Stage Production Notes
Following on from Brigadoon (1947), Paint Your Wagon (1951) and My Fair Lady (1956), Camelot was the 7th collaboration of musical composing team Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe.
The musical was based on T.H. White’s The Once and Future King, and told the mythic story of King Arthur, Guenevere, and Lancelot.
The original Broadway production of Camelot opened on December 3, 1960 at the Majestic Theatre. Directed by Moss Hart (in what would be his last Broadway production), the show featured Richard Burton, Julie Andrews, and Robert Goulet in his Broadway debut.
Although considered inferior to Lerner and Loewe’s previous hit My Fair Lady, Camelot ran for 873 performances, was nominated for five Tony Awards — winning four, including Best Actor in a Musical, Best Scenic Design, Best Costume Design, and Best Conductor — and the cast recording was the highest selling record in the United States for 60 weeks in 1961.
Camelot opened on the West End in August 1964 and ran for 518 performances.
A movie adaptation directed by Joshua Logan and starring Richard Harris, Vanessa Redgrave, and Franco Nero was released in 1967.
Camelot was first revived on Broadway in 1980 at Lincoln Center starring Richard Burton.
Richard Burton commenced a national tour early in 1981, but became seriously ill. The producers thought they would have to close the tour, however after Richard Harris stepped in, the ticket sales boomed. The tour was extended, and eventually brought to Broadway.
The second Broadway revival of Camelot opened at the Winter Garden Theatre on November 15, 1981. It played for a total of 57 performances before closing on January 2, 1982. It was filmed live by HBO during the run.
Despite the short run, Camelot was nominated for two Tony Awards, including Best Reproduction of a Play or Musical, and Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Paxton Whitehead). The Public Theater’s immensely popular production of Pirates of Penzance, which was also filmed live, took home the Tony for Best Reproduction.
A third revival was staged at the Gerswhin Theatre in 1993 starring Robert Goulet.
A special one-night-only benefit was held at the Shubert Theatre in 2011, with Jeremy Irons in the lead role.
Camelot is available for licensing through Tams-Witmark.
Filmed Production Notes
In 2008, the New York Philharmonic produced a “semi-staged” production of Camelot under the direction of Lonny Price. The limited run featured a star-studded cast from stage and screen including Gabriel Byrne, Marin Mazzie, Nathan Gunn, Fran Drescher, and Christopher Lloyd.
The production received mixed reviews. While critics despaired over the miscast Gabriel Byrne’s and his lack of singing chops, they praised Nathan Gunn for his satisfying and richly voiced performance of Lancelot, and the delightful Marin Mazzie for her portrayal of Guinevere. Critics also had high praise for the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Paul Gemignani and the lush orchestrations as played by 30 musicians.
The New York Philharmonic production was broadcast nationally in the United States on PBS’ Live from Lincoln Center on May 8, and re-aired a few days later on May 11, 2008. The broadcast included an intermission interview with opera singer Renee Fleming and leading lady Marin Mazzie.
Camelot is not officially available to view.
Following on from Brigadoon (1947), Paint Your Wagon (1951) and My Fair Lady (1956), Camelot was the 7th collaboration of musical composing team Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe.
The musical was based on T.H. White’s The Once and Future King, and told the mythic story of King Arthur, Guenevere, and Lancelot.
The original Broadway production of Camelot opened on December 3, 1960 at the Majestic Theatre. Directed by Moss Hart (in what would be his last Broadway production), the show featured Richard Burton, Julie Andrews, and Robert Goulet in his Broadway debut.
Although considered inferior to Lerner and Loewe’s previous hit My Fair Lady, Camelot ran for 873 performances, was nominated for five Tony Awards — winning four, including Best Actor in a Musical, Best Scenic Design, Best Costume Design, and Best Conductor — and the cast recording was the highest selling record in the United States for 60 weeks in 1961.
Camelot opened on the West End in August 1964 and ran for 518 performances.
A movie adaptation directed by Joshua Logan and starring Richard Harris, Vanessa Redgrave, and Franco Nero was released in 1967.
Camelot was first revived on Broadway in 1980 at Lincoln Center starring Richard Burton.
Richard Burton commenced a national tour early in 1981, but became seriously ill. The producers thought they would have to close the tour, however after Richard Harris stepped in, the ticket sales boomed. The tour was extended, and eventually brought to Broadway.
The second Broadway revival of Camelot opened at the Winter Garden Theatre on November 15, 1981. It played for a total of 57 performances before closing on January 2, 1982. It was filmed live by HBO during the run.
Despite the short run, Camelot was nominated for two Tony Awards, including Best Reproduction of a Play or Musical, and Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Paxton Whitehead). The Public Theater’s immensely popular production of Pirates of Penzance, which was also filmed live, took home the Tony for Best Reproduction.
A third revival was staged at the Gerswhin Theatre in 1993 starring Robert Goulet.
A special one-night-only benefit was held at the Shubert Theatre in 2011, with Jeremy Irons in the lead role.
Camelot is available for licensing through Tams-Witmark.
Filmed Production Notes
In 2008, the New York Philharmonic produced a “semi-staged” production of Camelot under the direction of Lonny Price. The limited run featured a star-studded cast from stage and screen including Gabriel Byrne, Marin Mazzie, Nathan Gunn, Fran Drescher, and Christopher Lloyd.
