"Man of La Mancha" will come to life on the stage of the Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center at College of the Canyons beginning March 1.

This is the second production of the season for the newly formed Santa Clarita Regional Theatre, and the first tim "Man of La Mancha" will be presented in Santa Clarita.

The role of Cervantes/Don Quixote will be played by James Horan, who is appearing in Santa Clarita as a special guest artist with the permission of Actors' Equity.

Horan has a vast and varied resume as an actor in film, television and on the stage. Soap opera fans have seen him on "General Hospital" and "All My Children" and his appearances on prime-time television include roles in "Charmed," Highlander," "Baywatch." and "Walker, Texas Ranger."

In the Star Trek universe, he has guest-starred on "The Next Generation," "Voyager," "Deep Space Nine" and "Enterprise."

Some of his films include a featured role as Confederate Col. Arthur Cummings in the Civil War epic "Gods and Generals," and starring or co-starring roles in "The Haunting of Sea Cliff Inn" and "Scannercop."

Some of Horan's many theater credits include several musicals, most memorably, the role of the Phantom in a U.K. tour of "Phantom of the Opera," Richmond in "Richard III" with Rene Auberjonois and Orestes in "Elektra" at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre.

In addition, he has been seen on national commercials and his voice has been heard on radio and television commercials as well as animated series and CD-ROM games.

The rest of the stellar cast includes George M. Chavez (Sancho), who was recently seen as The Beast in the Santa Clarita Regional Theatre's production of Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" as well as Tamarah Ashton-Coombs (the Housekeeper) who appeared as Mrs. Potts and Kelly Roberts (the Barber) who appeared as Lumiere in "Beauty and the Beast."

Others in this cast who will be familiar to local audiences from their performances with the SCRT include Michael Davies (Governor/Innkeeper), Brent A. Denison (Captain of the Inquisition), Sean Goodman (Padre), and Kamber Moen who were seen in "Fiddler on the Roof," and Kelly Bader (Antonia), Rebecca Coombs (Fermina), Erik Klein, Marlow Weisman and Joe Aboulafia, who also appeared in "Beauty and the Beast."

Appearing for the first time with the SCRT are Lori D'Itri as Aldonza/Dulcinea, Jarod Scott as Carrasco/the Duke and Nicholas Laemmer as Anselmo. Also in the cast are Carla Bambo, Loren Burghout, Caleb DiPaola, Joshua DiPaola, Kristie Hoefflin, John Morris and Edward A. Nason.

"Man of La Mancha" started its life as a non-musical teleplay written by Dale Wasserman for CBS. Inspired by Miguel de Cervantes'17th century masterpiece "Don Quixote," it tells the story of the "mad" knight, Don Quixote, as a play within a play, performed by Cervantes and his fellow prisoners as he awaits a hearing with the Spanish Inquisition.

Years after this television broadcast, and after the original teleplay had been unsuccessfully optioned as a non-musical Broadway play, director Albert Marre called Wasserman and suggested that he turn his play into a musical.

Mitch Leigh was selected as composer and Joe Darion came on board as lyricist. The original 1965 Broadway production, which ran for 2,329 performances, won five Tony Awards. Since then, the musical has become one of the most enduring works of musical theater.

Now it is coming to Santa Clarita for six performances. Even those who are not familiar with the show have heard "The Impossible Dream," which has become an American classic. Co-directors TimBen Boydston and Patti Finley are currently in rehearsal, with Musette Caing creating the choreography and Tamarah Ashton-Coombs handling the vocal direction.

Finley is excited to be a part of this exciting production again. "My ex-husband, Ray Middleton, was the original Innkeeper/Governor on Broadway and I was at the theater nearly every night. I love this show, know it well, and think one of the reasons it has been such a hit all over the world, is that it shows the triumph of the human spirit."

Boydston agreed, "Man's spirit and imagination can help him rise above any adversity. This play shows that, while you might put a man in chains, his spirit remains free."

This limited engagement opens on Saturday, March 1, at 8 p.m., with additional performances on Sundays, March 2 and 9, at 2 p.m., Friday and Saturday, March 7 and 8, at 8 p.m., and Saturday, March 8 at 2 p.m., for a total of six performances. Y

ou won't want to miss this exciting theatrical event, so make your reservations now! On opening night, there will again be the opportunity to become part of the fabulous First Nighters' Club. For $100 per person, you will enjoy dinner and drinks at the lovely home of Dave and Doreen Barsky in the exclusive Woodlands Estates; then take a quick trip across Valencia Boulevard and you'll be at the Performing Arts Center, where you will be seated in the Golden Circle to experience all the excitement of opening night.

Don't miss :Man of La Mancha." Call the box office at 661-799-2702 now!