Theater in northern Rhode Island

Last night, my family experienced for the second time what may be one of the best-kept secrets in Rhode Island: a performance by The Theatre Company of Rhode Island. Keep in mind that I'm not generally a theater-going kind of guy. I grew up watching John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, and Charles Bronson on TV, and my musical tastes were along the lines of Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, and The Who. So, for me to enjoy a night at the theater is really something out of the ordinary.

We discovered TCRI last year when they performed Agatha Christie's "Black Coffee." We were delighted by the show, and impressed with the quality and thoughtfulness of the production and the performances. We particularly enjoyed Artistic Director Michael Thurber's portrayal of Hercule Poirot. So, when my eldest daughter learned that TCRI had scheduled a performance of "Man of LaMancha" in June, she formulated a plan for a family night out. She discussed it with my wife and purchased a ticket for me, and then surprised me with the news on my birthday.

We enjoyed "Man of LaMancha" very much. The set and the music were simple, appropriate to the venue, and effective without being distracting - except on a few occasions where the drums were a bit louder than they needed to be, and obscured the singers' voices.

The depiction of Aldonza was impressive. Where they could have played it for bawdy humor, instead they allowed the show's lyrics to paint a stark and brutal image of the poor wretch's condition. Susan Alden's outstanding vocal talents were up to the task; we found her Aldonza to be simultaneously touching and repulsive until the final scene, where her beautifully sung appeal at the death bed melted all feelings of repugnance and made us want to reach out to her in sympathy and console her.

David Sackal infused his portrayal of Cervantes/Don Quixote with energy and passion, and his singing voice was quite good; good enough, in fact, that his rendition of "The Impossible Dream" did not seem weak or silly in spite of all of the famous renditions we had heard from great and famous artists. George Martin, who played the Padre, sang magnificently, and Steven Taschereau provided a thoroughly likable innkeeper.

On the whole, the cast and crew did an admirable job. They held our attention, entertained, and delighted us once again - all for about the same price as a movie ticket. And unlike movie theaters, TCRI provides drinks and home-baked snacks in return for a modest donation. So, if you happen to be in the vicinity of Rhode Island when TCRI is playing, I would encourage you to fit a performance into your plans.