Monty Python’s Spamalot: School Edition

Full-length
(2.5 hrs)
Musical Comedy
1W, 6M, Ensemble
Best for Schools & Community theatres

Overview

Lovingly ripped off from the classic film comedy MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL, Monty Python’s 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 showgirls? The 2005 Broadway production won three Tony Awards®, including Best Musical, and was followed by two successful West End runs. The outrageous, uproarious, and gloriously entertaining story of King Arthur and the Lady of the Lake will delight audiences as they search for the Holy Grail and “always look on the bright side of life.”

SPAMALOT: School Edition is a slightly reworked version of the original Broadway script. The School Edition has been carefully edited, with additional director’s notes throughout, to make the show more producible for high school groups. In some cases problematic language has been changed, while in others an alternate choice is offered at the discretion of the director. The School Edition has been field tested at numerous high schools under the supervision of a teacher/director with forty years’ experience in educational theatre. Every effort has been made to provide more opportunities for female actors. Reference is made to this in both the characters list as well as in the director’s notes throughout the script.

Casting & Production

Casting

KING ARTHUR (Late 30s-60s.): The King of England who sets out on a quest to form the Knights of the Roundtable and find the Holy Grail. Great Humor. Good singer.

SIR ROBIN (30s-40s): 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.

SIR LANCELOT d/b/a LANCE (30s-40): A Knight of the Roundtable. He is fearless to a bloody fault, but through a twist of fate, does discover his ‘softer side.

PATSY (30s-40s): King Arthur’s horse and servant. Underappreciated but always longing for King Arthur’s approval. Good, funny, physical mover with some tap dancing.

SIR GALAHAD (30s): A Knight of the Roundtable. Begins as Dennis, a lower class ‘mud gatherer’ who becomes knighted and transforms into the dashing Sir Galahad. Strong bari/tenor singing required.

SIR BEDEVERE (20s-40s): A Knight of the Roundtable. An inept scholar. No solo singing.

THE LADY OF THE LAKE (20s-30s): 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.

*HISTORIAN: A tweedy academic. Must have excellent diction.

*NOT DEAD FRED: A sickly little fellow who, despite others’ beliefs, claims he is “not yet dead.”

*PRINCE HERBERT: The hopeful and frilly prince who loves to sing, and pines for his love atop a tower.

*Can be played by the same actor or different actors

THE VOICE OF GOD may be live or recorded. (Eric Idle’s GOD voiceover is provided on the TRW Production CD.)

ENSEMBLE: The ensemble/chorus also cover the following roles:

(These roles can all be played by female or male actors.)

MAYOR and FINLAND VILLAGERS

SINGING MONKS: Males can sing offstage with female monks onstage

SIR NOT APPEARING: DON QUIXOTE or any other well-known knight such as BATMAN the Dark Knight, a Jedi Knight, a Knight of Columbus, etc. (This character is a good opportunity for a cameo appearance by a beloved administrator, local official, etc.)

DENNIS GALAHAD’S MOTHER: a shrill peasant woman (often played by a large male actor as an homage to the original Python sketches.

THE DANCING MONK

THE DANCING NUN

THE FRENCH TAUNTER: an arrogant, condescending, over-the-top Frenchman

TWO FRENCH GUARDS: also arrogant, condescending, over-the-top Frenchman

ROBIN’S MINSTRELS: In Sir Robin’s band

THE KNIGHT OF NI: an absurd, cartoonish leader of a peculiar group of Knights

THE KNIGHTS OF NI: usually played by female actors

THE BLACK KNIGHT: who is always ready to duel despite multiple injuries.

PRINCE HERBERT’S FATHER: a wealthy, brutish Yorkshireman at odds with his sensitive son

GUARD 1: The lead guard

GUARD 2: A drunken, useless guard

CONCORDE: Sir Lancelot’s horse and servant

TIM THE ENCHANTER: a ghostly being with a Scottish accent.

SIR BORS: a knight who will confront the killer rabbit

Orchestral Information

14 Musicians

Piano/Conductor (Keyboard 1)

Keyboard 2 (Keyboard, Accordion)

Keyboard 3

Reed 1 (Piccolo, Flute, Clarinet, Alto Sax)

Reed 2 (Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Tenor Saxophone)

French Horn

Trumpet 1 (B-flat, Piccolo)

Trumpet 2

Trombone

Solo Violin

Guitar (Nylon, Steel, Electric (solid body & hollow body), Banjo, Ukulele)

Bass (Acoustic and Electric (5 string))

Drums

Percussion (Bass Drum, Bongos, Chimes, China Cymbal, Cowbell, Finger Cymbal, Glockenspiel, Maracas, Mark Tree, Piatti, Ratchet, Shaker, Siren, Spoons, Suspended Cymbal, Tabor Drum, Tambourine, Tambourine w/ Skin, Timpani, Triangle, Vibra Slap, Xylophone)

Optional Add On:
Broadway String Packet available! (Violins 1, 2 & 3, Violas and Cellos.) Contact one of our licensing representatives for details.
**The orchestration for the licensed version of MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT contains a reduction of the Broadway string parts which are played by Keyboard 2 and Keyboard 3. If you choose to order the Broadway String Packet for your performance, you can either use the live strings as a replacement for the KEYBOARD 3 part or alongside it to enhance the string sound in your orchestra. However, should you choose to use the strings as a replacement for Keyboard 3, be aware that Keyboard 2 remains essential. In addition, please be advised that the Broadway String Packet is an additional item and therefore, the Piano/Conductor book contains cues for the Keyboard 2 and Keyboard 3 parts, but not for the individual string parts.

Credits

Monty Python’s SPAMALOT

Book and Lyrics by ERIC IDLE

Music by JOHN DU PREZ and ERIC IDLE

A new musical lovingly ripped off from the motion picture Monty Python and the Holy Grail

From the original screenplay by Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin

Original Broadway Production produced by Boyett Ostar Productions, The Shubert Organization, Arielle Tepper Madover, Stephanie McClelland/Lawrence Horowitz, Elan V McAllister/Allan S. Gordon, Independent Presenters Network, Roy Furman, GRS Associates, Jam Theatricals, TGA Entertainment, and Clear Channel

Upcoming Productions

Dec 0507, 2024
Mentor College
Mississauga, ON
Jan 30Feb 01, 2025
Paideia School
Atlanta, GA
Feb 0608, 2025
Archbishop MacDonald High School
Edmonton, AB

View All Upcoming Productions

Resources

ShowReady - TRW Musicals
Stage Tracks - TRW Musicals
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Full Conductors Score - TRW Musicals