Sean Bell is one fast talker. Which makes him perfect to do the patter song \u201cYou Won\u2019t Succeed on Broadway,\u201d in Monty Python\u2019s Spamalot, now on a North American tour on its way to Theatre Under the Stars at the Hobby Center.<\/p>\n
Spamalot tells the story of knights on a quest with the usual complete silliness, clever lines and lack of reverence shown off in the British sketch comedy show \u00a0Monty Python\u2019s Flying Circus. The musical is based on the 1975 Monty Python and the Holy Grail movie. The Tony Award-winning musical has music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle with book and lyrics by Idle.<\/p>\n
King Arthur and his faithful companion Patsy are looking for good candidates for his Knights of the Round Table who will undertake a quest and fight French soldiers. Their adventures are all over the place and come complete with flying cows and an evil rabbit.<\/p>\n
Sir Robin isn\u2019t quite in line with the Holy Grail goal. He describes his character as \u201cperhaps the least brave of all of King Arthur\u2019s knights. But he has a lot of heart and he\u2019s going on a journey to figure out what he most wants in life.\u201d \u00a0Instead of taking up lance and sword as knights are expected to do, what he really wants is a way to become a star on Broadway, specifically to do musical theater.<\/p>\n
Acting in Spamalot and being Robin delights Bell to no end. He grew up watching Flying Circus sketches and believes \u00a0Spamalot \u00a0is a \u201cwell-crafted comedy \u00a0that stands the test of time.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201cIt allows itself to be updated quite a bit because there\u2019s \u00a0a lot of improv and certain jokes that can be adjusted and changed for modern audiences and that\u2019s exactly what we\u2019ve done in this production.\u201d Of all the characters, Lancelot gets the most opportunity to adlib on stage, Bell says.<\/p>\n
In addition to performing his Broadway song, the show requires Bell to dance while he\u2019s singing it. He\u2019s a little nervous about the tour stop in the higher altitudes of Denver; he often finds himself out of breath at the end of the fast-paced song as it is.<\/p>\n
Bell says he\u2019s been surprised by all the audience members, especially youngsters, who know all the words to the script and songs. \u00a0\u201cWe\u2019ll have people say lines with us or respond to the Knights of Ni. They already know what\u2019s coming before we say it. I was surprised there were so many younger Python fans and Spamalot fans. \u201c<\/p>\n
Bell grew up in New Jersey \u00a0and began doing community theater at a young age. He watched a lot of movie musicals and listened to a lot of cast albums growing up. He went to the American Musical and Dramatic Academy and finished his BFA at The New School, both in New York City.<\/p>\n
He says his parents are creative people but not theater artists. Although \u201cI just recently learned that my great grandmother was a vaudeville performer of some note. So it\u2019s in my blood.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bell says he likes musical theater for bringing together three of his favorite things: music, storytelling\u00a0 and dance. \u201cI think it\u2019s one of the most accessible art forms.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe all know it\u2019s tough times right now in the world. One of the things I keep hearing at the stage door from people who have seen the show is \u201cOh my God, I needed that laugh. I needed something fun and light and silly. And this is exactly what the doctor ordered.\u201d<\/p>\n
Performances are scheduled for April 15 \u2013 26 at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and Sundays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays at the Hobby Center, 800 Bagby. For more information, call 713-558-8887 or visit tuts.org. $46-$169.<\/p>\n
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