CARDIFF OPEN AIR THEATRE FESTIVAL 2017
Sophia Gardens
Cathedral Road
Cardiff CF11 9SQ
AUDITION NOTICE
Book:
Music:
Lyrics:
Eric Idle
John Du Prez, Eric Idle, Neil Innes
Eric Idle
Director :
Richard Tunley
Musical Director : Rob Thorne Jnr.
Monty Python aficionado?
Fan of classic musicals?
Always up for a good laugh?
Then this is YOUR show.
The uproariously witty spoof of King Arthur and his knights’ quest for the Holy Grail boasts a highkicking knights’ chorus line, killer rabbits, and a knight who continues duelling even after losing his
arms and legs. All the hilarities of Monty Python and the Holy Grail are even funnier set to the
rollicking music of the Round Table Knights and the mysterious, definitively diva Lady of the Lake.
The original Broadway show won three Tony’s including Best Musical, and the original album won
the 2006 Grammy for Best Musical Show Album.
Monty Python's SPAMALOT is a musical comedy adapted from the 1975 film Monty Python and
the Holy Grail. Like the film, it is a highly irreverent parody of the Arthurian Legend, but it differs
from the film in many ways.
Eric Idle, explained the title in a February 2004 press release:
I like the title Spamalot a lot. We tested it with audiences on my recent US tour and they liked it as
much as I did, which is gratifying. After all, they are the ones who will be paying Broadway prices to
see the show. It comes from a line in the movie which goes: "we eat ham, and jam, and Spam a
lot."
As a full-scale musical, the show is a wonderful mix of Python, dance and song. The libretto follows
the screenplay faithfully with iconic scenes included and given a theatrical twist, the music is
eclectic ranging from comedy songs to high level musical theatre and the scope for dance and
musical staging is also.
The show is fun, perfect for ensemble and a terrific choice for the 2017 festival.
Spamalot - 2017
Character Breakdown
Name
Gender Age
Vocal
Description
Male
Late
30s-60s
Strong
Baritone
Could be a
character
singer
The King of England who sets out on a
quest to form the Knights of the
Roundtable and find the Holy Grail.
Strong comedy. Strong singer.
Sir Robin the Not- Male
quite-so-brave-asSir-Lancelot,
who slew the
vicious Chicken of
Bristol and who
personally wet
himself at the
Battle of Badon Hill
30s-40s
Baritone
A Knight of the Roundtable. Ironically
called ‘Sir Robin the Brave,’ though he
couldn’t be more cowardly. Joins the
Knights for the singing and dancing.
Also plays GUARD 1 and BROTHER
MAYNARD, a long-winded monk.
The homicidally
Male
brave Sir Lancelot
30s
Baritone
A Knight of the Roundtable. He is
fearless to a bloody fault but through a
twist of fate, discovers his gay side.’
This actor MUST be great with
character voices and accents, as he
also plays THE FRENCH TAUNTER,
an arrogant, condescending, over-thetop Frenchman, the KNIGHT OF NI,
an absurd, cartoonish leader of a
peculiar group of Knights, and TIM
THE ENCHANTER, a ghostly being
with a Scottish accent.
The dashingly
handsome Sir
Dennis Galahad
Male
30s
Strong
Bari-Tenor
A Knight of the Roundtable. Begins as
Dennis, a lower class ‘mud gatherer’
who becomes Knighted and
transforms into the dashing Sir
Galahad. Also plays PRINCE
HERBERT’S FATHER, a wealthy,
brutish Yorkshireman man at odds with
his sensitive son, THE BLACK
KNIGHT who is always ready to duel
despite multiple injuries. Strong baritenor singing required.
The strangely
flatulent Sir
Bedevere
Male
20s-40s
Baritone
A Knight of the Roundtable. An inept
scholar. Also plays DENNIS
GALAHAD’S MOTHER, a shrill
peasant woman, and CONCORDE, Sir
Lancelot’s horse. Strong singing but No solo singing.
The Lady of the
Lake
Female
Alto – strong
belt;
Strong
singing
ability.
A Diva. Strong, beautiful, possesses
mystical powers. The leading lady of
the show. Great singing voice is
essential, as she must be able to sing
effortlessly in many styles and vocal
registers.
King Arthur
Spamalot - 2017
Patsy
Male
Baritone character
King Arthur’s horse and servant.
Underappreciated but always longing
for King Arthur’s approval. Good,
funny, physical mover with some tap
dancing.
Also plays MAYOR, a jolly red-faced
man who advertises the merits of his
home town and the drunken, useless
GUARD 2.
