For all you folks who sigh or roll your eyes any time you hear the word “musical,” discounting it as something you’d never in a million years go see, then you’ve clearly never given Spamalot a chance. I recently had a chat with Thomas DeMarcus, one of the cast members starring in the national tour of Spamalot coming to Huntsville March 8-10 thanks to Broadway Theatre League.

And we’re giving away an amazing opening night package for 2 lucky winners. Details at the end of the post.

The Show

“Spamalot is not your average musical. It’s filled with silly, slapstick humor. Think Anchorman for the theater,” Thomas told me.

Lovingly “ripped-off” from the internationally famous comedy team’s most popular motion picture, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, 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.

And those are some mighty big shoes to fill. Most actors would be daunted by such legendary source material. But not Thomas.

“There’s definitely a pressure to perform, but you just have to pay respect to the original material. It’s an homage; you can’t make it your own,” Thomas told me.

The History

If there is anyone who both respects and understands the original material, it is Thomas.

“I watched all the Monty Python movies and shows growing up and loved them. My parents passed on the love of Monty Python and British Comedies.”

For those unfamiliar with British sitcoms, here’s a bit of background: 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. The group also produced several movies, among them Monty Python and the Holy Grail, which Spamalot was based on.

And it seems Thomas was destined to star in.

“I saw the cast of Spamalot perform on the Tony Awards and thought I really want to be in that show. Five months later, I moved to New York City and saw most of the orignal cast perform and kept thinking I c an be in this show! It’s character driven, you don’t have to sing or dance very well… After doing a tour of The Pajama Game, I auditioned for Spamalot with the same company and here I am!”

What to Expect

A terrific score. I mean how can you go wrong with songs like:

“I Am Not Yet Dead”
“You Won’t Succeed On Broadway”
“Run Away!”
“All for One”
“I’m All Alone”
“The Diva’s Lament”

Watch a selection of songs from Spamalot here

Fabulous costumes that revival the stock rooms of both hardware stores and the finest millenaries including:

The poorest peasants’ costumes are actually made of raw silk
Over 75 wigs (including facial hair), all hand-tied and made of human hair, yak hair, and synthetics
Over 100 undergarments, including 30 pairs of men’s fishnets and 56 cod pieces
The Lady of the Lake’s costumes are all comprised of hand-strung glass beads
The costumes are not only made of a wide variety of fabrics, but many are made of molded ABS plastics, and even nuts and bolts

A set that is second to none on Broadway featuring:

3 feet of “blood” has to be ironed prior to each performance
A prop cow that weighs 45 pounds and takes two stagehands to catapult over the castle
More than 40 coconuts per month, supplied by the Coconut King in Florida

More Broadway Theatre League

Opening Night Giveaway

We want to send you to see Spamalot in style! Two lucky winners will receive a pair of tickets for opening night, pre-show drink tickets, show posters, an exclusive backstage tour of the show and a meet & greet with some of the awesome cast members!

Event Information

Dates and Times:

Friday, March 8, 8:00 pm
Saturday, March 9, 2:00 pm & 8:00 pm
Sunday, March 10, 2:00 pm & 7:30 pm

Location: VBC Concert Hall
Cost: Tickets start at $37. For complete pricing visit the Broadway Theatre League website.
Tickets: Tickets are available through Broadway Theatre League at 256-518-6155, online at ticketmaster.com, by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000, through all Ticketmaster outlets or at the VBC Box Office.