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400 years after he first tilted at windmills, the world still loves Don Quixote de la Mancha
Posted on by ticket
By DUTCH GODSHALK
dgodshalk@21st-centurymedia.com
@DutchGodshalk on Twitter
"And maddest of all: to see life as it is and not as it should be."
Those words, made famous by world-wearied and imprisoned poet Miguel de Cervantes in the 1974 film "Man of la Mancha," might just cut to the heart of the popularity surrounding Cervantes' iconic, mystifying main character, Don Quixote de la Mancha.
Cervantes first presented Don Quixote to the world in 1605. Jump forward a few hundred years and you'll find a 1,000-plus page novel, a feature film, a long-running Broadway musical, countless television adaptations, a statue in Madrid, a sketch by Pablo Picasso and the word "quixotic" in the English dictionary.
This mad knight, bumbling and ridiculed, idealistic and woeful, has been tilting at windmills on the page, stage and screen for more than four hundred years – which begs the question, what is it about this Don Quixote fellow? How has he outlasted so many other fictional characters throughout history?
For the cast of Act II Playhouse's upcoming production of "Man of La Mancha," Don Quixote represents something that every man and woman holds dear: the desire to exist in a better world.
"I think we all come to a point in our lives where we are intrigued by the idea of fighting for something greater," said Maria Konstantinidis, who plays the beautiful yet troubled Aldonza. "And so this knight, this man who seeks for truth and goodness and beauty and hope — I think it's something that lives within all of us."
"In fact, (Don Quixote's) a gentleman," said the show's director, Aaron Cromie. "He's a chivalrous being, he is there to do what he believes is the right thing. Even though he's laughed at and he fails constantly, I think there's a dignity in his madness that people inherently love and allow for."
For those unfamiliar with the story, "Man of La Mancha" centers on a warped old man who becomes so engrossed in medieval novels that he convinces himself that he is a knight, and he takes to riding the countryside, defending the helpless, however clumsily.
"He's the ultimate fan boy," Peter Schmitz, who plays Quixote in the production, said. "He's like those guys who go to conventions and are having the time of their lives dressing up like Gandolf" – except, for Quixote, the masquerade is the reality.
Schmitz seemed like he'd been preparing for this role his entire life. Sitting at a table on the second floor of the playhouse in shoddy armor and a weathered tunic, the actor had the right goatee, an excellent blend of exuberance and gravitas, and a shockingly detailed knowledge of author Miguel de Cervantes. And it seems all of this speaks to the actor's adoration for the Don.
Maria Konstantinidis stars as Aldonza/Dulcinea in Act II
Playhouse's production of "Man of La Mancha."
Photo by Bill D'Agostino.
"No matter how many times he gets beaten down, he just picks the joy right up and accepts the circumstances he is given," Schmitz said. "He gets right back on the horse and goes at it again. And everyone can identify with that … That's why we still love Don Quixote, because even though he's a middle-aged man with supposedly nothing to look forward to — he's poor, he's got no wife, no kids — he says, 'You know, I have my imagination and I have my joy.' "
In many ways, staging such a beloved musical is a privilege. In other ways, it's a challenge. Winner of five 1966 Tony Awards, "Man of La Mancha" is one of history's most well-known Broadway shows. The test for a cast and crew then is to find a slightly new voice with which to tell the classic tale.
"(Act II Artistic Director) Tony Braithwaite invited me to direct here because he's familiar with my interest and my ability and my proclivity, passion, desire — whatever it is — to find a new way to tell a familiar story," said Cromie.
This version of "Man of La Mancha" will have a cast of 10 actors playing more than 40 roles throughout the show — but that's not all. "The cast itself was hired not just because they're great actors and singers but because we're all musicians," said Sonny Leo, who plays Sancho Panza as well as serves as the show's choreographer and vocal director. When not delivering lines, the actors retreat to the margins of the stage, picking up violins, cellos, glockenspiels, toy pianos and melodicas.
Cromie said the choice to have the actors do it all will create a more unique experience for the audience.
"We've got a very intimate theater here," he said, "and 'La Mancha' is a vast, gigantic score, and so the preparation goes to me considering how we make such an epic story be the right size for this venue … It's so specially considered for this space, this audience and the vibe of coming in here."
Making use of this intimate venue, the production paints a bleak, oppressive image of the world — with plot points involving government imprisonment, intolerable cruelty and prostitution — and entombs the audience within it. But then Don Quixote sallies forth to offer his view of "life as it should be."
And, really, that's what's so attractive about the Don. He gives the audience a glimpse of the world as he sees it. "The whole point of the play is that our imagination eventually makes reality better," Schmitz said. "(Don Quixote) says, 'I have this wonderful dream and I invite you to share it.' It's not a closing off of reality but an open invitation to a limitless imagination."
Here Schmitz gets to the heart of a 400-year-old hero's continued appeal. Don Quixote imagines a nobler way of life; he envisions a kinder, better world. And, to this day, audiences line up for the opportunity to sit for a little while and spend some time within that impossible dream.
WHAT: "Man of La Mancha"
WHEN: From April 29 through June 8.
WHERE: Act II Playhouse,
56 E. Butler Ave., Ambler, PA 19002.
TICKETS: Tickets range from $28 to $39.
INFO.: Check www.act2.com or call (215) 654-0200.
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Twitter – @TicketEnt
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© 2020 Main Line Media News, a 21st Century Media Property & part of Digital First Media PA -- All rights reserved.


