Kaelyn Benoit
The Southern Editor
Oct. 6 concluded Florida Southern’s Theatre Department’s run of its first show of the season, “The Quest for Don Quixote” in Buckner Theatre.
Set in a 1990s Starbucks, this farce follows playwright Ben Eisenberg, tasked with writing a play adaptation for the popular novel, “Don Quixote.” Ben only has one problem– he can’t write anything, and the script is due the following day.
Stuck with writer’s block, the playwright is visited by his agent, who fervently pushes him to complete the script. What ensues is a whirlwind of antics as the two begin to write, with the Starbucks on stage transforming into a fever dream before the audience’s eyes.
As if by magic, the characters Ben writes about come to life on stage. Don Quixote himself emerges, and “whether from a stroke of genius or a near-lethal dosage of caffeine and Xanax” the plot begins to unfold and the script begins to come together, played out by actors Gabriel Csefko, John Nocita, David Ramos, Nathan Bell, Hannah Atkinson and JJ Fuentes.
Directed by Guest Director Lawrence Lesher, the play was written by Mark Brown. Undoubtedly a comedic piece, the farce features physical comedy, running gags and plenty of moments for audience members to wonder what will come next.
“A farce has a lot of slapstick comedy,” actor Bell said. “The pacing of the show is way different, and it’s really fun.”
This action-packed piece keeps audience members heavily engaged throughout the show, as actors switch between various characters from one scene to the next.
Ramos, for example, holds many different roles throughout the play. From the Agent to the Innkeeper to one of the Pestilence Horsemen, Ramos is constantly moving and physically switching costumes to portray each character as he goes.
“I like to think there is no such thing as a caricature,” Ramos said. “There is not just a one-size-fits-all-all for a character. You have to come to it with fresh eyes.”
Throughout the show’s two-weekend run, the performers hit the stage each night with energy and plenty of visual and physical gags.
“It’s been really fun,” senior Bell said. “I’m a very physical actor in general … It’s been really nice to have the opportunity to do these super physically demanding actions on stage for anyone to laugh at.”
Besides providing laughs, the actors share a similar grateful sentiment regarding the show. Csefko, who leads the show as Ben, has only just started his Florida Southern journey.
“I feel very thankful for the position that I’m in,” Csefko said. “I love theater. It’s what I want to do. It’s what we all want to do. It’s been nice to explore something I love doing.”
That love for performance spans the years, as Nocita, who stars as Don Quixote, reminisces on the rehearsal process.
“Being able to work with everyone and just play and bring this incredible show to life … There’s so many bits and so many crazy things we do. Being able to take all that and portray it on the stage has been the most fun experience I’ve ever had,” Nocita said.
Florida Southern Theatre’s season will continue with Lucy Kirkwood’s “The Children,” beginning on Oct. 31.
