The Road to ... SPAMALOT!

In the words of Spamalot creator himself, Eric Idle, the show was lovingly ripped off from the original film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

Eric Idle was a leading force in the British comedy group Monty Python (sometimes known as The Pythons) that created the influential Monty Python’s Flying Circus, a British television comedy sketch show that first aired on the BBC in October, 1969 and continued through 1974. The Python phenomenon developed from the television series into something larger in scope and impact, spawning touring stage shows, films, numerous albums, several books and a stage musical as well as launching the members to individual stardom. The group's influence on comedy has been compared to The Beatles’ influence on music. The television series, was conceived, written and performed by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin. This self-contained comedy team was responsible for both writing and performing their work, as a result, they changed the way performers entertained audiences.

Eric Idle wrote the majority of the songs the group produced over the years accumulating 150 songs to his credit, among them some of Monty Python's most famous, including “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.” A composer named John Du Prez played trumpet on that recording, and became Idle's longtime collaborator, co-writing music for The Meaning of Life.

Eric Idle had been thinking about writing a musical comedy with Du Prez for years, ever since he had starred as Ko-Ko, the lord high executioner, in English National Opera's 1986 production of The Mikado. Two years later, he went to Mel Brooks, and pitched a stage adaptation of The Producers. Brooks declined, wanting to concentrate on films, and being unsure that such a thing would work – he eventually produced the show on his own. Idle and Du Prez continued to look for the right property. It wasn’t until the opening night of The Producers that Idle came up with the idea for the Holy Grail musical. However, he initially dismissed it because of a Python business agreement.

In their early years the Pythons made an informal agreement that any one of them had the power of veto over possible Python projects. Over the years, this had protected them from a variety of ill-advised spinoffs or misuses of the Python name, but the requirement also hampered many other endeavors, "There was always someone saying no," Idle said. He said no himself in the past.

Idle realized he was right about The Producers, and with that he decided to pursue Spamalot. He prepared intensely on his own, before telling the other Pythons he was working on the musical. Determined to assemble the most polished presentation possible, he sent the Pythons not only a draft of the script but half a dozen studio versions of the songs. After sending out the Spamalot songs and script, Idle waited for the Pythons' approval, expecting that it might take weeks or months. As it happened, Idle heard back from all of them in short order. "There was an unnerving degree of agreement," Idle wrote. Idle received notes of encouragement and constructive criticism of the script from the Pythons, all well knowing it was Idle's project, for better or worse. Eric Idle wrote seventeen drafts of the script and re-wrote act two three times, over a period of four or five years, before it was completed.

Eric Idle then pulled on board legendary Mike Nichols as Director, whose film and stage credits include multiple Academy and Tony Awards and such hits as Neil Simon’s Barefoot In The Park and The Odd Couple. Nichols was adamant that the show be more than an assemblage of Monty Python's greatest hits. It had to make sense, had to tell a story, and, at the same time, had to please many disparate groups at once: the longtime Python fans, the sometime Python fans, and people who might, even now, think they were going to see an actual circus. "There are some things you know will be there - killer rabbits - but you also need to feel that you're getting somewhere, that it isn't just a random revue."

Spamalot became a huge hit, taking in $175m at the Broadway box office alone and was nominated for 14 Tony Awards, winning three including Best Musical!

CHARLES SHAUGHNESSY (King Arthur) born and raised in London, England, came from a show business family: his father was the principal writer and script editor on Upstairs, Downstairs and his mother was an actress. He started acting in school plays while in grade school. Upon graduation from Eton College, Mr. Shaughnessy earned a BA in Law at the Magdalene College of Cambridge University. “Despite a lifelong love of the theater, I thought it was about time someone in my family did something sensible,” he said. While at Cambridge he joined the famous Footlights Revue comedy group. Upon graduation, Shaughnessy returned to his first love, acting, and enrolled in drama school in London. After a year touring in repertory, he was cast in the Agatha Christie television series Partners in Crime. He then won the lead role in the BBC drama series Jury. Romance brought the actor to America and he moved to Hollywood to marry Susan Fallender, an actress he met in drama school. Shaughnessy first covered the Los Angeles theatre scene, appearing at The Mark Taper Forum, the Los Angeles Actors Theatre, and the Ahmanson Theatre starring opposite the late Alan Bates in A Patriot for Me. He was then cast in the role of Shane Donovan on the daytime series Days of Our Lives, remaining with the series for eight years and winning three Soap Opera Digest Awards for Best Actor. Mr. Shaughnessy later starred in the CBS hit show The Nanny opposite Fran Drescher. After a six-year successful run on The Nanny, he appeared in feature films including Denial, Second Chances, The Painting and Kids in America as well as several TV Movies, including A Kiss So Deadly, Dayo, Mom’s Got A Date With A Vampire, Get A Clue with Lindsay Lohan, and Everything to Gain with Sean Young. Currently, he plays Saint John Powers on AMC's hit series Mad Men. An accomplished voice-over artist, he won an EMMY for his work as Dennis the Goldfish, in the animated Disney cartoon, Stanley. Mr. Shaughnessy’s many stage appearances include the triple Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Urinetown, Pasadena Playhouse’s acclaimed production of Orson’s Shadow as well as perennial favorites including Camelot and My Fair Lady. Enjoying a varied, fulfilling career on stage, film and television, Mr. Shaughnessy is most grateful for his beautiful wife, Susan and their daughters, Jenny and Maddy.