The Historian
PLAYS MANY
ROLES
Male
20s-30s
High Tenor
Tenor singer required. Very good
mover. HISTORIAN: A tweedy
academic. NOT DEAD FRED: A sickly
little fellow who, despite others’ beliefs,
claims he is “not yet dead.” FRENCH
GUARD: The condemnatory French
sidekick to the French Taunter.
MINSTREL: In Sir Robin’s band.
PRINCE HERBERT: The hopeful and
frilly prince who loves to sing and
pines for his love atop a tower.
Male Ensemble 1
Male
20s-30s
Strong
Singing
Dance
preferred –
tap?
Will also play
Sir Not-appearing-in-this-show
Male Ensemble 2
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Male Ensemble 3
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Male Ensemble 4
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Male Ensemble 5
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Male Ensmeble 6
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Female Ensemble
1
Female
20s
Strong
Singing
Dance
preferred –
tap?
Female Ensemble
2
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Female Ensemble
3
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Female Ensemble
4
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Female Ensemble
5
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Female Ensemble
6
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Laker Girls
Chorus
Spamalot Maidens
Rehearsal days and times – to be confirmed.
Spamalot - 2017
Director’s Note
Find your grail……
Giving our audiences and performers the chance of a lifetime to experience one of the greatest
Broadway musicals of the modern age… we present the Tony Award Winning Best Musical,
SPAMALOT!
Lovingly ripped off from the classic film comedy MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL,
SPAMALOT retells the legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, and features a
bevy of beautiful show girls, not to mention cows, killer rabbits, and French people. Did we mention
the bevy of beautiful show girls?
We are looking for an ensemble of players that excel in lead roles and smaller character parts.
The intention is to create a world of characters that are not restricted to appearing only in the
scenes they are actually in.
You must be a strong singer if you intend to audition for any of the singing roles. There will be
opportunity for casting if you are a competent singer and can offer other strengths such as acting,
energy, physical skills.
ALL actors will need to sing and move well.
A note about rehearsals: You need to be there! I can always work around scheduled unavailability.
You will not be called to rehearsals unless it is my intention to work with you during that session.
My rehearsals are always focused, fun and we get lots done! If you don’t attend I will leave you a
voicemail stating:
I fart in your general direction! Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of
elderberries!
I am very much looking forward to this production and I look forward to seeing you at auditions.
Richard Tunley
The Director – Rich Tunley
Rich trained at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and is no stranger to outdoor theatre.
Spamalot marks his twelfth production for the summer Festival. He also directed Twelfth Night,
Much Ado About Nothing, Comedy of Errors and Tickledom at Dyffryn Gardens.
Richard has many productions to his credit. Some of his favourites being: Les Miserables: Student
Edition, having directed its European premiere for Sir Cameron Mackintosh as part of the inaugural
Cardiff International Festival of Musical Theatre; and the brand new musical comedy Come Fly
With Me for its world premiere at the Wales Millennium Centre. Rich was a creative on a new
adaptation of Ivor Novello’s The Dancing Years – a workshop performance produced by the Wales
Millennium Centre; and he is currently associate director on Tiger Bay for Wales Millennium Centre
and Capetown Opera.
In 2008 Richard formed Black RAT Productions. Now in its eighth year, the company has an
impressive body of professional work including A Zoo Story, Oedipus, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
and Romeo & Juliet. The company has also produced successful tours of Bouncers with Mike
Doyle, Up ’n’ Under: The Welsh Tour - a collaboration with John Godber, Tim Firth’s Neville’s
Island, the classic French farce - Boeing Boeing, Ayckbourn’s comedy Bedroom Farce and the hit
West End comedy thriller The 39 Steps to theatres throughout Wales. Black RAT is also
responsible for the successful Christmas season at The Gate Arts Centre in Cardiff with shows
such as The Wind in the Willows, Pinocchio, Alice, Aladdin, Puss in Boots and Snow White.
Spamalot - 2017
Locally, Richard has also directed for Orbit Theatre Company at The New Theatre with shows
including: Wizard of Oz, Showboat, High School Musical, Peter Pan, Dr Doolittle, Beauty & The
Beast, A Chorus Line, Grease and the Welsh premieres of Witches of Eastwick and The
Producers.
He has directed panto for Imagine theatres and OMTC and Richard writes and directs pantomime
for RCT Theatres, now in its seventh successful year. He also directs for Simply Theatre
Productions in Geneva having directed Oliver, Barnum and Oh, What a Lovely War!
The Musical Director – Rob Thorne Jnr.
