Gateway Playhouse Presents: Spamalot! at the Patchogue Theatre

Last week, Spamalot opened in Patchogue, NY, directed and choreographed by Keith Andrews. Spamalot is based on the 1975 film "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" and won three Tony awards on Broadway. From killer rabbits to a disco-Vegas Camelot party, Spamalot keeps audiences laughing throughout the evening. Join King Arthur (played by Peter Simon Hilton) and his loyal sidekick Patsy (Jeremy Morse) and their knights, ladies, French enemies, Knights of Ni, and more as they hunt for the Holy Grail (and for various shrubberies, Jews, and damsels- er, gentlemen- in distress!

The biggest challenge about this show has been the distance. Patchogue is about 15-20 minutes away from the Gateway Playhouse, and getting our equipment over there, loading in and completing tech rehearsals, and now constantly traveling to perform the shows, is very tiring for all of us. Not to mention that we've gone into changeover and tech for Tommy, the annual student production, this week; splitting the crews and staff and stretching our gear thin.

Working at the Patchogue Performing Arts Center is definitely a new experience, especially because it is much bigger than most of the places I've worked. The theater has a lot of potential, and were it better taken care of perhaps the Gateway wouldn't have the biggest shows performing on its stage.

I'm running spotlight on Spamalot, which means I spend a lot of time in Patchogue (especially two- and three- show days). It's been very rewarding in some ways for me because this is the show that stood out for me in the Gateway's season when I first applied to be an intern. Seeing Keith Andrews again, a director whom I worked with on many shows at the Saint Michael's Playhouse, was fantastic. I enjoy the run of the show, especially with Matt Crowle on the stage again (he starred in my first show here, 'S Wonderful) as a Broadway-aspiring, tap dancing, cowardly Sir Robin. Almost all of the actors double roles at some point or another. I also enjoyed working with Doug Harry, our lighting designer.

To see the NYTimes review of Spamalot, click here. For more information on tickets, calendar, and who's who, please visit the Gateway Playhouse website.