RACHEL YORK (Lady of the Lake) is a dynamic and versatile actress, singer, dancer and comedienne. She is best known for her critically acclaimed Broadway performances in City of Angels, Les Misérables, Victor/Victoria (Drama Desk Award) with Dame Julie Andrews, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Sly Fox with Richard Dreyfuss, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels co-starring Jonathan Pryce. She also turned heads on television with her courageous portrayal of Lucille Ball in the CBS movie, Lucy. Most recently Ms. York created the role of the infamous villain Cruella De Vil, touring nationally in the world premiere of The 101 Dalmatians Musical directed by Jerry Zaks. She also recently starred opposite Jeff Daniels in the world premiere of the Broadway-bound musical Turn of the Century at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago. Additionally, Ms. York has starred in the national tour of Camelot (Carbonell Award) opposite Michael York; Putting It Together (Drama Desk nomination) also with Julie Andrews; the national and London tours of the Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of Kiss Me, Kate (Helen Hayes and IRNE nominations); Dessa Rose at the Lincoln Center Theater (Drama Desk nomination); Anything Goes (Ovation nomination); Hello, Dolly! (IRNE Award); Into the Woods; My One and Only; Ragtime; Evita; Summer of ’42; Summer and Smoke; Crucifer of Blood with Billy Crudup; and The Odd Couple with Jason Alexander and Martin Short. In concert, Ms. York’s numerous appearances include the National Symphony and the Pittsburgh Pops under the direction of conductor Marvin Hamlisch; Broadway Showstoppers with Peter Nero and the Philly Pops; The Sound of Music at the Hollywood Bowl with the Los Angeles Philharmonic under the direction of John Mauceri; the San Francisco Symphony; the Minnesota Orchestra; the Utah Symphony; the St. Louis Symphony; the San Diego Symphony; the Colorado Symphony Orchestra; the Israeli Opera; and the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. She has also performed her celebrated cabaret For the Love of It to rave reviews on both coasts, including appearances at Feinstein’s at Loews Regency and the Metropolitan Room in New York and The Magic Castle in Hollywood. Ms. York’s film credits include One Fine Day, Happy Feet, Billy Bathgate, Killer Instinct, Second Honeymoon, Au Pair II, and the CBS made for television movie, Lucy. Her performances in Kiss Me, Kate (filmed for PBS’s Great Performances series) and Victor/Victoria are available on video/DVD. Ms. York has also appeared on several popular TV series including Hannah Montana, Frasier, Reba, Numb3rs, Close to Home, Arli$$, Spin City, The Naked Truth and Diagnosis Murder. In addition, she is the voice of Bitty in Higglytown Heroes and Circe on The Justice League. Ms. York’s debut solo album, Let’s Fall in Love, has been an enormous success since its release and was named one of the Top Ten Vocal CDs of the year by Talkin’ Broadway. She can also be heard on the soundtrack of Billy Bathgate, the live in concert recording of Broadway Showstoppers: Best of the Tonys with Peter Nero and the Philly Pops, and the original cast recordings of City of Angels, Putting It Together, Victor/Victoria, The Scarlet Pimpernel Encore, Dessa Rose, andSummer of ’42. For more information, please visit her on the web at www.rachelyork.net.

RICHARD COSTA (Sir Bedevere, Concorde, Dennis’ Mother) Broadway: Spamalot (Las Vegas)- directed by Mike Nichols, Cabaret- directed by Sam Mendes, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes – directed by Charles Repole. National Tours: Spamalot, Annie (30th Anniv Tour) – directed by Martin Charnin. Regional: Chicago (Billy Flynn), Seven Brides… (Adam), Annie Get Your Gun with Cathy Rigby, 42nd Street with Jerry Orbach, GiGi with Gavin MacCloud, Oliver with Davy Jones. Regional theatres including Goodspeed Opera House, TOTS, TUTS, Walnut Street, Totem Pole, Radio City Music Hall. Recording: “Pure Imagination.” www.richard-costa.com. AEA Member.

