Condit: Camelot: Fresh Take on King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table

Thursday, May 07, 2015

Lisa Condit, GoLocalWorcester MINDSETTER™

When you take a talented cast and transform them into knights in armor, beautiful women in sumptuous gowns and illuminate them in gorgeous lighting, it’s going to be a winning combination. When you add in an award-winning score and Tony-Award winning music using authentic instruments, then you start to understand how the audience is transported back to medieval times. Combine these impressive elements with a production that highlights each character’s conflicts in one of the most famous love triangles of all time, and now we start to understand how this story of passion, pageantry, and betrayal is even more captivating in Lerner & Loewe’s Camelot, sponsored by Commerce Bank, this weekend at The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts.

I have been looking forward to this production coming to Worcester since it was announced last spring. If you’re like me, you can’t help but be caught up in the medieval fever that the Worcester Art Museum started here in central New England with their new exhibits of arms and armor. When I had the privilege to speak with Tim Rogan, who plays the role of Lancelot, for Behind the Scenes with The Hanover Theatre, he talked at length about the authenticity in the instrumentation as well as the aesthetic of the show, as two distinguishing features that set this production apart from what most expect to see on stage. (You can listen to the interview on our blog.) Tim also gave us a warning to really prepare ourselves to be completely blown away by the last 20 minutes of the show. He said that many people have told him that the way the story is told in this production is incredible, and we’ll really understand the complexity and validity of each of the main character’s conflicting motives.

It is also exciting that there will be two young men, Alex Hill of Worcester and Brayden Moore of Milford, who will play the role of Tom of Warwick. Tom of Warwick is the character at the end of this tale of chivalry and deception. It is rewarding that the theatre was able to offer the opportunity for boys to audition for this role, and it is a great opportunity for Alex and Brayden to participate in a national Broadway tour while it plays here in Worcester. Activities like this help the theatre fulfill its mission to foster a love and appreciation for the performing arts in audiences of today and tomorrow. It’s thrilling to be able to share the magic of live theatre with people of all ages, and Camelot is a perfect way to enjoy a day or night out on the town with friends, family, and business associates this weekend.

Full price tickets for Camelot start at just $38, but there are discounts for members, groups, corporate partners, and WOO Card holders. Like the theatre’s Facebook page for additional promotions for this and other upcoming events. Enhanced audio description is available during the Sunday matinee, courtesy of Audio Journal. Contact them at 508.797.1117 or email [email protected] for more information. In addition, there are a limited number of seats that will be help for American Sign Language interpreting services for the Sunday evening performance. Requests must be made before the end of the day on Friday by calling the box office at 877.571.SHOW (7469).