This is Rob’s third year as MD on the festival having taken the reigns for Sweet Charity and Into
The Woods. Rob was born in Cardiff and educated at Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts,
University of Wales and gained a vocal scholarship to The Royal Welsh College of Music and
Drama. Rob has worked in almost every aspect of theatre from design, direction, musical
direction and performance and recently played Jake in the UK/Ireland tour of Showboat with
Capetown Opera Company in partnership with Wales Millennium Centre.
Professional credits include: York Family Robinson, Humpty Dumpty, Dick Turpin, Sinbad the
Sailor, Cinderella, Aladdin, Sleeping Beauty, Mother Goose, Babes in the Wood and two
productions of Jack and the Beanstalk; York Theatre Royal. Some of his work on their legendary
pantomimes is now part of the Victoria and Albert museum theatre archive. Treasure Island;
Glasgow Pavilion [with comedian Brendan O’Carroll]; Aladdin, Jack and the Beanstalk and
Cinderella for QDOS Entertainment and two productions of Cinderella at Malvern and Sunderland
Empire for UK Productions. Everybody Loves Me; Criterion Theatre [Mercury Musicals].
Barnum; Birmingham Rep. Return to the Forbidden Planet; Birmingham Old Rep. Club
Tropicana, The Hot Mikado, Good News! and the revival of Peggy Sue Got Married; ARTSED
London. Feather Boy with new songs by Don Black; Brighton Market Hall.
Touring and regional theatre includes: Joseph, Fame and Sweeney Todd. Rob is Artistic Director
of Orbit Theatre, another of Cardiff’s long standing theatrical companies.
The Auditions
Before auditioning, please take a moment to consider the necessary level of commitment.
Take careful note of the rehearsal period and be honest about your availability within it.
Although the rehearsal process takes place over a number of weeks, consistent and punctual
attendance is essential
as we will be operating within a very tight schedule.
A high level of unavailability, persistent lateness and/or no-show will regrettably result in your
being asked to leave the production.
•
The auditions will be held on these dates:
Tuesday 7th February Media Point
5pm-10pm
Thursday 9th February
The Pottery
5pm-10pm
Monday 13th February Everyman Clubroom 5pm-10pm
Thursday 16th February
The Pottery
5pm-10pm (re-calls)
Spamalot - 2017
•
If you would like to audition but cannot attend on any of these days, please let us
know as soon as possible.
•
Please arrive 15mins before your audition slot and bring with you your completed audition
form with photograph attached. Spare audition forms will be available on the day.
•
When booking an audition slot, please refer to the character breakdown.
•
Prepare a song from any musical play of your choice. Please bring sheet music with
you. You may, of course, choose a song from Spamalot but you should still bring sheet
music in case there is a difference in the key you have selected and the score. You will be
discouraged from singing unaccompanied. If you wish to use a backing track – please let
us know beforehand.
•
You will also be asked to read scenes from the piece.
•
Not being recalled does not necessarily mean you are not being considered for a role.
•
Please note that attendance at the Festival Company Meeting on Sunday 7th May, 2pm is
expected for all cast.
To reserve your place at the audition, please email: [email protected]
We look forward to seeing you!
Everyman Theatre Cardiff Ltd.
Audition Form for
Spamalot
[2017]
To book your audition time please contact
Joanna Wakelin - email: [email protected]
Please put a
[current] photo
of yourself here!
Please write clearly and don’t forget to bring this form,
complete with photograph, to your audition!
Name……………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………..
Date of
audition……………………………………………………...................................Time……………………
…………….....
Spamalot - 2017
Address…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………..
Postcode……………………………………Email
address…………………………………………………………………………
Tel.no [home]…………………………………………….. [work/mobile]
……………………………………………………………
Age…………………………………..
Height………………………………………………
ANY SPECIAL SKILLS – eg, dancing, singing, juggling, musical instrument playing,
etc……………………………………...
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
...................................
Don’t keep secrets! Please state any and all commitments [family/work/holidays/other shows etc]
that may clash with the rehearsal period!
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………….
…….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE [continue overleaf if necessary]
……………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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Role(s) you are to auditioning
for…………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Song selected for
audition………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…...
Would you be prepared to accept other roles including ENSEMBLE? – yes/no
Are you already a member of Everyman Theatre? yes/no
PLEASE NOTE – everyone cast must become an Everyman member.
PLEASE DO NOT WRITE BELOW THIS LINE
NOTES:
Not cast/recalled/cast as…………………………………..……………………………………..written
acceptance rec’d yes/no
Spamalot - 2017