Camelot comes to vibrant life once again with a new version of the classic tale, reimagined for the 21st century by Aaron Sorkin and Bartlett Sher. Based on The Once and Future King by T.H. White, Camelot is a story about the quest for democracy, striving for justice, and the tragic struggle between passion and aspiration, between lovers and kingdoms. This epic and timely tale features the iconic characters King Arthur, Queen Guenevere, and Sir Lancelot as well as the beloved original score with lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe.
Lacking songs to support them, Sorkin’s historical enhancements fall flat. Particularly unconvincing is his sidebar on the evolution of magic into science, with Merlyn (Dakin Matthews, excellent) now a sage, not a wizard, and Morgan (Marilee Talkington) some kind of chemist. (Let’s not even get into Mordred, the mortifying Plot Necessity played by Taylor Trensch.) Forced to maintain the Lerner framework, he can neither justify the romantic story on modern terms nor distract from it in ways that make musical sense.
Filling up all that empty space, however, are some of the American theater’s finest talents. Burnap and Soo are crisp conductors of Lerner and Loewe’s vocal score. Donica as Sir Lancelot is a revelation; Sher architects for him one of the sexiest Broadway entrances I’ve seen all year. Lancelot’s devout zeal for serving the king is complicated by his attraction to Guenevere, sparking a love triangle that earths the fantastical tale in the most human of impulses: desire, jealousy, lust. Lancelot, restrained by his allegiance to the throne, sings “If Ever I Would Leave You” — an aching aria of yearning — to Guenevere, conjuring a level of heat matched only by the balmy, 75-degree weather outside Lincoln Center’s doors. It helps that this song, and the remainder of them, is in the prodigious hands of music director/conductor Kimberly Grigsby and her 30-piece pit orchestra. Grigsby keeps firm control over the spritely percussive swells and thunderous drum rumbles driving the action of “Camelot” forward.
Digital Lottery:
Price: $39
Where: http://CamelotBwayLottery.com
When: Entries will be accepted online to available performances beginning at 12:01am EST the night before. Winners will be chosen at random and will be notified by email and text message by 10:00am for matinees and 3:00pm for evening performances on the day of the performance.
Limit: Two per customer
Information: Tickets are subject to availability.
| 1960 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
| 1963 | US Tour |
1st National Tour US Tour |
| 1963 | US Tour |
2nd National Tour US Tour |
| 1964 | West End |
London Production West End |
| 1980 | Broadway |
Broadway Revival Broadway |
| 1980 | US Tour |
National Tour US Tour |
| 1981 | Broadway |
Return Engagement [Broadway] Broadway |
| 1982 | US Tour |
National Tour US Tour |
| 1982 | West End |
London Revival West End |
| 1991 | Milburn, NJ (Regional) |
Paper Mill Production Milburn, NJ (Regional) |
| 1993 | Broadway |
Broadway Revival Broadway |
| 2003 | Milburn, NJ (Regional) |
Paper Mill Production Milburn, NJ (Regional) |
| 2003 | Regional (US) |
Regional Revival Regional (US) |
| 2004 | West End |
London Revival West End |
| 2005 | Regional (US) |
Regional Concert Regional (US) |
| 2007 | US Tour |
Touring Revival US Tour |
| 2018 | Washington, DC (Regional) |
Shakespeare Theatre Company Production Washington, DC (Regional) |
| 2023 | Broadway |
Lincoln Center Broadway Revival Production Broadway |
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Costume Design of a Musical | Jennifer Moeller |
| 2023 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Fight Choreography | B.H. Barry |
| 2023 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical | Andrew Burnap |
| 2023 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Scenic Design of a Musical | Michael Yeargan |
| 2023 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance Award | Phillipa Soo |
| 2023 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Direction of a Musical | Bartlett Sher |
| 2023 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Musical | Camelot |
| 2023 | Drama League Awards | Outstanding Revival of a Musical | Camelot |
| 2023 | Tony Awards | Best Costume Design of a Musical | Jennifer Moeller |
| 2023 | Tony Awards | Best Lighting Design of a Musical | Lap Chi Chu |
| 2023 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical | Jordan Donica |
| 2023 | Tony Awards | Best Revival of a Musical | Camelot |
| 2023 | Tony Awards | Best Scenic Design of a Musical | Michael Yeargan |
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