Gulfshore Playhouse Celebrates Love And Legend With The Classic Musical CAMELOT

Kristen Coury, CEO and Producing Artistic Director of Gulfshore Playhouse, has announced the cast and creative team of the upcoming production of Lerner and Loewe's Camelot. This classic Broadway musical is directed by Jeffrey Binder and runs February 9 through March 12, 2023 at the Norris Center, 755 8th Avenue S., Naples, FL 34102. Opening Night is Saturday, February 11. Tickets are available at gulfshoreplayhouse.org

Return for a brief and shining moment to experience the beloved classic musical, Camelot. The original 1960 musical based on the legend of King Arthur and his knights of the round table and adapted from the T.H. White novel The Once and Future King, is now a sparkling and winningly fast-paced rendition. With original book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and Music by Frederick Loewe, this fresh adaptation by multi-Emmy Award-winning David Lee ("Cheers," "Frasier," "Wings," "The Jeffersons") also features new orchestrations by Steve Orich.

While the book is updated, the most cherished elements of the story remain: the romantic triangle between Arthur, Guenevere, and Lancelot; the quest for democracy and justice; the nostalgic wish for the world to be as it once was; and the gorgeous score of well-known titles including "If Ever I Would Leave You," "The Lusty Month of May," and the title song "Camelot." Eight actors give life to this enchanting, romantic tale, featuring a lush score created by the genius duo behind My Fair Lady all to create an unforgettable (k)night at the theatre.

At the helm of this production is director Jeffrey Binder, who previously served as Associate Artistic Director at Gulfshore Playhouse. His onstage credits at Gulfshore Playhouse include My Fair Lady, Scapino, and Higher, which he also wrote. His Gulfshore Playhouse directing credits include Maytag Virgin, The Lady Demands Satisfaction, and In the Next Room or the Vibrator Play. Binder was also seen on Broadway in The Lion King, Lieutenant of Inishmore, Mary Poppins, and Side Man.

"I'm thrilled to direct this enchanting adaptation of Camelot. The fact that our tale is told by eight, stunningly talented performers creates the opportunity to give the Gulfshore Playhouse production the feel of us gathering around the campfire, as in ages past, to indulge in a world where talented mythmakers draw us into a compelling story they create before us," said Binder. "There is a delight in digging into a myth like Camelot in a way that only live theatre can - where the world and story come to life in front of us through voice, body, and minimal physical props and set that are pieced together in ways that engage our imagination in ways that we haven't since we were children. It's exciting to have this world spring to life and change in front of our eyes... in the moment. This is the kind of intimate storytelling that excites me and allows stories like this to be impactful without necessarily being buried under layers of artifice. I feel like it connects us more viscerally to the story, the performers, and to one another."

The cast of professional actors and one youth actors hails from across the country and even Naples, Florida and includes Christiana Cole (Off-Broadway An Enchanted April and upcoming Broadway The Devil Wears Prada) as Reveler, Olivia Hernandez (TUTS Mary Poppins and The Guthrie Guys and Dolls) as Guenevere, Ty-Gabriel Jones (Disney's The Little Mermaid) as Reveler, Jeffrey Kringer (Off-Broadway About Love, Milwaukee Rep Titanic) as Arthur, Daniel Lopez (Hollywood Bowl Into the Woods) as Lancelot, Kevin Patrick Martin (Gulfshore Playhouse My Fair Lady, Broadway Jersey Boys) as Reveler, Aiden Thayer (age 14, Naples Players Mary Poppins) as Tom, and Ethan Zeph (City Springs Theatre Company West Side Story) as Mordred/Reveler.

The creative team includes scenic design by Kristen Martino, costume design by Kirche Leigh Zeile, lighting design by Dalton Hamilton, sound design by Sean McGinley, dance captain Kevin Patrick Martin, choreography by Dann Dunn, music direction by Danny White, assistant stage manager Madelyn Hawver, and production stage manager Jamie A. Eckhold.

Pre-Show Discussions:

Sunday, February 12 at 2:15PM

Wednesday, February 15 at 1:15PM and 6:45PM

Wednesday, March 1 at 1:15PM and 6:45PM

Post-Show Talkback with the cast:

Thursday, February 16

ASL Interpreted Performance:

Friday, February 24 at 2PM

Post-Show Curtain Conversation with Gulfshore Playhouse staff:

Sunday, March 5

Tickets to are now on sale and start at $38. Discounted tickets are available for patrons under 35; Educators; Family comprised of two adults and two children; active military, veterans, first responders, and their immediate families. Tickets can be ordered online (gulfshoreplayhouse.org) or by phone (239.261.PLAY).

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