JEFFRY DENMAN (Sir Robin, Guard, Brother Maynard) Ogunquit: Bobby Child in Crazy For You. Broadway: Original casts of White Christmas (Astaire Award nom), The Producers and closing company of Cats. Off Broadway: YANK (Drama Desk Award nom - Best Supporting Actor/ Lucille Lortel Award nom - Choreography) Children of A Lesser God (Keen Co.) Encores: Face the Music, Of Thee I Sing. Regional: On Your Toes (Reprise - LA Ovation nom Best Actor), Dinner with Friends (Portland Stage), Crazy For You (NSMT, IRNE Award - Best Actor) Upcoming: Lee Tannen in the premiere of Tannen’s play, I Loved Lucy (Laguna Playhouse).

MATTHEW GREER (Sir Lancelot, Taunter, Tim the Enchanter) returns to the role(s) he played in the First National Tour of Monty Python’s Spamalot. BROADWAY: Cliff in Cabaret, The Real Thing, The Judas Kiss; OFF-BROADWAY: The Duchess of Malfi, A Mother, a Daughter, and a Gun, Suddenly Last Summer, A Fair Country INTERNATIONAL: Biff in Death of a Salesman (Gaiety Theatre, Dublin); REGIONAL: Guthrie Theater, Yale Rep, San Jose Rep, and many Reps in-between. TELEVISION: "Guiding Light." Juilliard School graduate; Acting Company alumnus; Presidential Scholar in the Arts; adoring husband; proud father of two; Actors’ Equity Member; breeder of champion Norwegian Blue parrots.

AYAL MIODOVNIK (Sir Galahad, Prince Herbert’s Father, Black Knight) is excited to be making his Ogunquit Playhouse debut. His credits in New York and across the country include: Chicago (Billy Flynn), South Pacific (Lt. Cable), Into the Woods (Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf), Les Miserables (Javert), A Few Good Men (Lt. Ross), Oklahoma! (Curly) Grease (Danny), Joseph (Pharaoh), West Side Story (Tony) and many others. Television credits include Sex and the City and As the World Turns. In addition, Ayal has worked for such companies as Intel, Disney, Castle Hill Productions, and SEI Investments since graduating from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business in 1994. He has also produced several Broadway and Off-Broadway shows. Ayal is thrilled and grateful to be sharing the stage with his new and beautiful bride!

JEFFREY SCOTT STEVENS (Patsy, Guard 2) Ogunquit debut! NY Credits: Ziegfeld’s Midnight Frolic (Broadway Comedy Club) and Paul Revere. Regional: A Chorus Line (u/s Mike, Al, Don), Miss Saigon (Pioneer Theatre Co.), Annie Get Your Gun, The Ballad of Cat Ballou (Jackson Hole Playhouse), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Jimmy), Big River, (Huck). International: Tokyo DisneySea (Original Lead Tenor - Dockside Porters - 2001), Venetian Hotel/Casino Macau, China (Principal Tenor). Jeffrey toured with BYU Young Ambassadors to Brazil, Argentina, China, & Korea. BFA from BYU and Eagle Scout. Jeffrey has written, directed, and produced children’s theatre in Utah and Wyoming. Gratitude to God, Evelyn, Scott, Merri, Rance, Mom and Dad, Alane, and Jim at Bloc. AEA.

CHRISTOPHER SUTTON (Prince Herbert, Historian, Not Dead Fred, French Guard, Lead Minstrel) played the role of Buddy Holly here, and is thrilled to return after having played Prince Herbert on the 1st National Tour of Spamalot for over 1,200 performances. He created the title role in Flight of the Lawnchair Man (Outstanding Actor Award), and received the Barrymore Award for Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story. Barrymore Nominated: Blood Brothers (Mickey) and Singin’ in the Rain (Don). Recipient of the Sudler National Prize in the Arts. NYC: I Love You, You’re Perfect..., The It Girl, Golf: The Musical. Regional: Me and My Girl (Bill), Carousel (Billy), Of Mice and Men (George), Desire Under the Elms (Eben), The Sea Gull (Treplyev), Henry IV Part I (Prince Henry). For my amazing wife Lyn, I love you...

KIMBER BENEDICT (Ensemble) is excited to be making her Ogunquit debut in Spamalot! Kimber was most recently seen as Carolina in the original musical introducing Harry Warren:The Tin Pan Alley Years at Ryan Repertory Theater. Past credits include dancing on the seven seas with Celebrity Cruise Lines, Chorus Line (Val), and Bye Bye Birdie (Rosie). In 2009, Kimber graduated Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University with her BFA in dance. "Thanks to Mom; for now, for always"

SCOTT BRATENG (Ensemble) is thrilled to return to Ogunquit. Last season he appeared as Sid Philips/The Baron in Singin’ In The Rain. Credits include White Christmas, Cabaret (Two Ladies). West Side Story (A-Rab), Best Little Whorehouse In Texas, Evita (Mario/Dance Captain), Pippin (Adam), Wonderful Town, Anything Goes, Footloose (Bickle), The Nutcracker (Fritz), Cinderella (World Premiere). Training: BFA in Drama ’04 NYU, Pacific Northwest Ballet, School of American Ballet. Scott thanks his family for their love and support which keeps him afloat.

