There’s musical comedy, and then there’s “Spamalot.” The sublime lunacy of the Monty Python-inspired musical, written by Eric Idle and Neil Innes and based on the 1975 film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” makes it perhaps the silliest musical of all time.
That’s why directors Ken Stack and Mike Weinstein and musical director Scott Cleveland chose “Spamalot” as the first in-house production for The Grand theater in Ellsworth in more than five years. Stack, director of Acadia Repertory Theatre, and Weinstein, who directed last year’s Bangor Community Theatre production of “White Christmas,” knew that for The Grand’s first theatrical go-round in years they’d need to start off with a bang.
“They wanted something that would be fun, that would excite a lot of people, and judging from early ticket sales that seems to be the case,” said Weinstein, a veteran of theater in eastern Maine. “I would also say that the vast majority of people who came out to audition were Monty Python fans. They understand the sensibility and the silliness of it.”
Grand executive director Gail La Rosa Thompson made it a priority to bring musical theater back to The Grand stage. Weinstein eagerly jumped on board to direct, along with Stack, who designed the sets and offered initial artistic direction.
“People have missed seeing locally produced major musicals. There is so much theater in eastern Maine, but no one does musicals because they can’t come up with the cash, for one thing, and they don’t have the space,” said Weinstein. “At The Grand, we’re lucky enough to have all of that.”
For those who haven’t seen the iconic “Holy Grail” film, “Spamalot” follows the same general plotline — an absurd and hilarious telling of the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, in which they encounter not only the Lady of the Lake, but also the limb-losing Black Knight, the Knights Who Say Ni, some very rude Frenchmen and an enchanter named Tim.
King Arthur is played by Bernard Hope, last seen in Penobscot Theatre Company’s “God of Carnage,” while Arthur’s trusty servant Patsy is played by local musician Gaylen Smith, making his stage debut. Sir Lancelot the Homicidally Brave is played by Blue Hill native Patrick Harris, last seen in “White Christmas”; Sir Robin the Not-Quite-As-Brave-As-Lancelot is played, appropriately, by Robin Jones, who directed Midcoast Actor’s Studio’s production of “August: Osage County” last May. Sir Dennis Galahad the Dashingly Handsome is played by Jonathan Wood; Sir Bedevere the Strangely Flatulent is played by Steve Robbins, last seen in PTC’s “Our Town” and the Lady of the Lake is played by Ellsworth singer Jillie Mae Eddy. A ten-person chorus rounds out the ensemble.
One special element of the show is the original choreography by Stephanie Erb, who has created unique, hilarious movement for the 17-person cast.
“Stephanie has done some really cool stuff with the dancing,” said Weinstein. “It’s very different from traditional musical choreography. It’s just a hoot.”
“Spamlot” has performances at 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays, beginning Oct. 17 and running through Nov. 1. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for members of The Grand, $15 for students aged $13-17 and $10 for those 12 and under; they can be purchased at The Grand box office.
