Richard Chamberlain News

The record breaking National Tour of Monty Python's SPAMALOT, the Tony Award-winning Best Musical, will close in Costa Mesa CA on October 18th. The musical's tour will have played 1408 performances over 101 separate engagements throughout North America, to an audience estimated at nearly 3.6 million people.

The theater community kicked off The Fantasticks 50th anniversary year with an early curtain of the show (7PM) and a post-performance cocktail reception at The Snapple Center on Monday May 4th.

Tonight the theater community will kick off The Fantasticks 50th anniversary year with an early curtain of the show (7PM) and a post-performance cocktail reception at The Snapple Center with performances by Daphne Rubin-Vega (Rent, Anna in the Tropics, Jack Goes Boating), Rita Gardner (original 1960 production of The Fantasticks, The Cradle Will Rock, The Wedding Singer), Orfeh (Legally Blonde, Footloose), Aaron Lazar (The Light in the Piazza, A Tale of Two Cities, Les Miserables), GrooveLily (Striking 12) and Jill Paice (Curtains, The Woman in White). In addition, The Office of New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg will offer a special proclamation declaring Fantasticks Day in New York City.

The Fantasticks, the world's longest-running musical, will kick off its 50th Anniversary Year with a two-day celebration featuring a reunion of 50 years' worth of cast members and performances by some of the theater industry's biggest names.

The performers are a who's who of the best of Key West. David Black is comfortable moving between musical theater, comedy and drama, as reflected in his many appearances on Key West stages. This season he appeared at the Waterfront in the highly praised 'Doubt' as well as 'Reefer Madness' and 'The Red Head Dilemma.' Laurie Breakwell appeared this season in the Key West Pops concert of 'A Little Night Music' and 'The Wild Women of Planet Wongo' at the Red Barn. Last season she appeared in the Barn's 'Bark!' as well as the Pops' 'The Pajama Game.'

The Fantasticks, the world's longest-running musical, will kick off its 50th Anniversary Year with a two-day celebration featuring a reunion of 50 years' worth of cast members and performances by some of the theater industry's biggest names.

The Associated Press reported the happy news that more than 3,000 theatergoers have helped actor Richard Chamberlain ring in his 75th birthday. Fans cheered Chamberlain Tuesday during the opening night of 'Spamalot' at the Palace Theater in Cleveland.

After pulling off the most difficult feat of appealing to both diehard Monty Python fans and newcomers to the British humorists, Monty Pythons Spamalot enjoyed a healthy and audience-pleasing run on The Great White Way before closing earlier this year. The touring version of the show is not dead yet, however, and arrived last night at Cleveland's Palace Theatre for an eight-show engagement.

RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN reigns as King in the National Tour of Monty Python?s SPAMALOT . Richard Chamberlain wears the crown of King Arthur when he takes the stage at PlayhouseSquare, part of The U.S. Bank Star Performance Series for a one week engagement March 31 through April 5, 2009.

RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN will wear the crown of King Arthur when he takes the Atlanta stage March 17 - 22 in Monty Python's SPAMALOT at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, presented by the new Atlanta Broadway Series. Chamberlain became a household name overnight in 1961 when he played the title role of Dr. Kildare, a part he played for five years. Over the last two decades, Chamberlain has starred in six of the most acclaimed mini-series: 'Shogun,' 'Wallenberg,' 'The Thornbirds,' 'The Bourne Identity,' 'Dreamwest,' and 'Centennial.' 'Shogun' earned Chamberlain a Golden Globe Award as Best Actor, as well as an Emmy nomination. He received another Golden Globe Award, Emmy nomination, and a People's Choice Award for his work in 'The Thornbirds.'

The producers of Blithe Spirit are pleased to announce the show will play The Shubert Theatre (225 West 44th Street). Rehearsals are scheduled to begin Monday, January 26, 2009 with the first performance on Thursday, February 26, 2009.

Laura Benanti will guest star tonight on 'Life on Mars', ABC 10 pm EST as rock sensation Sebastian Grace. The episode is titled, 'Home Is Where You Hang Your Holster'.

RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN will wear the crown of King Arthur when he takes the Atlanta stage March 17 - 22 in Monty Python's SPAMALOT at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, presented by the new Atlanta Broadway Series. Chamberlain became a household name overnight in 1961 when he played the title role of Dr. Kildare, a part he played for five years. Over the last two decades, Chamberlain has starred in six of the most acclaimed mini-series: 'Shogun,' 'Wallenberg,' 'The Thornbirds,' 'The Bourne Identity,' 'Dreamwest,' and 'Centennial.' 'Shogun' earned Chamberlain a Golden Globe Award as Best Actor, as well as an Emmy nomination. He received another Golden Globe Award, Emmy nomination, and a People's Choice Award for his work in 'The Thornbirds.'

RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN reigns as King in the National Tour of Monty Python?s SPAMALOT . Richard Chamberlain wears the crown of King Arthur when he takes the stage at PlayhouseSquare, part of The U.S. Bank Star Performance Series for a one week engagement March 31 through April 5, 2009.