RICHARD CERATO (Ensemble) is thankful to Scott and the entire Ogunquit team for this opportunity! Tour: Cinderella, starring Lea Salonga (Cast Album). Off-Broadway: Dear Edwina. Regional: Sugar (Westchester Broadway Theatre), Crazy for You and Peter Pan (Theatre by the Sea), All Shook Up (Media Theatre). Workshop: James and the Giant Peach (Goodspeed). Training: The University of the Arts (BFA Musical Theatre). Thanks to the cast & crew, Chris at PMG, and love to friends & family.

TODD MICHAEL COOK (French Guard, Ensemble) A native of Illinois, Todd moved to New York to study musical theatre at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA). Todd made his New York debut in the Off-Broadway production of Naked Boys Singing!. His favorite regional credits include Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (Phil Davis), Singin’ in the Rain (Don Lockwood), Footloose (Willard), West Side Story (Action), and Cats (Alonzo/Rumpus Cat). He would like to thank his friends and family for their continued support.

REBECCA FALE (Ensemble) is thrilled to spend time in beautiful Maine and thanks everyone involved with this production. A graduate of Oklahoma City University, she has danced with the National Symphony Orchestra (Kennedy Center) and performed for President Obama and his staff (White House). Regional credits: West Side Story (Graziella), A Christmas Carol (Ghost of Christmas Future), Crazy For You, The Producers, White Christmas, The Wizard of Oz, and La Cage. After SPAMALOT, she is excited to start work on Sunset Boulevard (Signature Theatre). Love to her parents/family and thanks to God for His many blessings!

JASON GRAUERHOLZ (Ensemble) is thrilled to be returning to the Ogunquit Playhouse. You may recognize him from earlier this season as Gangster #2 in The Drowsy Chaperone. Favorite Regional credits: The Who’s Tommy (Cousin Kevin), Joseph…Dreamcoat (Levi), and Thoroughly Modern Millie (Speed Tapper). Other favorite credits: Baby (Danny), and Anything Goes (Moonface Martin). Much thanks and love to his parents for their endless love and support.

JENNY HOLAHAN (Ensemble) is so excited to be making her debut on the Ogunquit Playhouse stage! She just recently completed her third contract with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines (Voyager/Serenade/Explorer of the Seas) and is looking forward to dancing on solid ground again. Originally from Rochester, NY, Jenny received a BFA in Dance from University at Buffalo and currently resides in NYC with her husband, Jack. She would like to thank Oqunquit Playhouse for this great opportunity as well as her family for all their love and support!

MOTIQUE KORMAN (Ensemble) is thrilled to be making her Ogunquit debut! She recently returned from an international tour of Fame in China and beautiful Istanbul Turkey where she performed in Grease as Cha Cha. National Tours: The Pajama Game. Regional Theatre: Thoroughly Modern Millie, Fiddler on the Roof, West Side Story. Favorite roles include Demeter in Cats, Tormentor in Jesus Christ Superstar, Wendy Jo in Footloose, and June in Gypsy. “It never stops being a thrill to be on stage.” Thank you to Robert Levinstein for this opportunity. Thanks to my family and Jonathan for their constant love and encouragement.

PATRICK N. LAVALLEE (Ensemble) Ogunquit debut! Originally from New Hampshire, Patrick loves performing in New England and enjoying lobstah. B.A. in Performing Arts from OCU. National Tours; Movin’ Out Sargent O’Leary, 42ND Street Andy Lee. Regional; (TBTS) The Producers Bryan, Crazy for You Custus, (MTW) Thoroughly..MillieSpeed Tapper, Seven Brides... Jeb,Wizard of Oz Nikko, (Palace theatre) West Wide Story Arab, The Full Monty Keno, Pippin Lewis. Patrick has also performed on RCCL and toured Taiwan. Thanks to his family, friends and LA.

ERIKA ODEGARD (Ensemble) is thrilled to be spending her summer in Ogunquit with such a wonderful cast. She is a UC Irvine graduate and some of her favorite credits include Gladys in 42nd St., Judy Turner in A Chorus Line, Elaine in Crazy for You, and the Sexy Bavarian/Ulla understudy on the national tour of The Producers. Thank you to my parents, I know you're always watching. To my New York family. And to aunt puppy and uncle kitty who always buy tickets before I’ve signed the contract.

