Wednesday, November 27, 1996
THEATER:
Cervantes’ ‘Man of La Mancha’ opens Tuesday in PasadenaBy Alicia
Cheak
Daily Bruin Contributor
He’ll be 63 this week, but he’s still dreaming the impossible
dream.
Actor Robert Goulet gained fame when he made his Broadway debut
as Sir Lancelot in the 1960 original production of "Camelot." But
like his newest character, Don Quixote, he hasn’t stopped pursuing
what he loves to do best.
"I don’t believe I have achieved any dreams," Goulet says. "My
job is to continue to grow and to try to do better whatever I am
doing any time I am doing it. I’ll never achieve the dream of
perfection  no one does."
In the mean time, he’s having a rollicking time with "Man of La
Mancha," which opens Tuesday at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. He
plays the not-quite-in-touch-with-reality lead in the musical
adaptation of Cervantes’ "Don Quixote."
"I get to lift my hair away from my face up in the air and onto
the sides and I play something grander than life, which Don Quixote
truly was," Goulet says. "He had dreams and aspirations but he was
a little kooky in a couple of spots."
Goulet believes that Quixote’s eccentric yet tragic nature gives
him license to do something different. The character is full of the
virtues of spirit and gallantry and yet what he’s in search of is
unrealistic and therefore absurd.
So far he has had more fun playing the flawed Quixote than the
chivalrous Lancelot.
"I can let fly with a couple of things I would never have been
able to do in other roles," he says.
Goulet has had a chance to play a whole range of different
characters throughout the span of his career in productions such as
"Carousel," "Kiss Me Kate," "The Fantastiks," "South Pacific," and
most recently, "Moon Over Buffalo" with Lynn Redgrave.
"I just know that I am getting a few laughs and enjoying myself
right now and that I have had more fun with (Quixote) than anyone
else that I’ve played."
Goulet has only auditioned for one role in his life, that of Sir
Lancelot, for which he received a Theater World Award. He’s been
incessantly offered the role as Don Quixote, but not until now did
he decide to accept it.
"I’ve been turning it down for 25 years and I finally said I’ll
do it this time," he says.
"When I read the script I thought it was too dark but then I saw
some humor in it and thought I’d give it a try".
"Man of La Mancha" opens in a dungeon where the Spanish
Inquisition stages a mock trial as the inmates await the the
verdict. Writer Miguel Cervantes (Goulet) is one of the political
prisoners and as part of his defense, he assumes the role of his
beloved character Don Quixote. It is the morbid opening scene which
introduces the well-known adventures of an old man and his faithful
companion, Sancho Panza, as they go in search of honor, fame and
the elusive Dulcinea. Sadly, his gallant attempts are all
unsuccessful and he gets hurt and beaten up repeatedly. But he
keeps chasing those windmills.
And Goulet himself pushes on with a sense of humor despite the
mental and physical challenges of the character and the
production.
"It takes a lot of energy but I’ve always got tons of it,"
Goulet says. "I have a bad back and a problem with my hip and the
stage is staged at 6.5 degrees and it creates a problem with pain
but I’ve lived with pain before," he adds with his own Quixotic
attitude of persevering through hard times.
The pain in Goulet’s life has at times acted as an inspirational
force in his career.
"My father died when I was 12 years old," he says. "On his death
bed, he said, ‘God gave you a voice; you must sing.’ He died that
night." Goulet took those words seriously and has made that voice
famous. But he seems to share Don Quixote’s view: The real goal is
to keep dreaming, to keep pursuing, to keep moving forward.
"Man of La Mancha" will play Tuesday through Dec. 8 at the
Pasadena Civic Auditorium. Tickets: $18 students, $22-$61 general
admission. Information: (818) 564-2680.
TMG Marketing & Publicity
Robert Goulet (l.) stars as Don Quixote in "Man of La Mancha"
with Darryl Ferrer as Sancho Panza. The play opens Tuesday in
Pasadena.