Drew Lachey & Stephen Collins Join Spamalot on Broadway

[stagescreen]

Posted: 6/2/08 at 6:47pm

BROADWAY’S SPAMALOT TO CROWN NEW KING ARTHUR
(NEW PATSY TO ENTER ROYAL COCONUT TRAINING ACADEMY)

STEPHEN COLLINS & DREW LACHEY
TO JOIN THE FUNNIEST MUSICAL IN THE WORLD
MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT

“SEVENTH HEAVEN” AND “DANCING WITH THE STARS” ALUMS
TO JOIN BROADWAY CAST STARTING TUESDAY, JUNE 24

Monty Python’s SPAMALOT will welcome Emmy nominee Stephen Collins (“Seventh Heaven,” Because I Said So) and Grammyâ nominee Drew Lachey (“Dancing With The Stars,” the band 98 Degrees) to Broadway’s Shubert Theatre (225 West 44th Street) starting Tuesday, June 24.

Collins, who is best known to television audiences as Rev. Eric Camden in the long-running WB/CW hit series “Seventh Heaven,” will assume the role of King Arthur. Lachey, who rose to fame as a member of the popular band 98 Degrees and was the second season champion of ABC’s top-rated reality competition series “Dancing With The Stars,” will take over the role of Patsy, Arthur’s trusted manservant.

MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT, the Tony Award winning musical lovingly ripped-off from the internationally famous comedy team’s most popular motion picture, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, is the funniest musical in the world with smash productions currently playing on Broadway, in London’s West End, in Las Vegas, and on tour throughout North America.

SPAMALOT won the 2005 Tony Award for Best Musical, the 2005 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical, and the 2005 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Musical.

SPAMALOT features a book and lyrics by Eric Idle, music by John Du Prez and Eric Idle, direction by Mike Nichols, choreography by Casey Nicholaw and is based on the screenplay of Monty Python and the Holy Grail by Monty Python creators Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin, with an entirely new score with two songs from the 1975 film and the Python classic “Always Look On The Bright Side of Life” from 1979’s The Life of Brian.

In addition, to the Tony Award for Best Musical, SPAMALOT received the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical (Mike Nichols) and Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Sara Ramirez).

In addition to the myriad legitimate theatrical awards with which SPAMALOT has been honored, it also holds The Guinness World Recordä for “World’s Largest Coconut Orchestra” which was set on April 23, 2007 when 5,567 fans gathered in Trafalgar Square and accompanied original Python members Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam to “Always Look On The Bright Side of Life.”

Telling the legendary tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, and their quest for the Holy Grail, SPAMALOT features a chorus line of dancing divas and knights, flatulent Frenchmen, a killer rabbit and one legless knight.

Monty Python’s SPAMALOT is produced by Ostar Boyett Productions, The Shubert Organization, Arielle Tepper, Stephanie McClelland/Lawrence Horowitz, Elan V. McAllister/Allan S. Gordon, Independent Presenters Network, Roy Furman, GRS Associates, Jam Theatricals, TGA Entertainment, and Live Nation.

The set and costume design for SPAMALOT is by Tony® Award-winner Tim Hatley, with lighting design by Hugh Vanstone and sound design by ACME Sound Partners. The musical director/vocal arranger is Todd Ellison. Others on the creative and production teams include Gregory Meeh (Special Effects Design), Todd Ellison (Musical Director), Larry Hochman (Orchestrations), Glen Kelly (Music Arrangements), Michael Keller (Musical Coordinator), Peter Lawrence and B.T. McNicholl (Associate Directors), Tara Rubin (Casting), and Gene O’Donovan (Production Manager).

MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT had its world premiere at Chicago’s Shubert Theatre playing five sold out weeks (December 21, 2004 – January 23, 2005). SPAMALOT began previews at New York’s Shubert Theatre on February 14, 2005 and opened on March 17, 2005.

The Grammy Award-winning Original Broadway cast recording of MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT is currently available on Decca Broadway.

MONTY PYTHON’S SPAMALOT ticket info: Tickets are $111.25, $86.25, $76.25, $36.25 Telecharge 212 239 6200 or www.telecharge.com. PLAYING SCHEDULE: Tuesday-Saturday at 8 PM, Saturday matinee at 2 PM, and Sunday at 2 PM and 7 PM.


BIOGRAPHIES

STEPHEN COLLINS (King Arthur). Emmy-nominated actor Stephen Collins is one of Hollywood’s busiest talents, moving effortlessly between television, film and theatre. On the big screen Collins most recently appeared in Warner Brother’s Pictures Because I Said So opposite Diane Keaton. Prior to that he was seen in Ed Zwick’s Blood Diamond. Collins starred for ll seasons as Eric Camden in the CW’s hit series “7th Heaven.” He took his love of acting in front of the camera to behind it to direct 3 of “7th Heaven’s” highest-rated episodes. Other series Collins starred in include “Tattingers,” “Working it Out” and “Tales of the Gold Monkey.” Memorable mini-series include “The Two Mrs. Grenvilles,” in which he starred opposite Ann-Margret and earned an Emmy nomination, “A Woman Named Jackie” in which he played J.F.K., and has starred in over 15 television movies. His numerous feature film credits include The First Wives Club, Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Brewster’s Millions, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, The Promise, and the classic All the President’s Men. He co-starred with his wife, actress Faye Grant, in the feature film Drive Me Crazy. No stranger to the stage, Collins appeared opposite Blythe Danner in Noel Coward’s Tonight at 8:30 at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. He has also starred in the original Broadway productions of Michael Weller’s Moonchildren, Terrence McNally’s The Ritz, Christopher Durang’s Beyond Therapy, and A.R. Gurney’s The Old Boy. He performed in the New York Shakespeare Festival in Macbeth opposite Christopher Walken, and was directed by Joseph Papp in Twelfth Night. Collins also directed a successful regional production of The Old Boy. Also an accomplished writer, his play Super Sunday was produced at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Collins’ first novel, Eye Contact was a national best seller and his second, Double Exposure, published in 1998, is now out in paperback. His short story, Water Hazard, was published by New Millennium Books. Collins also released his first album, the self-titled Stephen Collins featuring beloved classics as: “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” “Crazy,” and “Fools Rush In.” Stephen Collins is being distributed by Gold Label.Collins lives with his wife and daughter in Los Angeles.