iOS and Swift continue to rapidly evolve. Van Simmons previews our upcoming iOS mobile development class and discusses how the changing nature of Swift is causing us to evolve our iOS class. Van also talks about the rapid emergence of idiomatic conventions for developing apps in Swift, his experience building multiple major iOS apps in Swift, and the potential for Swift as a language for server-side development.


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On World AIDS Day, UN officials say end to epidemic is within reach
Isabel is a grandmother in Mozambique who cares for her 6 months old granddaughter whose mother died of an AIDS-related illness
As the world heads into the fourth decade of AIDS, it is finally in a position to end the epidemic, Ban Ki-moon said today, leading a chorus of UN officials in calling for the political will, investments and determination to reach this goal.
As the world heads into the fourth decade of AIDS, it is finally in a position to end the epidemic, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, leading a chorus of United Nations officials in calling for the political will, investments and determination to reach this goal.
"Momentum is on our side. Let us use it to end AIDS – once and for all," Mr. Ban said in his message for World AIDS Day, observed on 1 December each year.
"The progress we have made so far is proof that we can realize our vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths," he added.
The number of new HIV infections has fallen by more than 20 per cent since 1997, Mr. Ban noted. New infections are continuing to decline in most parts of the world. In addition, treatment has averted 2.5 million AIDS-related deaths since 1985, saving 700,000 lives last year alone.
"But, to end AIDS, we need to deliver even greater results," stressed the Secretary-General. "We must build on the political commitments, investments, energy, activism and determination that have brought us to this turning point."
Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), noted it has been a year of achievements, of collective action, of resilience and of courage. Despite the economic downturn that has stretched the AIDS response to its limits, millions of lives have been saved, as HIV treatment and prevention efforts continue to show results, he said.
Annie Lennox and Michel Sidibé call upon you to bring an end to AIDS
"Never before in the history of AIDS have we reached a moment where we are able to stand up and say with conviction the end of AIDS is in sight," he stated in his message."The road before us is clear and we can accelerate ahead with smart investments, capitalizing on scientific advancements and evidence and respecting human rights," Mr. Sidibé said, calling on countries, donors and others to reach the global investment target of $22-24 billion for the AIDS response. "Only together can we secure the future and provide greater and long-term dividends."
In a related development, Mr. Sidibé welcomed China's decision to fill its HIV resource gap by increasing domestic investments. The new commitment from China comes at a crucial moment, according to UNAIDS, as resources for AIDS are declining and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is facing a major setback in resource mobilization.
The theme of this year's World AIDS Day is "Getting to Zero," which reflects both optimism and the need to do much more, the President of the General Assembly said in his message, noting that the challenges ahead are "sobering."
While more than 6.5 million people now receive life-saving treatment, 7.6 million still have no access to it, said Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser. In 2010 alone, 1.8 million people died of AIDS-related illnesses, and there were 2.7 million new HIV infections.
"We cannot allow hard-won gains to unravel," said Mr. Al-Nasser. "I call on all stakeholders to uphold their commitments, and to work together to sustain and accelerate the progress."
A number of other senior UN officials issued messages, adding their voices to the call for sustained action to finally rid the world of the epidemic. They include the Executive Director of the UN Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Yury Fedotov; the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Irina Bokova; and the Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Juan Somavia.
