Leigh Ann Rassler
Directed by Tricia Williams
Choreographed by Javier Fernandez
Music Direction by Christine Phillips
Monty Python’s Spamalot was entertaining and provided a lot of humorous moments intertwined with amazing choreography and musical numbers. I really enjoyed watching the actors as I tried to figure out the plot. Spamalot is loosely based on Camelot. I do not want to spoil it for others that have never watched it on screen before, but I will say it is a bit naughty with some interesting twists.
The play was comprised of two Acts. Act I contained 15 songs and Act II 12 songs. I don’t know how she does it, but Director Tricia Williams assembled another extremely talented local cast of actors, many of which are gifted with amazing voices. The entire cast, including the volunteers that create the set designs and costumes are passionate about their trade. The costumes are wonderful and took a lot of hard work and attention to detail.
Act I and II included the hits “He is Not Dead Yet” and “Find Your Grail”. I loved listening to the wonderful voices of the talented cast. The actors have amazing vocal range and variety. I especially want to recognize Cindy Baker (Lady of the Lake), Matt Felts (Prince Herbert) and Bobby Bickle (Sir Robin). Cindy has a fantastic voice with strong projection and she is able to hit low and high notes with ease. Matt and Bobby both have wonderful singing voices. I also want to recognize Jack Bisson who played various roles in the ensemble. I thought his accent was extremely well done. He is impressive and I look forward to seeing him in the future.
Of course, the star of the show is King Arthur played by the talented David Phillips. His portrayal was awesome. Great job, Dave! I did not know you could sing and dance. David is supported by a talented cast, including Steven Amburgey as Sir Galahad, Josh Katzman as Patsy and Vincent Bonilla as Sir Lancelot. I also want to give a shout out to Steve Conrad who portrayed various characters throughout the production, in addition to being the historian.
I really loved the montage of songs and theme music at the end of Act I. My only recommendation would be to start on time and keep the intermissions shorter, especially on a weeknight.
The new venue,The Island Theater, is delightful. The staff is friendly and the atmosphere inviting. It is a hidden jewel for the arts in Fleming Island. I especially loved the dark blue walls and the comfortable matching chairs. I reviewed the play on a Thursday night and it was 80 percent full. The sound system and lighting systems are top notch. Since I watched Annie at the beginning of the season, they have added a nice wall on stage with a built in screen that added character and dimension to the Spamalot scenes.
Each production is designed and brought to life with love and passion from Managing Director Tricia Williams. Her heart is devoted to working with children, teens and adults who want to learn to act or are already experiencing the joys of being on stage.
The nice concession offers water, canned sodas, beer and wine coolers and a nice assortment of candy and snacks. The lobby is inviting and the staff and volunteers make you feel welcome. The island theme décor and lei they offer to patrons give the Island Theater a warm environment.
Catch the last week of Spamalot on Thursday, June 21 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, June 23 at 7:30 p.m. or the Sunday matinee on June 24 at 2 p.m. For tickets, visit www.theislandtheater.com.
The Island Theater is located at 1860 Town Hall Circle, Suite 54 in Fleming Island, Florida.
The 2018 Season has 16 shows lined up through January 2019, including Disney’s Peter Pan Jr., The Savannah Sipping Society, The Rocky Horror Show, Newsies and Charlie Brown. The 2019 Season looks strong with hits such as Oliver, Little Women, Mulan and Footloose.
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