In this (2005), the 400th anniversary of
the publication of
"DON QUIXOTE,"
Come Celebrate with us!!!!
Behold his Creator! ... Enter into his Imagination! ... Experience
the MAGIC!
"A BRAVURA PERFORMANCE BY
FRANK B. MOORMAN!"
"HE BRINGS HIS 'QUIXOTE' CHARACTER TO LIFE IN
A NON-STOP, ENERGETIC AND DYNAMIC PRESENTATION."
The Washington Post
November 3, 2005
"A
'must-see'! "
"The 'Feel GREAT!' play of the 2005-2006 Season"
Audiences of ALL ages 15 - 85 are saying:
"Frank B. Moorman IS Miguel
de Cervantes!"
THAT CERTAIN
CERVANTES
STAGED IN THE
ROUND!
OCTOBER 21 - NOVEMBER 19
Romance and Gallantry have returned to the theatre!
Experience them
in
The East Coast Premiere run of
"That Certain Cervantes"
by Harry Cason
Directed by
Karey Faulkner
"For those who wish to laugh, it's a
comedy;
for those who wish to THINK , ahhh
..."
| Frank B. Moorman as Miguel de Cervantes |
|
|
| To a man without connections there are but 3 open roads: the Church, the Sea and the World of Ideas. |
One of the most intriguing literary adventurers
in European history is Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra (1547 - 1616), Spanish-born soldier, playwright, tax collector, prisoner,
slave and poet who has reached mythical status as the author of "Don Quixote." Join us from October 21
through November 19 for a most adventurous odyssey into the mind of a brilliant man who was 400 years ahead of his
time; a man who continues to inspire us today to believe in the unique worth and value of every individual.
Don't miss the official opening of our even MORE exciting and unique EAST COAST PREMIERE. With Frank B. Moorman as 'Cervantes.'
We are thrilled to announce that we have opened
our 4th Season with an even MORE WONDERFUL and exciting production of "THAT CERTAIN CERVANTES,"
and that Frank B. Moorman continues to own his role as 'Cervantes' throughout the Washington, D.C. region from
September throughout November as he rides with Sancho, battles with windmills, champions for justice, and excites and
inspires our audiences with his memorable performance.
Frank B. Moorman ('Cervantes') is
one of the busiest actors in the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore region, having appeared on a variety of stages in vast
productions, most recently switching loyalties among 16th Century European playwrights Miguel de Cervantes, Lope de Vega
and William Shakespeare, now once again, he has returned to Miguel de Cervantes! In between our Spring Preview and Fall
East Coast Premiere of "THAT CERTAIN CERVANTES," Frank won critical praise for his role as
'Oberon' in A Midsummer Night's Dream this past summer. Previous, he was 'Marquis Ricardo' in Dog
in the Manger, and has also appeared in such dramas as The Heiress, A Shayna Maidel, Dial ‘M’
for Murder, and Edward Albee’s The Play about the Baby, comedies such as Sly Fox, The Learned
Ladies, and House of Blue Leaves, and the musicals Gypsy and The Music Man. He also played
the Prince in Romeo and Juliet and 'Don Pedro' in Much Ado About Nothing. As director, he has staged
productions of The Importance of Being Earnest, Under MilkWood by Dylan Thomas, Foreplay or the Art
of the Fugue by David Ives, and Rockaby and Ohio Impromptu, both by Samuel Beckett.
Accolades
"Ever since we saw Frank Moorman's spectacular performance
of your spectacularly directed play (Oct. 21, 2005), we haven't been able to talk or think about anything else."
Leonard Mades, Ph.D.
Johns Hopkins University
School of Professional Studies
The Evergreen Society
and
Professor Emeritus
Romance Languages
Hunter College (CUNY)
"A fun play and a great performance. A wonderful actor,
lights and beautiful 16th Century Spanish music take you to a different time and place to see
life in a lighter and deeper way. This is a must see for all of us who must balance the 'Quixote' and 'Sancho'
in us. I encourage all to see it."
Jorge Restrepo
President
Board of Directors
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Montgomery County, Maryland
"A thoroughly enjoyable show! Every moment sparkles. It seems there is as much action packed into this one-man show as there is in the
novel "Don Quixote" itself. I was especially impressed with Moormanıs ability to portray so many characters (not to
mention a horse!) with total credibility. I say, 'Two thumbs up!' "
Sharyn
Neuwirth
Professor
Montgomery College
"A well-written play which is beautifully executed by the superb
teaming of Moorman (actor) and Faulkner (director). The magic and joy of theatre has returned to Washington. It
can't get much better than this. May 'Cervantes' live forever."
