‘Spamalot’ Gallops into Rockaway

By Dan Guarino

With coconuts clapping, broadswords brandishing, merry minstrels maligning, tap dancers tapping, lapins leaping and one golden Grail, Monty Python’s wildly comic musical “Spamalot” comes to the Rockaway Theatre Company’s John Gilleece Theater at Fort Tilden on Friday, March 28. The show, often subtitled “A Musical (Lovingly) Ripped Off from the Motion Picture ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’,” runs through to Sunday, April 13.

Showtimes are Fridays and Saturdays, March 28 and 29, April 4, 5, 11 and 12, and Thursday, April 3 at 8 p.m., Sundays, March 30, April 6, and Saturday, April 12 at 2 p.m., and Sunday, April 13 at 3 p.m. Tickets are available at www.rockawaytheatrecompany.org.

As director John Panepinto explains, “‘Spamalot,’ is, not exactly loosely, based on the 1975 film ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail.’ It’s about King Arthur assembling a group of knights to form the Round Table and search for the Holy Grail. To say that it has any serious narrative, however, would be generous. If you know anything about Monty Python, then you know it’s really a collection of sketches loosely weaved together. ‘Spamalot’ is, simply put, fun.”

The musical, with its title’s word collision between the Python group’s well-known “Spam” sketch name and “Camelot,” also borrows wildly from other Python projects.

With music by John Du Prez and Monty Python member Eric Idle, and script and lyrics by Idle, the original 2005 production ran on Broadway for 1,575 performances, played to over two million people, earned 14 Tony nominations and won three, including Best Musical. Then spawned several national and international productions, and a 2023 Broadway revival.

The Rockaway Theatre Company (RTC) production, Panepinto notes, has a cast of 25 and “all of the things that make a musical glamorous. Dancing girls, dancing boys, and a few big-name surprise cameos. Our lead knights read like a murderers’ row of performance all-stars, John Dellinger, Gil Ventura, Brian Sadowski, Nicholas Safier, Angel Tavares, supported by Nathan Reder, Alex Cooke, and Bob Wilkinson and, not to be forgotten, our own personal diva, Sarah McShane as The Lady of the Lake.” Plus a large enthusiastic ensemble.

Though a “student of comedy” himself, Panepinto says, “I had never been exposed to Monty Python, and so I had the rare opportunity to approach the musical as a stand-alone piece, while also obviously paying homage to its roots.”

Seeing “Spamalot” in its original Broadway run, he “fell in love with the music and its unique comedic nature.” After seeing the revival version two years ago and “having had so much fun,” his wife, Danielle, “mentioned that she thought it might be a good fit for RTC, setting us off on this journey to see if she was right!”

The new show is bounding with energy as evidenced at rehearsal by the large cast working out swordplay, running lines, doing dance and vocal warmups, and practicing lifts on stage, all at the same time. “They are probably the most professional and efficient cast I’ve ever worked with partially because they take being funny as seriously as I do,” Panepinto says.

“Spamalot,” with its intricate full sets, props, colorful costumes, and fast pace, is not “a heavy narrative that’s going to make you think, it’s not going to make you cry.” Its intention is simply to make you laugh. Its humor is at times “incredibly childish and silly, and at other times a smartly crafted reflection of the hierarchy of society, and a brilliant parody of all things Broadway and musical theater,” Panepinto says. Likewise, it is filled with wordplay, sight gags and even musical jokes. Even its choreography is funny.

Among Panepinto’s favorite numbers are “Find Your Grail,” which is “the big, powerful Act 1 closer…which of course, going with the theme of doing the unexpected, doesn’t close Act 1. And the Act 2 showstopper ‘You Won’t Succeed on Broadway…’ You’ll have to come see the show to find out more about that one!”

“As far as comedic spots, you can’t go wrong with the original Python bits, The French Taunter, The Knights Who Say ‘Ni’ and Tim the Enchanter!”

He also states he cannot speak highly enough about musical director Rich Louis-Pierre, who’ll be leading the show’s live band, and has been “so collaborative and generous with his time to help teach these, often difficult harmonies,” even to the stage crew so they can help out vocally. Choreographer Cassaundra Reed, he says, “is the lifeblood of the show. A musical like this is only as good as its choreography” and she “has truly created magic” as “every song gets bigger and more intentioned as the show goes on.”

Starting as a performer, and “involved in theater basically my entire life,” Panepinto has been “been involved with shows in many different companies throughout Brooklyn and Queens.” Last year he directed “Urinetown” at RTC and a live “Night of the Living Dead” stage adaptation with Brooklyn ONE productions.

As a director, he likes to give his actors tremendous freedom, feeling the confidence and ownership of what they are doing really comes across to the audience. In the end, Panepinto says the show is “something that we have all invested in and built together.”

Part of the challenge, he notes is this show is truly bigger than expected with bigger sets, many uncommon costumes, stage magic, lots of dancing- “a true feat for our company.” The other part is dancing a fine creative line while doing an adaption faithful to bits and even individual routines many fans can recite by heart.

Still, “There’s something universally silly” about this show, Panepinto says. The “important message that I want to leave our audience with after every show, (is) ‘Always Look on the Bright Side of Life’.

“Life is hard enough. When you spend your money for a night out at the theater, sometimes, it’s nice to just be reminded to laugh and have some good clean fun.”

Panepinto says, “My hope is to present the most fun show that the RTC has ever seen. And who would want to miss that?”