TERA-LEE POLLIN (Ensemble) Broadway: Hot Feet (Kalimba u/s), Urban Cowboy (Candi Cane). Other credits: Spamalot National Tour (Assistant Dance Captain),The Wiz (La Jolla Playhouse), Fame (North American Tour), Swing! (Ogunquit Playhouse), Gypsy Film: The Smurfs Movie, Old Dogs TV: “Late Night with Conan O’Brien,” “Saturday Night Live,” Disney Fairytale Weddings, Fashion Rocks. Love to my family, Enrique, and Merlin! Always for Dadum!

KENT ZIMMERMAN (Sir Bors, Ensemble) is happy to be in Ogunquit for his third show. He was in the Playhouse’s productions of The Producers and Guys and Dolls. Kent just finished playing a super-villain in It’s a bird…It’s a plane…It’s Superman at the Dallas Theater Center. Other productions include: Thou Shalt Not (Broadway), Annie Get Your Gun (Broadway), The Producers (1st National & Vegas), Guys and Dolls (50th Anniversary Tour), Footloose (1st National) and Show Boat (3rd National & London). Kent’s film credits include: The Producers and The Shawshank Redemption. Psalms 91:11

SCOTT TAYLOR (Director/Choreographer of the Restaging) has supervised and performed in 12 original Broadway shows, includingA Little Night Music, Broadway Bound, Spamalot, Contact, Thou Shalt Not, Steel Pier, Victor/Victoria, Showboat, Crazy For You, Cats, Wind In The Willows, A Christmas Carol, Sinatra At Radio City, and A Little Night Music at the NYC and LA Opera. He has performed nationally in dozens of others and has been the Dance Supervisor and Associate Choreographer for worldwide productions in London, Japan, Australia, Canada, and Germany. Most recently in Paradise Foundin London with Susan Stroman and Hal Prince. Scott has assisted and worked closely with Susan Stroman, Stephen Sondheim, Mike Nichols, Chita Rivera, Hal Prince, Julie Andrews, Liza Minnelli, Kander and Ebb, Rob Marshall, Blake Edwards, Trevor Nunn, Jerry Zachs, Harry Connick Jr., Casey Nicholaw, Dolly Parton, Lynne Page, and many more. He can also be seen dancing in the films of A Chorus Line, Center Stage, PBS Great Performances of Contact and Crazy For You, “The Tony Awards,” and numerous television specials and commercials.

RICK BERTONE (Musical Director) is happy to be returning to the world of SPAMALOT and to be making his Ogunquit debut! Broadway/First National Tours: Avenue Q, Mamma Mia!, SPAMALOT, Disney’s On The Record and rehearsal piano for Chicago. Off-Broadway: Avenue Q, Newsical The Musical, Henry Krieger’s Romantic Poetry (MTC) and Naked Boys Singing. Regional: The Last Five Years (BTF) and The Musical of Musicals (Weston Playhouse). Rick will be returning to the road this fall as the associate conductor for Next To Normal. Rick is originally from the suburbs of Chicago and holds a Bachelor of Music from NYU. Many thanks to Sean, family and friends!

JINAY L. REITZE (Production Stage Manager) Previous Ogunquit Playhouse: The Sound of Music Off-Broadway: Debbie Does Dallas (Jane Street Theatre), The Prince and the Pauper (Lamb’s Theatre). New York: World Premiere of Oedipus for Kids (NYMF). National Tours: Dora the Explorer Live!, Backyardigans Live!, Peter Pan, Urban Cowboy, Savion Glover’s Improvography II, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, St. Petersburg Ice Ballet - The Nutcracker and Cinderella. International: Grease (Turkey), Fame (China). Regional: 2 seasons with Goodspeed Musicals. Jinay is thrilled to be back at the Ogunquit Playhouse, and is a proud member of Actors’ Equity.

DAVID CRAVEN (Assistant Stage Manager) Member of AEA. Earlier this year David stage managed the Off Broadway show Looking for Billy Haines. David’s favorite shows as a director include Forever Plaid, Plain and Fancy, Barefoot in the Park, Oleanna, Vanities, Reckless, The Rink and Into the Woods. David’s favorite roles include Jerry in The Full Monty, Curly in Oklahoma, Smudge in Forever Plaid, Jesus in Godspell, Paul in Barefoot in the Park and El Gallo in The Fantasticks

