Don Quixote comes to the Ritz this weekend

In the Ritz Players' production of 'Man of La Mancha,' Sean Joyce performs in the leading role as Don Quixote. Mandy Bour, portraying Aldonza, looks on.

TIFFIN — Director Jim Koehl hopes to rekindle audiences’ love affair with Man of La Mancha this weekend at the Ritz Theatre.

“This show has kind of fallen off the radar. It was extremely popular in the ’60s and ’70s. I hope they rediscover it. It is one of the greatest American musicals ever written,” he said. “It’s such a timeless story... It’s got some beautiful love songs, some very raucous scenes.”

La Mancha, based on Miguel de Cervantes’ novel Don Quixote, is a play within a play set in a prison and put on by prisoners awaiting the Spanish Inquisition. Sean Joyce as Don Quixote “has gone sort of crazy. He believes he is a knight errant whose purpose is to go across Spain righting all wrongs, defeating evildoers, and rescuing fair damsels. His core belief is you should see life as it should be; not as it is,” Koehl said.

Rick Frederick as Sancho, is Quixote’s faithful sidekick. Mandy Bour, as Aldonza, is a tavern wench Quixote believes to be a virtuous woman.

“Theatrically it’s a great piece for actors, for anyone in the theater. The actors are playing multiple roles. It’s fun to watch. It’s fun to perform. It’s fun to work with. It stretches the actors and their abilities.”

Koehl said this play is rated PG-13. There are some graphic scenes.

“Man of La Mancha” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Ritz Theatre, 30 S. Washington St., Tiffin. Additional performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 23 and 2 p.m. Feb. 24. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students. Information: 419-448-8544 or ritztheatre.org.

Guilty?

A jury must decide a 19-year-old’s guilt or innocence this weekend in Twelve Angry Jurors presented by Oregon Community Theatre at Fassett Middle School.

It seems like an open-and-shut case for this young man accused of killing his father. The jury is set to secure his fate resulting in a mandatory death sentence until one juror begins to open the eyes of the others and raise reasonable doubt. Jurors’ personalities are revealed as the democratic process unfolds.

“Twelve Angry Jurors” will be performed at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 3 p.m. Sunday at Fassett Middle School Auditorium, 3025 Starr Ave., Oregon. Additional performances are at 8 p.m. Feb. 22 and 23. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for seniors and students. Information: 419-691-1398 or oregoncommunitytheatre.org.

Full Bed

Bryan, Ohio — A presumably empty bedroom in a London flat winds up with a lot of visitors this weekend in Move Over, Mrs. Markham presented by Williams County Community Theater in the Bryan Theater Little Theater off the Square.

Philip and Joanna Markham take an evening out while hopeful lovers plan an evening in testing out the couple’s bed in this Ray Cooney and John Chapman farce. Chaos and confusion ensue when multiple couples arrive in the Markham flat and impersonate others to protect their identities.

“Move Over, Mrs. Markham” will be performed by Williams County Community Theater at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday in the Bryan Theater Little Theater off the Square, 208 W. Butler St. Bryan. Additional performances are at 8 p.m. Feb 21-23 and at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 24. Tickets are $11 for adults and $10 for seniors and students. Information: 419-636-6400 or williamscountycommunitytheatre.com.

Please send theater items at least two weeks in advance to jnjaim@theblade.com.