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Monty Python's Spamalot comes to Chicago

January 6, 9:32 AMChicago Theatre ExaminerMark Meyer
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Broadway In Chicago will soon present the Tony Award-winning Best Musical of 2005, Monty Python's Spamalot, at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Starring Richard Chamberlain as King Arthur, Monty Python's Spamalot will run for a limited engagement January 20 to February 1, 2009.

The Tony and Grammy Award winning Monty Python's Spamalot continues to taunt cities across the nation. "A high energy blast, you'll leave the theatre whistling!" said Terry Byrne from The Boston Herald. CTV's Chris Perez said "Hilarious show... it pushes comedy to its limits. This show is a crowd pleaser!" "You could put a happy-meter in the theatre and watched it go off the charts!" exclaims Richard Ouzounian, Toronto Star.

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. The original cast recording of Monty Python's Spamalot recently won the 2006 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album.

Monty Python's Spamalot made its pre-Broadway debut in Chicago at the former Shubert Theatre, now known as Bank of America Theatre, on January 9, 2005. The show was outrageously successful and played to sold out crowds before opening on Broadway at New York's Shubert Theatre March 17, 2005. Over one year after its pre-Broadway debut in Chicago, Monty Python's Spamalot made a triumphant return home April 19 to June 4, 2006 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre.

Directed by Mike Nichols, Monty Python's Spamalot features a book by Eric Idle, based on the screenplay of "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" by Monty Python creators Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin, with music and lyrics by the Grammy Award-winning team of Mr. Idle and John Du Prez. Casey Nicholaw is the choreographer.

Telling the legendary tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, and their quest for the Holy Grail, Monty Python's Spamalot features a chorus line of dancing divas and knights, flatulent Frenchmen, killer rabbits and one legless knight.

Mike Nichols has been acclaimed as one of the great American directors in film, theater and television. He has won an Academy Award and eight Tony Awards. He recently received the Directors' Guild of America Award for Lifetime Achievement as well as a DGA Award for the direction of the HBO adaptation of "Angels in America."

Aside from his work with Monty Python in films and on TV, Eric Idle has written a West End play, "Pass the Butler;" three novels, including "The Road to Mars," "The Rutles - A Mockumentary;" and many songs too rude to mention. He has sung opera, acted in movies, appeared on television and crossed America performing comedy on "The Greedy Bastard Tour." His diary of his 15,000 mile journey by bus was recently published by Harper Collins, and his long awaited sequel "The Rutles2: Can't Buy Me Lunch" was released by Warner Video in March. There's no saying what he might do next...

 John Du Prez has composed over 20 feature film scores including "A Fish Called Wanda," "A Private Function," "The Meaning of Life," "Personal Services," "UHF," and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles I, II & III." He has worked with Eric Idle since 1978.

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, with subsequent international fame and success.

Individual tickets range in price from $25 to $90 and tickets are available at ticketmaster.com.

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