Camelot in Concert Comes to the Granada
S.B. Symphony Accompanies Sparse Retelling of the Classic
In 1960, Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe took the Broadway world by storm with the debut of their musical Camelot, which tells the classic story of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. The tale follows Arthur as he struggles to maintain order and justice in his kingdom in the face of betrayal, chaos, and the threat of total destruction. The musical was a huge success and went on to win four Tonys. The soundtrack also reigned at the top of the album charts for more than a year, fueled by songs like “If Ever I Would Leave You,” “I Wonder What the King Is Doing Tonight,” and “I Loved You Once in Silence.”
These remarkable achievements have given the play life well beyond its original run, resulting in more than 50 years of rewrites and revivals. This week the musical returns to the stage again, albeit in a slightly tweaked format, as Camelot in Concert at the Granada Theatre.
Camelot in Concert is a semi-staged version of the musical, and significantly stripped down, much like the famous Les Misérables anniversary concerts. For this production, the role of King Arthur will be played by Tony Award–winning actor Robert Sean Leonard, who has had a long and successful career both on stage and in film and TV. Brandi Burkhardt will be playing Queen Guenevere, while Michael Campayno, who was most recently seen playing Rolf in the televised production of NBC’s The Sound of Music, will portray Lancelot. The production will feature the musical assistance of the Santa Barbara Symphony under the direction of James Moore, and features Marcia Milgrom Dodge as stage director, who was previously nominated for a Tony for her work in the 2009 Broadway musical Ragtime. In short, this is a history-rich, world-class, talent-filled production, and it’s sure to make for a memorable trip to the theater.
Camelot in Concert comes to the Granada Theatre (1214 State St.) on Saturday, June 21, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, June 22, at 3 p.m. Call (805) 899-2222 or visit granadasb.org for tickets and info.
