'Monty Python's SPAMALOT'

Thu, 02/15/2007 - 3:21pm
By: The Citizen

Monty Python’s ‘Holy’ musical comes to town

Spamalot

The Tony Award-winning Best Musical of 2005, “Monty Python's Spamalot,” will debut in Atlanta at The Fox Theatre for a special two-week engagement Feb. 20 through March 4. The much-anticipated production will be co-presented by Fidelity Investments, Broadway Across America-Atlanta, and Theater of The Stars.

Lovingly "ripped-off" from the internationally famous comedy team's most popular motion picture, “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” “Monty Python's Spamalot” tells the legendary tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, and their quest for the Holy Grail, “Monty Python's Spamalot” features a chorus line of dancing divas and knights, flatulent Frenchmen, killer rabbits and one legless knight.

The national touring company of “Monty Python’s Spamalot” is led by Bradley Dean, Jeff Dumas, Pia Glenn, Christopher Gurr and Michael Siberry.

Siberry plays the central role of King Arthur. First seen in the U.S. in the title role of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s tour of “The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby,” Siberry has been seen on Broadway as Captain Von Trapp in the most recent revival of “The Sound of Music” and in “The Merchant of Venice” with Dustin Hoffman.

Dean (as Sir Galahad) was seen recently on Broadway in ”Man of LaMancha” and “Jane Eyre.”

Dumas (as Patsy) appeared in the Chicago production of “Wicked,” and Glenn (Lady of the Lake) was last seen on Broadway in “The Frogs at Lincoln Center.”

Gurr (Sir Bedevere) is a long-time associate of the Metro Theatre Company in St. Louis.

“Monty Python’s Spamalot” is the winner of three 2005 Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Director (Mike Nichols), as well as the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards for Best Musical. The original cast recording of “Monty Python’s Spamalot” won the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album.

Sold-out since it opened on March 17, 2005, “Monty Python's Spamalot” has remained the hottest ticket on Broadway, continuing to break box office records at The Shubert Theatre.

Directed by Mike Nichols, “Monty Python's Spamalot” features a book by Eric Idle, based on the screenplay of “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” by Monty Python creators Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin, with music and lyrics by the Grammy Award-winning team of Idle and John Du Prez. Casey Nicholaw is the choreographer.

Nichols has been acclaimed as one of the great American directors in film, theater and television. He has won an Academy Award and eight Tony Awards. He recently received the Directors' Guild of America Award for Lifetime Achievement as well as a DGA Award for the direction of the HBO adaptation of “Angels in America.”

Aside from his work with Monty Python in films and on TV, Eric Idle has written a West End play, “Pass the Butler”; three novels, including “The Road to Mars,” “The Rutles - A Mockumentary”; and many songs too rude to mention. He has sung opera, acted in movies, appeared on television and crossed America performing comedy on The Greedy Bastard Tour.

Monty Python isn't a person, but a group of British actors and writers (and one American) that performed their famous comedy show “Monty Python's Flying Circus” on the BBC from 1969 to 1974, with subsequent international fame and success.

The two week engagement for “Monty Python's Spamalot” kicks off February 20 at 8 p.m. at The Fox Theater. Audiences will have 16 opportunities to catch this wildly popular show in Atlanta.

Tickets for “Monty Python's Spamalot” range in price from $27 to $66, plus applicable fees. Purchase tickets only from an authorized seller at The Fox Theatre box office, any TicketMaster outlet, by phone at 404-817-8700 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Orders for groups of 20 or more may be placed by calling 404-881-2000.

The Fabulous Fox Theatre is located at 660 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta, Ga.

The Atlanta engagement of “Monty Python's Spamalot” is co-presented by arrangement with Broadway Across America-Atlanta.

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