Robert Aaronson
Visiting writer and playwright
New York City
"If you liked "Man of LaMancha" you will like "That Certain Cervantes."
The Heritage production is the East Coast premiere of Harry Cason's 1-man play. That 1 man is Frank B. Moorman, and
what a job he does with the role of Cervantes, don Quixote and others that wander through this production-in-the-round
for a little less than 2 hours. The play is a treat, both humorous and introspective. Mr. Moorman's performance
is extraordinary."
C. H. McClure
Business Administrator
Chevy Chase, Maryland
"An unforgettable experience and rare treat for the senses. Delicious!
A perfect blend of exceptional talent. Actor and director completely let loose to create total genius and all out
FUN run amok! Nothing is held back. The trust which had to occur between them to make this happen is evident.
It works!"
John Markson, Ph.D.
Author and Educator
Washington, D.C.
Production Staff:
Director:
Karey Faulkner
Costume
Designer:
Cassandra Hoye
Lighting and
Sound Designer: Karey Faulkner
Light and Sound
Operator:
Robert Westbrook, Jr.
Set Decor:
Lori Chaikin
and "Sparrows" of Kensington
Crew:
Nik Chaikin
INTERESTING FACTS:
* During 2005, the world celebrates the 400th
anniversary of the publication of Cervantes' "Don Quixote de la Mancha." Four centuries after its first publication
in 1605, this novel still ranks as the most published and translated book after the Bible.
* In 2002, "Don Quixote de la Mancha" was voted
the best book ever written by a group of 100 writers from 54 countries, among them Salman Rushdie, Wole Soyinka, Milan Kundera,
John Irving, Seamus Heaney and Norman Mailer.
Scenes from
"THAT CERTAIN CERVANTES"
"MORE THAN WINDMILLS"
Photos copyright 2005. The Heritage Theatre Company by
Frank B. Moorman
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| Frank B. Moorman as 'Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra' |
It’s important to know that there’s more to Don
Quixote than windmills. People who have heard of Don Quixote, but not read it, will most likely know it has something
to do with attacking windmills. Thanks to the phrase “tilting at windmills,” people may know of the concept without
ever having heard of Don Quixote, character or novel. Against this background, first-time readers may be surprised to learn
that the windmills come and go within the first 60-70 pages of the book and that the actual telling takes little more than
one page. And there are still 900 pages to go, if you’re reading both parts.
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| "Lepanto. The formidable conflagration. A vast universe of ships and men." |
In much the same way, Don Quixote the character has taken
on a life that exceeds and transcends the 900-1,000 pages of Don Quixote the novel. He and his sometimes reluctant
companion Sancho Panza have become symbols of a range of themes and human urges, some of which Cervantes himself might not
have considered or even accepted. The creation has far outpaced the creator, and it is easy to imagine the author Miguel waving
helplessly in the background, calling out “Remember me?”
Part of the delight of this play is that it both throws light
on the author and takes us beyond the windmills. It gives a snapshot of the life and frame of mind out of which Cervantes
worked, and it shows several facets of the novel, the sentiment and the struggles, as well as the windmills, all well spiced
with humor and love.
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| "Behold! And prepare yourself for that which you have never seen!" |
The novel and the character of Don Quixote were part of the background
in which I grew up. People spoke of my father in terms of Quixote, referring to his integrity and his idealism, though they
might have also added his wit and ironic view of the world. We had a Spanish edition of the novel on the shelves, which he
studied during his last 15-20 years. I discovered the novel in high school, in an abridged translation; I was most delighted
at the coarse, harsh humor. As I reread the novel in preparation for this performance, I was amused at both how much I remembered
and how much seems new. That's part of the delight of re-reading.
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| "And so Don Quixote rode out until he found himself on a great hill dotted with windmills!" |
I remember on the cover of the version I read in high school a quote
that said one should read Quixote at least three times, in youth, in middle age, and in old age. As I continue my middle-aged
reading of it, I still take delight in the coarse humor, the slapstick, even as I appreciate more fully the friendship between
Quixote and Sancho, the blitheness with which Quixote dismisses the objections of others as he pursues his journey, and the
multiple paths that the author takes us down as other characters relate their own stories, real or fictional, along the way.
