Elgin Community College’s Musical Theatre program has recently completed a vigorous two week production that showcased students’ ability to perform with vibrancy and free-speaking humor. The Chicago-bred, British musical “Monty Python’s Spamalot” has engendered international, and now local, audiences. With less than two months to practice the script, dance routines, and various characters, the versatile cast is probably still receiving love letters from gushing fans, for all their tenacious performances.

In two acts, the Blizzard Theatre became a classroom for audiences to absorb the history of England’s Middle Ages, and the formula behind Broadway hits. Topics covered by the cast includes plagues, pricey sets, and the political structure of peasants and high aristocracy. The storyline compares the social inconveniences of 932 A.D. with the culture 1,000 years later. The play is not only a window-less trip down memory lane; but it is also a reflection of systemic problems that continues to transpire from different generations.

The stage’s design is interactive and strategic, and decorates the stories’ humor. The charcoal-colored Stone Keep Castle’s gates are replaced for a simple garage door. Murderous swords are portrayed with neon light-sabers. And God’s stand-in is a pair of enormous, hovering, cardboard feet. By the climax, the show’s set reaches into the audience. As every performance, an unexpected ticket-payer was given the opportunity to join the cast onstage, and give the Knights ofthe Round Table their nouveau Holy Grail; played by a bleak participation trophy.

Both acts of “Spamalot” are introduced with a brief account of the period by the narrator, a daunting historian, played by Will Loftus. The story begins in Finland, after the chronicler is misinterpreted. After the mistake ishighlighted, the backdrop relocates itself from a sunny country-side, to a sickening, gloomy castle where a line of half-devoted monks smack themselves with religious texts.

King Arthur is performed by William Sherry, a veteran of the performing arts center at ECC, who carries the play with full-throttle energy. His creative experience fuses charm and charisma to accessorize his character’s personality and piece together the scattered cast. Sherry’s billowing voice deepens the numbers and stands out amongst the ensembles, as a king should.

The only female lead, Lady of the Lake, is performed by Kelley Calpin. She drives her performance with intrinsic pride and a natural-sense of character. Her voice throughout the bold number, “Whatever Happened to My Part,” would be courageous for some, but her illuminating vocals and bold attitude complements the play.

The knights do not stand as extras, they may be supporting roles, but each contributepersonalities that mirror the achievements and profound abilities of the real Monty Python. Sir Lancelot, played by Brett Baleskie, is a superb example of using versatility in comedy. He not only plays a coming-out knight, but Tim the Enchanter, and the flatulent French Taunter, as well. His humor is physical, and he utilizes his facial expressions to liven the characters.

The versatile cast, apart from two leads, had on average three characters to fulfill. But do so with no exhaustion, and each still retained clear transitions. To accomplish this, the cast is dressed well for the times, as encrusted mud stains their clothing and teeth, and illiteracy fills their dialogue.

This year, the Blizzard Theater has patented a new style of musicals for the future of ECC. The production was a giant leap for Director and Choreographer, Konnie Kay, and Musical Director, John G. Slawson. Together, they united a production team of 33 people, an orchestra of 23, and a cast of 68 to create a prolific and fruitful performance, and atmosphere.

“I love that feeling, that thought,” Kay said. “It’s a piece of art that we all did the brushstrokes on.”

Photos by L. Lagoni and J.Shaw

Spamalot cast including: Sir Lancelot played by Brett Baleskie, King Arthur played by William Sherry, and the Lady of the Lake played by Kelly Calpin performed Feb. 20-28 in the Blizzard Theater of Elgin Community College