I can’t stop thinking about the incredible production of "Man of La Mancha" that I saw opening night at the Milwaukee Rep over the weekend.

I could not have written a more glowing review, but reading it the next day, I felt regretful about the number of people who don’t get enough credit for staging a production like this. I hope with this column to rectify some of that – and provide a little insight into how complex staging a major production like this truly is.

Mark Clements, director

At the head of the operation, the director is in charge of the whole ball of wax. Clements, who directed "La Mancha," is also the artistic director of The Rep. He is starting his sixth season with the company and has a reputation as a strict taskmaster who mixes his work with an occasionally roguish sense of humor. He set the tone for "La Mancha," one that featured the details of relationships and placed a spotlight on both the individuality of the characters and their shared experiences.

Dan Kazemi, music director

He is familiar to Rep audiences for his work in a dozen productions over the last several years. He is based in New York and is an associate artist at The Rep. When you have a musical with the kind of stunning score and libretto as this one, Kazemi is responsible for getting everything he can out of each song. His work is done in rehearsals, teaching all the actors the songs and coordinating the singing with the movement director. An example comes at a midpoint of the musical when Don Quixote and Aldonza are alone and still struggling with their relationship.

"Whether I win or lose does not matter," Quixote says. "What does?" she asks. "Only that I follow the quest," he replies. She spits at him and says, "That for your quest." She pauses and then asks, "What does that mean, quest?" "It is the mission of each true knight…"

And then come the first notes of "The Impossible Dream." It is Kazemi who engineers the singing of the song so that it conveys its most honest meaning and guides Nathaniel Stampley, who plays Quixote, to a crescendo that brought down the house opening night.

Jack Magaw, scenic designer

Magaw is a veteran designer based in Chicago with several credits from working at The Rep before. He created an amazing set, creating a common area that doubles as a gaol – a word for a 15th century prison for poor and for political opponents. The design, in varying shades of brown, captures the isolation and loneliness of the prisoners. The centerpiece is a drawbridge that rises and falls to reveal the soldiers of the Inquisition. It is down this drawbridge that we first see Quixote and his partner, Sancho Panza. A scenic designer is tasked with creation of a memorable place that enhances the performers on the stage but doesn’t overwhelm them. Magaw's set is one of the most memorable I’ve ever seen at The Rep.

Alexander B. Tecoma, costume director

Tecoma has worked at The Rep for 20 years as a draper and designed costumes for dozens of productions. For "La Mancha," he created a series of costumes for the cast of 22 that included all the clothing for those in the prison, as well as the sparkling costumes for the soldiers of the Inquisition. He decided on neutral colors for the costumes, with shades of white, rust, gray and brown. He gave Aldonza splashes of a deep maroon and dressed Matt Daniels – a spectacular Rep debut for a Milwaukee actor – all in black.

Jason Fassl, lighting designer

Fassl may well be one of the busiest and most creative artists in theater in the state. He has a national reputation for his sensitive and evocative work. In "La Mancha," he has created everything from hanging gas lamps to sweeping spotlights balanced with softer background lighting.

A moment near the end of the production is an exhilarating example of his talents. Quixote is near the end of his journey, worn and torn, and the door to the drawbridge opens with five soldiers, each carrying a mirrored shield. They surround Quixote, showing him who he really is and shattering his self-image. The lights flash off the shields, and it’s almost as if the lighting tells the story without the need for any words.

Megan B. Henninger, sound designer

Henninger has created a soundscape that includes all the music from the score, along with the sound effects that influence an audience. Everything from the clash of weapons to the thump of footsteps. The sound that accompanied the lowering of the drawbridge heralded the onset of evil and created a response in the audience. The sound designer plans and provides the sound effects in the play, including music from existing sources.

John Tanner, music supervisor

Tanner works with the orchestra – in this case, five instruments – and helps integrate their sound with the score. He also worked as a liaison between the music director and the director. The small band was made up of Ethan Bender, bass; Bob Monagle, guitar; Patrick Morrow, drums; Johnny Padilla, reeds; and Kevin Wood, trumpet. The sound was wonderful, capturing the spirit of the score and the story.

James Zager, movement director

Zagar may as well be a football coach, designing the movement of actors on the stage. In the case of "La Mancha," he also creates free-flowing dance routines for members of the ensemble. Zager’s work in "La Mancha" has a precision that is almost fooling to the eye. It looks spontaneous, which is part of the art of being a movement director.

JC Clementz, casting director

He was casting director at The Rep for five years before moving to the same position with Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago. The casting director plays a critical role in any production. Clementz set up auditions and recruited actors that are talented and appropriate for the roles to audition for directors. The casting decisions in "La Mancha" result, for example, in the ability to watch someone like Michael J. Farina (Sancho Panza), who comes from New York, and the outstanding performances by Milwaukee actors Matt Daniels and Jonathan Gillard Daly. Clementz saw about 25 actors in auditions for the role of Sancho.

Anne M. Jude, stage manager

There are those who would argue that the stage manager is the single most important person in any theatrical production. You can say for certain that the stage manager is the most involved person. The stage manager runs the entire rehearsal process, keeping schedules and creating whatever is needed. During a performance, the stage manager makes sure each actor is ready, props are in place, light and sound cues happen on time. It’s a grueling job each night, but one that has tremendous responsibility.

There you have it. There are dozens of other artists and craftspeople who work hard to make something like "Man of La Mancha" come together. They all deserve a salute.