"Latin History For Morons" lived up to its title Thursday as creator and star John Leguizamo provided a clever tutorial on how the Inca and Aztec empires were wiped out by the Europeans. But his performance also provided a lesson in how one-man shows that slay on Broadway can lose some of their punch when they go on the road.
While it's always great to see an acclaimed production reach those who can't afford a trip to New York Ciy, this one lost some of its intimate nature in The Hennepin State Theatre, more than twice the size of Manhattan's Studio 54 Theatre, where the play had enjoyed a long run.
Leguizamo knows how to serve a big room, dancing and doing broad impersonations that certainly left an impression on those in the cheap seats. But it was impossible to feel like you were in an actual classroom or eavesdropping on difficult conversations with his bullied son.
Still, Leguizamo reminded us why he's one of entertainment's most underrated, under-used talents -- and a heck of a professor.
"Latin History" was part of the Minneapolis Comedy Festival, which continues through Sunday.
