, there were some up-and-down performances. As Aldonza/Dulcinea, Kelly Rypkema had a lovely voice when using her soprano softly, but in lower registers it was not so pretty.

In the chorus numbers, musical director Adam Wright managed a strong finale, but the vocal work in the Moorish dance scene was weak.

In the main role, however, Paul Taylor found the right mix of complexity in his Cervantes-Quixote/poet-madman dualities. Randy Pearlman, as his manservant Sancho, was the kind of funny, loyal companion everyone needs.

Other strong acting and vocal turns came from John Reba as Duke and, as Padre, Billy Lawley, whose tenor blended magically with the three-member orchestra. The scaled-back version of the score included guitar, violin, bass and some percussion and worked wonderfully in the intimate venue.

GRADE: B-