The production received mixed reviews. While critics despaired over the miscast Gabriel Byrne’s and his lack of singing chops, they praised Nathan Gunn for his satisfying and richly voiced performance of Lancelot, and the delightful Marin Mazzie for her portrayal of Guinevere. Critics also had high praise for the New York Philharmonic under the baton of Paul Gemignani and the lush orchestrations as played by 30 musicians.
The New York Philharmonic production was broadcast nationally in the United States on PBS’ Live from Lincoln Center on May 8, and re-aired a few days later on May 11, 2008. The broadcast included an intermission interview with opera singer Renee Fleming and leading lady Marin Mazzie.
Camelot is not officially available to view.
Camelot PRODUCTION CREDITS
Theatre: Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center
Producer: Thomas Z. Shepard,
Book and Lyrics: Alan Jay Lerner
Music: Frederick Loewe
Director: Lonny Price
Musical Director and Conductor: Paul Gemignani
Orchestrations: Robert Russell Bennett and Philip J. Lang
Choreography: Josh Prince
Scenic Design: James Noone
Costume Design: Tracy Christensen
Lighting Design: Paul Miller
Sound Design: Peter Fitzgerald
Stage Manager: Peter Hanson
Cast:
Gabriel Byrne (King Arthur), Marin Mazzie (Guenevere), Nathan Gunn (Lancelot), Christopher Lloyd (Pellinore), Fran Drescher (Morgan le Fey), Stacy Keach (Merlyn), Christopher Sieber (Dinadan), Marc Kudisch (Lionel), Will Swenson (Sagramore), Erin Morley (Nimue), Justin Stein (A Page), Weston Wells Olson (Squire Dap), Jane Brockman (Lady Anne), Rishi Mutalik (Tom of Warwick)
Ensemble: Joel Abels, Derin Altay, Terence Archie, Maxime de Toledo, Ryan Thomas Dunn, Ivan Hernandez, Sydney James, Catherine Cheng Jones, Catherine LaValle, Valisia Lekae, Amy Mahoney, Frank Mastrone, Raymond Jaramillo McLeod, Paolo Montalban, Devin Richards, Brian Charles Rooney, Idara Victor, Alison Walla, Besty Wolfe.
Dance Corps: Kristine Bendul, Kathryn Eleni Fraggos, Nick Kepley, Sabra Lewis, Michael Mindlin, Denny Paschall, Jermaine Rembert, Krista Saab, Michael Scirrotto, Alison Soloman.
Theatre: Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center
Producer: Thomas Z. Shepard,
Book and Lyrics: Alan Jay Lerner
Music: Frederick Loewe
Director: Lonny Price
Musical Director and Conductor: Paul Gemignani
Orchestrations: Robert Russell Bennett and Philip J. Lang
Choreography: Josh Prince
Scenic Design: James Noone
Costume Design: Tracy Christensen
Lighting Design: Paul Miller
Sound Design: Peter Fitzgerald
Stage Manager: Peter Hanson
Cast:
Gabriel Byrne (King Arthur), Marin Mazzie (Guenevere), Nathan Gunn (Lancelot), Christopher Lloyd (Pellinore), Fran Drescher (Morgan le Fey), Stacy Keach (Merlyn), Christopher Sieber (Dinadan), Marc Kudisch (Lionel), Will Swenson (Sagramore), Erin Morley (Nimue), Justin Stein (A Page), Weston Wells Olson (Squire Dap), Jane Brockman (Lady Anne), Rishi Mutalik (Tom of Warwick)
Ensemble: Joel Abels, Derin Altay, Terence Archie, Maxime de Toledo, Ryan Thomas Dunn, Ivan Hernandez, Sydney James, Catherine Cheng Jones, Catherine LaValle, Valisia Lekae, Amy Mahoney, Frank Mastrone, Raymond Jaramillo McLeod, Paolo Montalban, Devin Richards, Brian Charles Rooney, Idara Victor, Alison Walla, Besty Wolfe.
Dance Corps: Kristine Bendul, Kathryn Eleni Fraggos, Nick Kepley, Sabra Lewis, Michael Mindlin, Denny Paschall, Jermaine Rembert, Krista Saab, Michael Scirrotto, Alison Soloman.
Sources
Articles
Websites
- Joe Dziemianowicz, “Shining moments brief in N.Y. Philharmonic's ‘Camelot’,” NY Daily News (May 8, 2008)
- Andrew Gans, “TV Star Drescher Joins Cast of NY Philharmonic's Camelot,” Playbill (April 4, 2008)
- Andrew Gans, “Philharmonic's Camelot, with Kudisch, Mazzie, Byrne and Gunn, Airs on PBS May 8,” Playbill (May 8, 2008)
- Matthew Murray, “The New York Philharmonic Presents Camelot In Concert,” Talkin Broadway (May 5, 2008)
- Susan Stempleski, “New York Philharmonic – Camelot,” Classical Source (May 10, 2008)
- Steven Suskin, “Review: ‘Camelot’,” Variety (May 8, 2008)
- Anthony Tommasini, “That Congenial Spot Revisited, With a World-Class Orchestra Playing Along,” New York Times (May 9, 2008)
- The Associated Press, “Gabriel Byrne charms as Arthur in ‘Camelot’” Today (May 8, 2008)
Websites
- Tams-Witmark Music Library, “Camelot,” Accessed via: http://www.tamswitmark.com/shows/lerner-and-loewes-camelot/
Written by Luisa Lyons (March, 2017)