The Tony and Grammy Award winning Monty Python's Spamalot returns to Detroit's Fisher Theatre with Richard Chamberlain reigning as King Arthur for a limited two-week engagement February 3 - 15, 2009.

The producers of the upcoming Broadway revival of Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit are pleased to welcome SUSAN LOUISE O'CONNOR in the role of 'Edith'.

Broadway In Chicago is proud to present the Tony Award-winning Best Musical of 2005, Monty Python's SPAMALOT, at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University. Starring Richard Chamberlain as King Arthur, Monty Python's SPAMALOT will run for a limited engagement January 20 to February 1, 2009.

Richard Chamberlain will wear the crown of King Arthur when he takes the stage on Tuesday January 20th, 2009 in Chicago and will perform role for a limited time.

South Coast Repertory today announced the cast and creative team for Michael Frayn's ingenious comedic masterpiece, Noises Off. Directed by Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award winner Art Manke, Noises Off will run from Feb. 6 through March 8 on the Segerstrom Stage. Low-priced previews are available from Feb. 6 through Feb. 12. Opening night is Feb. 13. Press night is Saturday, Feb. 14 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets to Noises Off may be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or in person at the SCR box office. Noises Off follows the on-and off-stage antics of an inept acting troupe as they stumble from bumbling dress rehearsal to disastrous closing night. Everything that can go wrong does, as actors desperately try to hang on to their lines, their performances and the furniture. Add a slippery plate of sardines and many slamming doors, and you have the most hilarious backstage farce ever written. Art Manke received his fifth Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for directing SCR's West Coast premiere of Bach at Leipzig in 2006. Other work with SCR includes last season's Taking Steps, the world premiere musical version of The Wind in the Willows and choreography for numerous productions. Elsewhere in Southern California, Manke has directed The Constant Wife, Private Lives and the American premiere of Noel Coward's Star Quality for Pasadena Playhouse and the world premiere of The Ice-Breaker at Laguna Playhouse. Manke was a co-founder and artistic director (1991-2001) of A Noise Within where he directed the works of Shakespeare, Moli?re, Wilde, Coward and Sophocles. Other credits include work with Denver Center Theatre Company, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Seattle Repertory Theatre, Mark Taper Forum, Old Globe Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, American Players Theatre, among others. The cast features Nancy Bell (Belinda Blair), Bill Brochtrup (Garry Lejeune), Kandis Chappell (Dotty Otley), Winslow Corbett (Poppy Norton-Taylor), Kaleo Griffith (Lloyd Dallas), Brian Hostenske (Tim Allgood), Timothy Landfield (Frederick Fellows), Jennifer Lyon (Brooke Ashton) and Nick Ullett (Selsdon Mowbray). The creative team for Noises Off includes John Iacvelli (Set Design), Angela Balogh Calin (Costume Design), York Kennedy (Lighting Design), Vincent Olivieri (Sound Design), Ken Merckx (Movement Consultant), David Newell (Dialect Coach), Linda Sullivan Baity (Dramaturg) and Jamie Tucker (Stage Manager). Dee and Larry Higby are the Honorary Producers of Noises Off. OC Metro is the Media Partner. Associated events taking place during the run of Noises Off include: POST-SHOW DISCUSSIONS Wednesday, Feb. 18 & Tuesday, Feb. 24 Discuss the play with members of the Noises Off cast during free post-show discussions led by South Coast Repertory's literary team after the 7:30 p.m. performances on Feb. 18 and Feb. 24. INSIDE THE SEASON: Noises Off Saturday, Feb. 21, 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. $12 Inside the Season is a series of interactive classes that provide a comprehensive inside look at the theatrical production process. Each two-hour class is led by School and Community Programs Director Linda Sullivan Baity and features creative personnel from South Coast Repertory's current production. Tickets are $12 each and can be purchased by calling the Box Office at (714) 708-5555. (Tickets to Noises Off are sold separately.) TICKETS to Noises Off can be purchased online at www.scr.org, by phone at (714) 708-5555 or by visiting the box office at 655 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa. Performances begin on Feb. 6 and continue through March 8. Ticket prices range from $20 to $64. Low-priced preview performances are available from Feb. 6 to Feb. 12. Performance times: Previews: Friday, Feb. 6 and Saturday, Feb. 7 at 8:00 p.m.; Sunday, Feb. 8, Tuesday, Feb. 10 and Wednesday, Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m.; and Thursday, Feb. 12 at 8:00pm. Regular Performances: Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at 7:30 p.m.; Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m.; and Sunday evenings at 7:30 p.m. Discounts are available for full-time students, patrons 25 years of age and under, educators, seniors and groups of 15 or more. There will be a 'Pay-What-You-Will' performance on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 2:30 p.m. ($10 Minimum) and an ASL-interpreted performance on Saturday, March 7 at 2:30 p.m.

You won?t fail with Lawry?s The Prime Rib (100 E. Ontario St.) when they offer a Monty Python?s SPAMALOT Dinner-Theatre Package on Sunday, February 1.