Contra Costa Civic Theatre Announces The Cast Of CAMELOT

A brand-new version of a timeless legend takes the stage September 9 through October 9 as Contra Costa Civic Theatre (CCCT) presents Lerner and Loewe's royal masterpiece, Camelot. Winner of four Tony awards in its original production, CCCT's production features an eight-person ensemble cast in the iconic tale of Arthur and his Knights, and the ill-fated romance between Lancelot and Guenevere.

The beloved original songs are all there: "If Ever I Would Leave You," "What Do the Simple Folk Do?," "The Lusty Month of May," and the title song. The press opening is Friday, September 9 at 7:30; the production runs Saturdays and Sundays through October 9. Tickets are available online at https://ccct.org, or by calling (510) 524-9012.

Freshly reimagined as a "play-within-a-play", a band of eight traveling Revelers brings us the famous tale of the Knights of the Round Table and the love triangle that destroyed it. In CCCT's production, the seven men and one woman are portrayed by one man and seven women: Ariel Anderson (he/him) as Arthur, Brenna Sammon (she/her) as Guenevere, and Collette Roberto (she/they) as Lancelot, with Meagan Marie (she/her) as Mordred, Jamie Strube (she/her) as Sir Dinadan, Adria Swan (she/her) as Sir Sagramore, Lily Jackson (she/her) as Sir Lionel, and Melanie Kibbler (she/her) as Tom. Ms. Roberto previously appeared at CCCT in 2019's Bright Star; the rest of the company are making their CCCT debuts in this production.

The Camelot creative team includes Diana Trotter (director), Armando Fox (music director), John Butterfield (choreographer), Ralph Hoy (costume designer), Devon LaBelle (props designer), Erich Blazeski (lighting designer), and Daniel "Techno" DeBono (sound designer).

"There's a beautiful quote from Indian filmmaker Shekhar Kapur where he says, "the stories we tell ourselves are the stories that define the potentialities of our existence." says director Diana Trotter. "I love that this small-cast version of Camelot features a band of youthful storytellers who re-enact the tale of King Arthur and the founding of The Round Table. The young Arthur's idealistic vision of a Utopian society built on justice, kindness, and integrity feels both relevant and necessary to our current moment. As does the reminder that these Utopian visions, grounded as they are on human frailty, cannot last. Yet we go on telling the stories, creating and recreating our visions of what could be. Arthur's Round Table does not survive, but the stories do. The image and therefore the possibility of Utopia lives on in the stories we tell. And in continuing to tell them we inspire ourselves to keep imagining, keep hoping, keep striving, keep on."

Diana Trotter is best known to CCCT audiences for her critically-acclaimed production of Christopher Durang's Vanya, Sonia, Masha, and Spike. She is a Seattle-based director, teacher, actor, and coach, who is equally at home directing contemporary drama, Shakespeare, and musical theatre. Formerly Head of the Acting Program at Whitworth University, Diana now has a private coaching practice, serves as the acting coach for Viva Vocalists, and has taught master classes for Seattle Youth Opera, Village Theatre Kidstage, and the University of Washington.

Armando Fox is excited to be back at CCCT after serving as Music Director for In the Heights in the "before times." He's served as Music Director for dozens of Bay Area shows, including Altarena Playhouse's recent production of La Cage Aux Folles and Custom Made Theatre's Chess (BATCC winner, Music Direction & Best Overall), Next to Normal (BATCC finalist, Music Direction), and Assassins (TBA Top Ten, All Bay Area). He enjoys playing actual 80s vintage synthesizers in the 80s cover band Disposable Pop, currently on COVID hiatus. As far as he knows, he's the author of the best book on music direction written by a computer scientist (pianoconductor.com) and the best book on software engineering written by a music director (saasbook.info). In his day job, he is an award-winning computer science professor at UC Berkeley.

John Butterfield founded New Urban Dance Company (NUDC) to foster the development of new and original dance/theatre works. NUDC performed and produced for 14 years with a roster of 12 to 14 dancers. During this time, John also staged two full length contemporary ballets, as well as choreographed and danced for other companies including Company Chaddick, Dance through Time, ODC, Lis Fain, Nesting Dolls, the New York Baroque Ballet, CCMT, and Willows Theatre. John graduated with his Masters in Directing for Theatre with a joint degree from Toi Whakaari/Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand, and has worked with The National School of Dance, Aiden Theatre, A Slightly Isolated Dog, and the National School of Drama Toi Whakaari. He continues to work both in the U.S. and New Zealand. John is making his company debut with this production.

Tickets for Camelot range from $10-$40, and are available on the theatre's website at ccct.org. All performances take place in-person at the theatre, 951 Pomona Ave (cross street Moeser) in El Cerrito. Free parking is available in the adjoining lot and on the street. COVID protocols for attending the in-person performances are updated regularly and are available on the theatre's website at www.ccct.org/safety.

Celebrating its 63rd season in 2022-23, Contra Costa Civic Theatre (CCCT) embraces the notion that theatre is a vital part of a healthy community and serves its citizens best when it provides a welcoming home for all people who value the power of storytelling. Established in 1959 by Louis and Bettianne Flynn and a group of dedicated volunteers and under the artistic direction of Marilyn Langbehn for the past ten years, CCCT is proud to provide entertainment and education to the El Cerrito and East Bay communities that help it to thrive.