WHAT: Millennial Theatre Company — “Monty Python’s Spamalot”
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday through Aug. 4
WHERE: Youngstown Playhouse, 600 Playhouse Lane, Youngstown
HOW MUCH: Tickets range from $20 to $27 and are available online at experienceyourarts.org and by calling 330-788-8739.
YOUNGSTOWN — Fans of musical comedy can find their grail at Youngstown Playhouse through Aug. 4.
Millennial Theatre Company is staging “Monty Python’s Spamalot” there, and it’s difficult to say which works better, the music or the comedy.
I’ve seen the show a couple of times before, but it’s been more than a decade, and I’m not one of those who regularly listens to cast recordings. I’d kind of forgotten just how good the score is. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it borrows and embraces the best elements of the musical theater wheel and turns them into the perfect delivery system for Monty Python’s absurdist humor.
There are no sacred cows in the Python universe — after all, “Spamalot” includes a bovine cannonball — but the songs by Eric Idle and John Du Prez spoof musicals with affection.
For those who only know “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” the 1975 film that is the show’s primary inspiration, “Spamalot” contains most of the moments that comedy nerds have been quoting for nearly 50 years — “It’s just a flesh wound,” the Knights Who Say “Ni,” the killer rabbit — as well as a couple other memorable Python bits, such as the “Spam” song and “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” from “Monty Python’s Life of Brian.”
MTC is doing the recent Broadway revival script of the musical, which updates some of the pop culture references, and the local company has added some of their own, including a very recent viral sensation.
The show will play best with those who love Python’s comedy, but there’s plenty for musical fans to enjoy, even those who’ve never tried to perfect their silly walk. Director Joe Asente strikes the right balance, never letting the comedy overwhelm the appealing songs or vice versa.
King Arthur in “Spamalot” may be the role Nate Beagle was born to play. He’s a gifted comedic actor.with a commanding, well-trained voice capable of singing songs like “Find Your Grail” and “I’m All Alone” that are written to echo those classic Broadway showstoppers. The fun he’s having with the character is infectious.
The same could be said of Brandy Johanntges as the Lady of the Lake. It’s a role that requires singing for laughs — mimicking the vocal tics of other stars and musical theater in general — but those songs also require a big voice with an extensive range. Johanntges delivers throughout.
But there isn’t a weak link in the cast, which includes Ryan Lamb, George Maillis, Edward Bazzell, Ben Doss, Tom Kijauskas, Ty Hanes, Andy Scott, Jillian Hibbard, Aubrey Verno, Rebecca Williams, Sydney Campbell, Sammie Gurd, Hannah Sinclair, Steve Millsap, Josh Cummings, Daniel Chiaberta, Sam Campbell, Ethan Blevis, Roz Blystone, Michelle Jalbert and Paula Stehphenson.
The vocals impress (credit to music director Cari Auth), and the choreography (Danielle Mentzer) is energetic and fun, often amplifying the humor. The costumes by Daniel Chiberta and Ty Hanes also are multi-functional. They not only convey the Arthurian times, but in scenes like the Black Knight, they play an integral role in the effectiveness of the joke. And with many actors playing multiple roles, the costumers’ work had to allow for rapid changes.
In the preview story, Asente (who also is scenic designer) said he used every bit of the Playhouse’s fly system for the production, and no one will doubt him after seeing the show. The sheer volume of scene changes and special props needed — i.e a Trojan Rabbit — makes “Spamalot” a challenge.
It’s one that Millennial Theatre Company meets and surpasses at every step.
Have an interesting story? Contact Andy Gray by email at agray@tribtoday.com. Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, @TribToday.
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