‘Man of La Mancha’
at the Walnut

By Rita Charleston
For the Times

"Originally I thought I wanted to be a pilot. But I gradually turned to performing. Really, how do any of us end up anywhere? We try a lot of different things and just hope we stumble into something that works."
That’s Paul Schoeffler explaining how he ended up in leading roles in theater across the country and oversees. He’s now appearing in Man of La Mancha, the Walnut Street Theatre season-opener. The production continues through Oct. 21, with Schoeffler in the dual starring role of Miguel De Cervantes and Don Quixote.
Based on the immortal works of Cervantes, this is the tale of Don Quixote, a self-proclaimed knight-errant who sets out to protect the weak, uphold chivalry and right the wrongs in a cold and uncaring world.
The world of Don Quixote is brought to life by Cervantes himself, having been harshly imprisoned during the Spanish Inquisition. Using only his fellow prisoners and a great amount of imagination, Cervantes tells the noble and romantic story of a man determined to win the heart of the woman he loves and do the right thing, no matter how difficult or costly.
The original production — starring Richard Kiley — played on Broadway from 1965 to 1971 and was earned five Tony awards, including best musical. Included in the production are such musical favorites as The Impossible Dream.
"This musical remains an audience favorite because its theme is life finds a way," said Schoeffler. "The people in the play are in prison, with no hope, and then his man appears, and his power of imagination tells the story about living life the way it is or living it the way it ought to be. To me, the piece ends with a message of hope, a feeling that inspires . . . we will still find a way to find beauty, meaning and joy in our lives. And that message is a large part of the show’s appeal, and especially true in the age in which we live today."
Schoeffler, born 49 years ago in Montreal, Canada, graduated from Carnegie-Melon before moving to New York to try his hand at acting. Over the years, he has amassed an impressive list of credits that include Broadway’s Sweet Charity, Beauty and the Beast, Peter Pan, Cyrano, Victor-Victoria and Nine.
He also has appeared off-Broadway, in national tours, and is currently working on PBS’ new animated series Nate the Great.
"I love doing what I do," Schoeffler said, "but I don’t like the business side of what we do. It’s like having two jobs, and I find that the price you have to pay keeps getting harder as I get older. I think it becomes more of an issue as you get older.
"Also," he continued, "I have to spend a lot of time away from my family, and I don’t really want to do that anymore. So I have to be selective in the roles I accept as I get older, and I don’t always accept every role that’s offered to me."
But what he will accept, he added, are projects that are well-written. "I like working on new material; having the opportunity to create things is always fun and always challenging," he said. "I also like being close to my home in New York."
Which is why he’s particularly happy to keep appearing at the Walnut. He last appeared there as Walter Burns, the sneering and scheming editor from last season’s opening production, Windy City, and has been named to appear in Peter Pan, the Walnut production following Man of La Mancha.
And while he has loved most of what he has done, Schoeffler said the best jobs he’s ever had are as husband to Aixa and dad to Aidan. ••
For more information, call the Walnut box office at 215-574-3550.