The UN World Food Programme (WFP) marked the Day by emphasizing the importance of providing food and nutrition support to people living with HIV and their families.
"Poor nutritional status and HIV can reinforce each other in a vicious circle," said Martin Bloem, WFP's chief of nutrition and HIV/AIDS policy. "WFP works with communities and health centres around the world to ensure that people affected by HIV and AIDS receive comprehensive support that nourishes and strengthens their bodies."
In 2010, WFP supported 2.5 million people in 44 countries through its HIV and tuberculosis programmes, providing food and nutrition support to some 1.3 million people living with HIV as part of their antiretroviral treatment (ART) or TB treatment and another 1.2 million people affected by these diseases. It aims to reach about the same number of people this year.
Yesterday, the UN World Health Organization (WHO), the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and UNAIDS released their report on the global HIV/AIDS response, highlighting the fact that there is a very real possibility of getting ahead of the epidemic.
This can only be achieved, however, by both sustaining and accelerating the current momentum over the next decade and beyond, the agencies stressed.
Meanwhile, a UN Development Programme (UNDP) study released today says that households in Asia that include people living with HIV exhaust their savings and liquidate assets at a disproportionately high rate, often plunging into "irreversible poverty."
Catastrophic health care costs, stigma, unemployment, and bad credit also mean these households – which start out with fewer assets – consume less food of lower quality and keep fewer children in school, said the report, which calls for urgent mitigation measures, including HIV-sensitive social protection to help tens of thousands of households in the region.
HIV|AIDS
UN health agency reinstates two de-listed AIDS antiretroviral drugs
Peacekeeping missions are fighting HIV, UN expert says on eve of World AIDS Day
UN system marks World AIDS Day by spotlighting epidemic's impact on women
News Tracker: Past Stories on This Issue
Investment in anti-HIV/AIDS services paying off, but sustained effort needed – UN
Growing access to HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention services resulted in a 15 per cent decline in new infections over the past decade and a 22 per cent drop in AIDS-related deaths in the past five years, the United Nations reported today, urging sustained long-term effort to combat the disease.

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Q: Scanning a polygon like geographical area I have a geographical area that has a polygon like shape.  I want to scan that area with determined steps, say ~25-30 meters per step. I'm using lat/long system.  All I need is a way to do this type of scanning. Efficiency is a plus.
Also, If you can help me find a way to pick points on the border of this polygon with the same steps mentioned above.
Note: I don't care for 100% accurate results.

A: It sounds like you could:
a) Figure out the axis-aligned bounding rectangle for your shape.  Overlay that with a uniform grid, test each point in the grid for being interior to your shape.  A naive approach like this is sub-optimal, I am sure, but unless your shape is constrained (is it (strictly) convex ? does it have any holes in it ?) then it might be the simplest and most straightforward to implement.
b) You have the end points for each line segment in the boundary of your shape, it's fairly simple to divide each line segment into regular intervals.
Now, you have points specified in latitude and longitude and distances in metres.  If the bounding rectangle is small enough (this is a matter of your accuracy requirements but as a rule of thumb I'd suggest that if your bounding box is less than 30 arc-minutes along both sides it's small enough) just plough ahead and treat lat,long as plane coordinates, transform 30m into (local) angular measurement -- and bear in mind that the east-west and north-south angular measurements may not be equal.  For most of the populated parts of the Earth this will be accurate enough.
For higher precision, you will need to use some kind of projection, either to transform your geographical coordinates to plane coordinates to agree with your grid specification, or vice-versa (or both, since your inputs are a mix of geographical and plane points).

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