CAMELOT Comes To Olney 11/18-1/3

Winner of four Tony Awards, the classic Lerner and Loewe musical Camelot follows the journey taken when unexpected passion and betrayal upend the world of an idealistic king, his beloved queen, and a virtuous knight.

Camelot plays the Mainstage November 18 through January 3. Tickets are $26 to $49, with discounts available to groups, seniors, military, and students. Call the Box Office at 301.924.3400 or visit olneytheatre.org for tickets. In addition, Olney offers several special performances that include sign interpretation, audio description, and post-show discussions.  

Camelot is set in King Arthur's enchanted kingdom - a place where honor and chivalry reign, where "might for right" is the new creed and democracy flourishes. When Queen Guenevere falls in love with Sir Lancelot, this idyllic land is placed in jeopardy. The splendid score includes the romantic and haunting "If Ever I Would Leave You," the captivating "How to Handle a Woman," and the majestic title song "Camelot."

In 1942, Frederick Loewe approached Alan Jay Lerner at a club in New York with the idea of collaborating on a musical. The two went on to enjoy a creative partnership that lasted 18 years, resulting in such noteworthy shows as Brigadoon, Paint Your Wagon, My Fair Lady, and, of course, Camelot.

Camelot originally opened in 1960 at New York's Majestic Theatre and starred Julie Andrews as Guenevere, Richard Burton as King Arthur, and Robert Goulet as Sir Lancelot. It was hailed by critics as the most lavish spectacle ever seen on Broadway, winning four

Tony Awards. It caught the imagination of the country and its youthful president, John F. Kennedy. The show became forever entwined with the American values of social equality and justice.

"In 1960, Camelot became synonymous with the brief ‘shining moment' that was the Kennedy administration, and the comparison with our current administration has been duly noted by the press," say Director and Choreographer Stephen Nachamie. "In choosing the show and framing the storytelling, Artistic Director Jim Petosa and I discussed the relatively new Obama administration and the ‘audacity of hope' in changing the world that exists. King Arthur's hopeful quest to create a new order of chivalry, to create a more common ground between the privileged knights and the people of Camelot, and to end wars by using ‘might for right' instead of ‘might for might' are still extremely relevant."

Todd Alan Johnson is making his Olney debut as King Arthur. He performed on Broadway in Aida, and in the National Tour of Les Miserables. His Queen Guenevere is played by Patricia Hurley, who was recently seen as Wendy in Peter Pan. Other Olney credits include Doubt, Fiddler on the Roof, Cinderella, The Heiress, and 13 Rue de L'Amour. Aaron Ramey, who plays Lancelot, is also making his Olney debut. His Broadway credits include Young Frankenstein, Curtains, and Thoroughly Modern Millie.

Bill Largess portrays Merlyn, Arthur's counsel, while Evan Casey plays his illegitimate son Mordred. Bill was most recently seen in 1776 at Olney. He is the founding member of the Washington Stage Guild and has been its artistic director since 2008. Evan has performed at Olney in Call of the Wild, Fiddler on the Roof, and Lend Me a Tenor.

The rest of the charmed cast of Camelot include Sharen Camille, James Chatham, Caitlin Diana Doyle, Maria Egler, Jarid Faubel, Carrie A. Johnson, Deborah Lubega, Don Kenneth Mason, Thomas McNeal, Michael Nansel, Carl Randolph, Kirstin Riegler, Andrew Sonntag, Ryan Speakman, and Kara-Tameika Watkins.

Stephen Nachamie returns to Olney for the first time since last season's production of 1776. Most recently, Stephen's work was seen at the New York Musical Theatre Festival. He directed Faith Prince in a presentation of Luck! at the York Theatre Company; Into the Woods for NYU's CAP21; and Seth Rudetsky in Torch Song Trilogy. The musical director is Christopher Youstra, whose most recent Olney production was Call of the Wild. Rounding out the creative team are Jeremy F. Foil (Scenic Designer), Charlie Morrison (Lighting Designer), Eric Propp (Costume Designer), Jarett C. Pisani (Sound Designer), Nan Flanagan (Wig Designer), Lynn Watson (Dialect Coach), and Renee E. Yancey (Stage Manager).

TICKETS: $26 - $49; discounts available for groups, seniors, military, and students

BOX OFFICE: 301.924.3400; olneytheatre.org

LOCATION: Olney Theatre Center
2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Olney, Maryland 20832
Located just north of Washington, DC, the theater sits 1¼ mile from the intersection of Olney-Sandy Spring Road (Route 108) and Georgia Avenue (Route 97). Parking is free.

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