The book has a fullness about it that just keeps getting richer.
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| "I meet all foes! CHARGE!!!" |
As an actor, I am thrilled to be able to connect to author
and character, both of them archetypal figures of European culture, as well as having a lot of fun playing a range of feelings,
characters, stories, and challenges. This play is an actor’s dream.
The Heritage Theatre Company gratefully acknowledges
the overwhelming kindness, generosity, support and encouragement of Mr. Jorge Restrepo and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
of Montgomery County, Maryland throughout this production.
OUR FALL, 2005 SCHEDULE FOR "THAT CERTAIN
CERVANTES":
September 15 through October 15: Hispanic
Heritage Month.
Please see our schedule on our webpage "STUDENT
MATINEES."
Please phone us for details:
301.770-9080
September 15 through November 19: Selected
Scheduling.
Please see our webpage "THE CERVANTES PROJECTS."
Please phone us for details:
301.770-9080
October 26: The Library of Congress.
Private Performance
and
Oct. 21 - Nov. 19: OUR 4th
SEASON OPENING PRODUCTION.
EAST COAST PREMIERE OPENING
Friday and Saturday evenings; Sunday
matinees
2 Saturday matinees (Nov. 12 and 19)
Please phone for tickets:
301.770-9080
Tickets may be purchased by
phoning now:
301.770-9080
or
Tickets may also be ordered online at:
See webpage "ORDER TICKETS" for details
and for easy directions
on how to place your order for tickets
on our secure website
VISA and MasterCard accepted.
"THAT CERTAIN CERVANTES" is supported in part
by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency funded by the State of Maryland and the National Endowment for
the Arts.
DIRECTOR'S NOTES
From the moment I first learned of the existence of a little gem entitled
"THAT CERTAIN CERVANTES," I have been on the ride of my theatrical life and have learned more about fate, seen more of the overall
goodness in people, and experienced more "meant-to-be" moments than Cervantes himself could have ever dreamed imaginable.
Whenever I speak to someone about this play or attempt to describe
it, one word continually crops up in conversation and on paper: magical. No, the play does not have trick
scenery or anything else one might connect to that word. In fact, it is pure, simple, and delightful story-telling
at its very finest. The "magic" is what has emerged as a result of us presenting this wonderful play. Everyone connected to it -- from director, actor, technical, production and backstage assistants,
to our audiences -- have in some manner commented on it. In some very wonderful, marvelous, and, yes, "magical" way,
it has touched our lives and made us better.
No, there is no "lesson" to be learned from seeing the show, no preaching
from the pulpit, no special message to take with you as you sally forth into the night. It is just simply good theatre,
and theatre which is magically uplifting and magically upbeat. Having elements of high drama, slapstick comedy, familial
tragedy, old-fashioned romance, and exquisite character-driven music, but being one true genre of none of these, it is the
new "Cult Classic" my actor and I affectionately refer to it as. You not only feel good from seeing this
play, you feel GREAT! And what a wonderful and extraordinary way to feel -- if simply for 2 hours -- during these
often tumultuous times in which we live. I speak for myself when I say that I have been remarkably, albeit "magically"
changed through my involvement with this production.
To Mr. Harry Cason -- I don't think I can ever thank him enough for
writing this play. I have tried on numerous occasions, but my words just don't seem adequate enough to express what
presenting his play has meant to me. Harry, your play has not only fulfilled a life-long dream and is solely responsible
for creating many more, it has also allowed the visibility of those dreams to be seen in a much brighter light. I could
go on presenting this play indefinitely, but surely not one single day without my wonderful actor, Frank Moorman, at the helm.
As anyone who has already seen the show will attest, Frank IS Cervantes, and I could not have found a better, more
well-suited actor for the role, and for the daunting task of carrying such a challenging 1-man, multi-character play such
as this, had I scoured every nook and cranny on the face of God's green earth.
To all those connected to our play -- Harry, Frank, Cassandra, Robert,
Nik, Mike and Lori; and our supporters, friends, and audience members
of "That Certain Cervantes" alike: thank you, each and every one of you, for coming into my life, for giving me more
"meant-to-be" moments than one fortunate and very grateful person could ever dream of having, and for making my life richer
and so much better from having known you. And to don Miguel de Cervantes: thank you for the magic.
Karey Faulkner
September 29, 2005
"May God grant you health, and not forget me."
Miguel de Cervantes
September 29, 1547 - April 23, 1616
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