BRADFORD T. KENNEY (Executive Artistic Director) now in his fifth season in stewardship of “America’s Foremost Summer Theatre,” Mr. Kenney is proud to include many wonderful theatrical productions and the guidance of some of the most significant theatre companies in New England as part of his career. Some Ogunquit highlights include last season’s Singin’ in the Rain and the all-star production of Guys & Dolls, as well as My Fair Lady, Les Misérables, Hairspray, Lorenzo Lamas in The King and I, Rue McClanahan in Crazy for You, Sally Struthers in Hello, Dolly!, Andrea McArdle in Cabaret and Leslie Uggams in Cinderella. While at Foothills Theatre in Worcester, MA, he produced many shows including: Miss Saigon, Disney’s Beauty and The Beast, Proof, Cabaret (National Regional Premiere), Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Dick and Jimmy Van Patten in The Sunshine Boys, Titanic The Musical, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (Regional Premiere), Macbeth, Ten Little Indians, Chicago, Gypsy, Our Town and Ragtime. He is also founder of the Wachusett Theatre Company in Massachusetts with shows such as The Sound of Music, Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Disney/Elton John’s AIDA (Northeast Regional Premiere), Ted Lange from “The Love Boat” in Damn Yankees; and Eddie Mekka in Fiddler on the Roof, among others. His children’s theatres have produced Disney’s Jungle Book Kids, Seussical TYA (Northeast Premiere), Willy Wonka Jr., and Disney’s 101 Dalmations Kids, and the new production, Fairy Houses, The Musical. In addition to his producing credits, Brad has appeared on stage in the title role of Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Sorcerer with Salisbury Lyric Opera, Strephon in Iolanthe with the Savoyard Light Opera, Billy Bigelow in Carousel, Barrett the Stoker in Titanic, Eric Burling in An Inspector Calls, Christopher Wren in The Mousetrap, Bobby in Company, Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls, the King in The King and I, Cornelius in Hello, Dolly! and Oberon in Midsummer Night’s Dream, as well as many other roles in shows throughout New England. He is a fourth generation artist, having studied at Rhode Island School of Design, Heartwood College of Art and Maine College of Art. For Tucker and Ryan Francis Curtis.

ROBERT LEVINSTEIN (Associate Producer/Casting Director) A resident of New York City, this is Robert’s 8th season with the Playhouse, where he was previously the Production Stage Manager and Director of Production. As a Stage Manager, he worked on Broadway: Waiting in the Wings (with Lauren Bacall and Rosemary Harris), Voices in the Dark (with Judith Ivy), Parade (with Carolee Carmello and Brent Carver), Off-Broadway: Clue: The Musical, and National Tours: Disney’s Beauty and The Beast, Camelot (with Michael York and Rachel York) and the hit revue Forbidden Broadway. Regional credits include PSM for North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, MA 2000/2001 seasons as well as Production Stage Manager for major theatres throughout the country. Originally from Southern California, Robert is also the producer of the new musical Something Wicked This Way Comes, based on the Ray Bradbury novel and the studio recording of the show that features Brent Barrett, Andrea Burns and Diana Canova. He sends his love to Alan, and thanks him for his understanding.

RICHARD LATTA (Lighting Designer) salutes the Playhouse board, management and staff for all their efforts moving the Playhouse forward! Favorite shows from past seasons include: All Shook Up, A Chorus Line, Shout!, Cabaret, Evita, The Full Monty, Hairspray, Aida, Chicago. Recent work: a revival of Ogunquit's 2008 production of Fiddler on the Roof (Engeman Theatre), Projection Design Research for the world premiere of Moby Dick (Dallas Opera) and Thurgood with Laurence Fishburne (B’way), lighting Jon Peterson in Song Man, Dance Man (Seven Angels Theatre), the Nunsense 25th Anniversary Tour with Sally Struthers, television shoots of other installments in the Nunsense canon, years of Off-Broadway shows, corporate events and a continued association with The American Ballet Theatre.

JEREMY OLEKSA (Sound Designer) is really excited to return to the Ogunquit Playhouse. His Ogunquit Playhouse design credits include The Sound of Music and Sunset Boulevard. He has designed popular shows like Jekyll and Hyde, and Nunsense, and has engineered many others, Nunsense! 25th Anniversary Tour, National Tour of Peter Pan, and 75th Anniversary of Porgy and Bess. He also has worked on Anything Goes at Musical Theatre West and Arizona Broadway Theatre, Brigadoon, Man of La Mancha, as well as all of the 2009 season for the Ogunquit Playhouse. He would like to thank his friends and family and the Ogunquit Playhouse staff including Becky Shelton for all of their support.

EMILIA MARTIN (Wig Supervisor/Stylist) is thrilled to be back at the Ogunquit Playhouse. Previous shows include Singing in the Rain, The Producers, and My Fair Lady. Emilia is a NYC based hair and wig stylist. After earning her BA from Wagner College and the Julliard School's intern program she has worked on Broadway’s Gods of Carnage, Mamma Mia, and 2nd Stages’ Vanities. She recently became a proud new member of IASTE 798, as a hair stylist. Also she can be found teaching stage makeup at Wagner College theatre department, and a part time designer. Thank you to Robert and Brad for all the support!