DREW LACHEY (Patsy) Drew Lachey made his Broadway debut in Rent in 2004. He is best known as a member of the pop group 98 Degrees which he joined with his brother Nick in 1995; after four successful albums, the band decided to take a break. He is a past winner of ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” and was most recently seen as the host of ABC’s hit shows “Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann” and “Dancing with the Stars."

Updated On: 6/2/08 at 06:47 PM

[Zeitoujo]

Posted: 6/2/08 at 6:48pm

oh god....

[broadwayboy101]

Posted: 6/2/08 at 6:50pm

wait...seriously?

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/2/08 at 6:51pm

link?

[SNLMedia]

Posted: 6/2/08 at 6:51pm

Damn, why can't it be Jeff Timmons?

[stagescreen]

Posted: 6/2/08 at 6:52pm

ljay, I just got the press release emailed from Boneau Bryan Brown...it hasn't hit Playbill or anyone else yet.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 6/2/08 at 6:57pm

OMG! Is this a joke? I used to be totally in love with Drew. Not anymore though. I just can't see him as Patsy. It just doesn't seem right. Stephen Collins as King Arthur seems to be a total joke too. I think I would pay to see them be a total train wreak, but I could be wrong. The show is amazing and I hope this casting doesn't ruin it.

And yes, I do know of some fanatical women who will all be going to see the show now just because of Drew. I'll admit, I want to see the show again because I loved it that much, but I think this casting is just calling out train wreak.

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 6/2/08 at 7:00pm

Wow, they're shameless. If it's time for it to close, at least let it go with dignity.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/2/08 at 7:08pm

Stephen Collins! That is EXCELLENT casting.

[44th street]

Posted: 6/2/08 at 7:13pm

I think I just threw up in my mouth

[insertclevernamehere]

Posted: 6/2/08 at 7:15pm

No. No no no...

[suicidalmickeymouse]

Posted: 6/2/08 at 7:17pm

WTF??????????????????

*DREW*???????

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 6/2/08 at 7:17pm

Drew Lachey? Who's producing this show, the Weisslers?

[elphabelle07]

Posted: 6/2/08 at 7:19pm

BLECH!!

[Rotel1026]

Posted: 6/2/08 at 7:21pm

So Spamalot is the new Chicago?

[Marianne2]

Posted: 6/2/08 at 7:21pm

Seriously, am I drunk or is this really happening? Oh wait, I see it at the top of the page in news now. Something tells me I want to drink all 8 wine coolers, in a row, that I bought today. And it's just not enough alcohol to get over this.

[Dre2387]

Posted: 6/2/08 at 7:22pm

hey, i think Drew could pull it off. And Stephen. I would love to see them in the show.

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/2/08 at 7:24pm

I'm sorry. But the Weisslers are STILL the best at stunt casting. The producers of Hairspray, Rent, Spamalot, and now Grease cannot come close to stunt casting like the Weisslers.

[gilliane]

Posted: 6/2/08 at 7:24pm

I saw Drew Lachey in Rent and he was surprisingly good, but I just can't see him as Patsy at all. Especially not after David Hibbard, who is just amazing in the role. Stephen Collins always reminded me a little of Peter Davison who played King Arthur in London, so that might be interesting if he can do the accent, but I'm not really convinced.

Isn't Hannah Waddingham supposed to be leaving soon as well? Not sure this news bodes well for Spamalot at all.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 6/2/08 at 7:30pm

Like I said, Drew's wonderful fanbase of like 40 year old women will be there. I'm not joking either. Like I said, I use to be a fan of his, and I'm only 23. I went to a couple of 98 Degrees concerts, obviously watched for their videos on MTV, listened to their music, but that was the extent for me. I also liked him on Dancing with the Stars, but because I thought he was the best dancer in his season. These women are like stalkers, and anything that has to do with him, no matter how bad, they support him. Too bad the 98 Degrees message board is down now because I can't show you all now how insane these women are.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 6/2/08 at 7:40pm

And my parents want to see this soon too...oh well, better give them a chance.

[Dollypop]

Posted: 6/2/08 at 7:55pm

Stephen Collins as Arthur? I didn't know the king was sexier than Lancelot!

[adamgreer]

Posted: 6/2/08 at 7:57pm

"Isn't Hannah Waddingham supposed to be leaving soon as well? Not sure this news bodes well for Spamalot at all."

She leaves at the end of the summer, to be replaced in September by the more than capable Merle Dandridge.

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 6/2/08 at 7:58pm

OMG! I hope Lucy and Happy come to the opening!!

Now the theme song is in my head... I'm sure the Mom will cry at the opening... Lord knows she did in every episode.

[tazber]

Posted: 6/2/08 at 8:00pm

I love Drew. I think he'll do a great job.
Collins I'm not so sure about.