ERIC IDLE (Book, Lyrics and Music) has multi-hyphenated his way through life assiduously avoiding a proper job, from a writer and actor in the legendary "Monty Python" TV series and movies, to the creator and director of "The Rutles," the pre-fab four, whose legend will last a lunchtime. He has appeared on stage in drag singing rude songs at Carnegie Hall and the Hollywood Bowl as well as performing in two highly successful tours, Eric Idle Exploits Monty Python (2000) and The Greedy Bastard Tour (2003), for which he journeyed 15,000 miles across North America in a bus. His Greedy Bastard Diary of that tour is published by Harper Collins. His play Pass The Butler ran for five months in London's West End; he has written two novels, Hello Sailor and The Road to Mars, a children's book, The Quite Remarkable Adventures of the Owl and the Pussycat, and a bedside companion, The Rutland Dirty Weekend Book.

JOHN DU PREZ (Composer) a Trevelyan Scholar at Christ Church, Oxford, and Associate of the Royal College of Music, he entered the film industry in 1978 composing additional music for Monty Python's Life of Brian. This began a long association with Eric Idle, leading eventually to their current writing partnership. He has scored more than 20 feature films including The Meaning Of Life, A Private Function, A Fish Called Wanda, Once Bitten, UHF and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles I, II and III. Other Python projects include the Contractual Obligation Album, Monty Python At The Hollywood Bowl and The Fairly Incomplete & Rather Badly Illustrated Monty Python Song Book. He was musical director for Eric Idle's two North American stage tours, Eric Idle Exploits Monty Python (2000) and The Greedy Bastard Tour (2003).

MONTY PYTHON. Is he God or Godot, an agent of the devil or an agent of the William Morris Aency, or is he, as some have argued, a fictitious character invented in 1969 by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin in a desperate attempt to find a title for their rather silly TV show? Whatever the truth, he is the eponymous impresario who fronts "The Flying Circus," The Holy Grail, The Life of Brian, The Meaning of Life, And Now For Something Completely Different and who appeared Live at Drury Lane, City Center and the Hollywood Bowl. He has fronted numerous books including The Big Red Book and The Papperbok as well as many CDs, DVDs and matching ties and handkerchiefs. He is currently in retirement in an old jokes home near Dover, anxiously awaiting Nighthood and a Knightpurse. This is his first time in Ogunquit! Further details: www.PythOnline.com

MIKE NICHOLS (Director) formerly half of the legendary comedy team of Nichols and May, has been one of the leading directors of stage and screen for more than 30 years. Broadway directing credits include: Barefoot in the Park, Luv, The Odd Couple, Plaza Suite, Prisoner of Second Avenue, The Real Thing and Spamalot, for all of which he was awarded the Tony for Best Direction. Film credits include: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The Graduate (Academy Award for Best Direction), Catch 22, Carnal Knowledge, Silkwood, Working Girl, Postcards From the Edge, Regarding Henry, The Birdcage, Primary Colors, Closer and Charlie Wilson’s War, and for HBO Wit and Angels in America. Mr. Nichols has received the George Abbott Award, the National Medal of Arts, the Kennedy Center Honor, the American Film Institute Lifetime Achievement Award, and has been honored by the Museum of Television and Radio and the Lincoln Center Film Society.

CASEY NICHOLAW (Choreographer) received 2005 Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations for Best Choreography for Monty Python’s Spamalot, directed by Mike Nichols, and 2006 Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations for his work on The Drowsy Chaperone. Additional New York credits: for City Center Encores!: the highly acclaimed productions of Anyone Can Whistle and Follies (direction and choreography), Bye Bye Birdie (choreography) and Can-Can (musical staging); for N.Y. Philharmonic: Candide; South Pacific at Carnegie Hall(also on PBS Great Performances), Sinatra: His Voice, His World, His Way at Radio City Music Hall, starring the world-famous Rockettes. Upcoming projects include Robin and the 7 Hoods at the Old Globe, as wellas the new musicals, Minsky’s and Elf.

TIM HATLEY (Set & Costume Design) winner of 2002 Tony and Drama Desk Awards for Private Lives on Broadway. Winner of the 2002 Olivier Award for Humble Boy and Private Lives in the West End and a 1997 Olivier Award for Stanley at the Royal National Theatre. Broadway credits: Spamalot, Private Lives, Vincent in Brixton, The Crucible, Stanley. Film credits: Stage Beauty, Closer and Notes on a Scandal. Previous theatre work includes working with Theatre de Complicite, Royal National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, English National Opera and London’s West End. Graduated from Central Saint Martins School of Art, London.

ELAINE J. MCCARTHY (Projection Design) B’way: Thurgood, Spamalot, Wicked, Assassins, Man of La Mancha, Into the Woods, Judgment at Nuremberg. Off-B’way: Frequency Hopping (set & projection), Embedded, The Stendhal Syndrome, Suitcase, The Thing About Men, Speaking in Tongues. Regional: Distracted (set & projection), Limonade Tous les Jours, Once in a Lifetime, Cobb, Hair. Opera: Mazeppa (Met Opera), Dead Man Walking (NYC Opera), War and Peace (Kirov & Met Opera), Tan Dun’s The Gate, Peter Sellar’s The Peony Pavilion. Awards: 2003 Eddy Award.

ACTORS' EQUITY ASSOCIATION (AEA), founded in 1913, represents more than 45,000 actors and stage managers in the United States. Equity seeks to advance, promote and foster the art of live theatre as an essential component of our society. Equity negotiates wages and working conditions, providing a wide range of benefits, including health and pension plans. AEA is a member of the AFL-CIO, and is affiliated with FIA, an international organization of performing arts unions. The Equity emblem is our mark of excellence. www.actorsequity.org

A Lot of Medieval Merry Making Set for the Ogunquit Playhouse with Monty Python's Spamalot!

For Immediate Release:

August 5, 2010

Come laugh a lot at the Ogunquit Playhouse with Spamalot, the musical lovingly ripped off from the internationally renowned comedy team’s most popular film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Television, stage and screen star Charles Shaughnessy will headline the delightfully zany Monty Python's Spamalot, as King Arthur, joined by one of Broadway’s true divas, Rachel York as the Lady of the Lake, on stage August 18 through September 11. This highly irreverent parody of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is the recipient of three Tony Awards, including Best Musical and fourteen Tony Award nominations. The Ogunquit Playhouse production features Tim Hatley’s sumptuous Tony nominated sets and costumes, a chorus line of dancing divas and knights, flatulent Frenchmen, a killer rabbit and more madcap mirth than a headless knight! Don’t miss the show that critics claim raises silliness to a new art form!

Charles Shaughnessy hails from England and is best known to American audiences as Mr. Sheffield on the CBS hit show “The Nanny” opposite Fran Drescher, as well as for his work in the role of Shane Donovan on the daytime series “Days of Our Lives.” He recently portrayed Saint John Powers on AMC’s critically acclaimed series “Mad Men.” Mr. Shaughnessy’s many stage appearances include the triple Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Urinetown, Pasadena Playhouse’s acclaimed production of Orson’s Shadow and perennial favorites including Camelot and My Fair Lady.

Rachel York is best known for her critically acclaimed Broadway performances in City of Angels, Les Misérables, Victor/Victoria with Dame Julie Andrews, Sly Fox with Richard Dreyfuss and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels co-starring Jonathan Pryce. Additionally, Ms. York has starred in numerous national tours including Camelot, Putting It Together, the national and London tours of the Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of Kiss Me, Kate and The Odd Couple with Jason Alexander and Martin Short. In addition, she holds many film credits to her name including One Fine Day, Happy Feet, Billy Bathgate, as well as appearances in several popular TV series including “Hannah Montana,” “Frasier,” “Reba,” and “Spin City.”

Also starring in the Ogunquit production are Broadway veterans Richard Costa as Sir Bedevere, who recently performed in the Las Vegas production of Spamalot under the direction of Mike Nichols; Matthew Greer as Sir Lancelot, who returns to the role(s) he played in the first National Tour of Spamalot; and Jeffry Denman as Sir Robin. Denman has been in a number of Broadway and off Broadway productions including the original cast of White Christmas. He was last seen in Ogunquit as Bobby Childs in Crazy for You.

Scott Taylor helms the Ogunquit production as Director/Choreographer. He has supervised and performed in 12 original Broadway shows, including A Little Night Music, Broadway Bound, Spamalot, Contact, Thou Shalt Not, Steel Pier, Victor/Victoria, Showboat, Crazy For You, Cats, Wind In The Willows, A Christmas Carol, Sinatra At Radio City, and A Little Night Music at the NYC and LA Opera. Scott has assisted and worked closely with Susan Stroman, Stephen Sondheim, Mike Nichols, Chita Rivera, Hal Prince, Julie Andrews, Liza Minnelli, Kander and Ebb, Rob Marshall, Blake Edwards, Trevor Nunn, Jerry Zachs, Harry Connick Jr., Casey Nicholaw, Dolly Parton, Lynne Page, and many more. He can also be seen dancing in the films of A Chorus Line, Center Stage, PBS Great Performances of Contact and Crazy For You, “The Tony Awards,” and numerous television specials and commercials.

Chicago wraps up the Playhouse season, September 15 through October 24 with Sally Struthers in the roll of Matron “Mama” Morton. The Ogunquit Playhouse is America’s Foremost Summer Theatre producing the finest Broadway musicals each season, with performances Tuesday through Sunday, from June 9 to October 24, 2010. Main tage tickets prices range from $49-$67 per show. Gift Certificates and Season Subscriptions are also on sale now. For a complete list of show times, pricing and more information about the season, visit our website www.ogunquitplayhouse.org. Tickets on-line or through the box office at 207- 646-5511.

A Broadway award-winning musical from Eric Idle lovingly ripped off from the motion picture Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Need we say more?