Camelot (musical)

Camelot is a 1960 musical play written by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederic Loewe. It is based on the King Arthur legend as adapted from the T. H. White novel The Once and Future King. The main conflict of the novel and the play is the affair between Arthur's wife, Guenevere, and his friend, Sir Lancelot. The show eventually ran on Broadway for 873 performances.

Roles and original cast

• King Arthur - Richard Burton
• Queen Guenevere - Julie Andrews
• Sir Lancelot - Robert Goulet
• Merlyn - David Hurst
• King Pellinore - Robert Coote
• Mordred - Roddy McDowall
• Sir Dinadan - John Cullum
• Morgan Le Fey - M'el Dowd
• Lady Catherine - Virginia Allen
• Nimue - Marjorie Smith
• Sir Lionel - Bruce Yarnell
• Sir Ozanna - Michael Kermoyan
• Sir Gwilliam - Jack Dabdoub
• Sir Sagramore - James Gannon
• Lady Anne - Christina Gillespie
• Squire Dap - Michael Clarke-Laurence
• Clarius - Richard Kuch
• Tom of Warwick - Robin Stewart

Background

In 1959, Alan Lerner and Moss Hart decided to adapt T. H. White's Once and Future King as their next project. Frederick Loewe, who had no interest in the project, agreed to write music, but he said to Lerner that if things went badly, it would be his last score.^{[citation needed]} After the tremendous success of My Fair Lady, expectations were high for a new Lerner and Loewe musical. However, the show's production met several obstacles. Lerner's wife left him during the writing process,^{[citation needed]} which caused a delay, and when the production began rehearsals, it still needed considerable work. However, the producers were able to secure a strong cast including Andrews, Burton and McDowall, as well as Robert Goulet in his first Broadway role. John Cullum's, also making his Broadway debut, later replaced McDowall during the Broadway run.

The show first played in Toronto, at the O'Keefe Theater. The opening night script was very long. Lerner later noted that "Only Tristan and Isolde equaled it as a bladder endurance contest."^{[citation needed]} The curtain came down at five minutes to one in the morning. The morning papers, though kind, hinted that the show needed much work in order to succeed. Lerner was hospitalized with a bleeding ulcer and had to withdraw from preparations for a time. Hart then suffered a heart attack, and Lerner stepped in as temporary director for the rest of the out of town run. Burton rehearsed the understudies. Camelot then moved to Boston, nearly an hour and a half shorter, but still running very long. Lerner and Loewe disagreed on what to do, as Loewe did not want to make any major changes without Hart's guidance.^{[citation needed]}

On December 3 1960, after two previews, the show opened on Broadway at the Majestic Theater. Guenevere's song "The Lusty Month of May" was given to Andrews at the last minute before the first New York preview, which provoked her famous quote, "Of course darling, but do try to get it to me the night before." The New York critics' reactions were mixed.[1] Finally, however, Hart was released from the hospital, and he and Lerner began cutting the play even further. Two songs, "Take me to the Fair" and "Fie on Goodness" were cut.

Fortunately for the show, Ed Sullivan approached Lerner and Loewe to create a segment for his TV show "Toast of the Town," celebrating the fifth anniversary of My Fair Lady. They decided to do very little from their previous hit and instead to perform four highlights from Camelot. The show stimulated ticket sales. It was also publicized, just after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, that the show's original cast recording had been favorite bedtime listening in the White House, and that Kennedy's favorite lines were in the final number (in which Arthur knights a young boy and tells him to pass on the story of Camelot to future generations):

Don't let it be forgot
That once there was a spot,
For one brief, shining moment
That was known as Camelot.

Since then, Camelot has been associated with the Kennedy administration.[2]

The obstacles encountered in producing Camelot were difficult on the creative partnership of Lerner and Loewe. Camelot was also Hart's last Broadway show. He died of a heart attack in California early in 1962.[3]

Subsequent productions

A U.S. tour followed the Broadway closing. The London production opened in August 1964 and featured Laurence Harvey as Arthur, Elizabeth Larner as Guenevere and Barry Kent as Lancelot. It played for 518 performances. The film version was made in 1967.

Richard Burton reprised his role as Arthur in a revival that ran during the summer of 1980 at the New York State Theatre at Lincoln Center. Christine Ebersole played Guenevere, and Richard Muenz was Lancelot.

The show was revived on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theater in November 1981 and broadcast on HBO a year later, starring Richard Harris as Arthur, Meg Bussert as Guenevere, and Richard Muenz as Lancelot. Harris, who had starred in the film, and Muenz also took the show on tour nationwide. Another Broadway revival played in 1987 with Robert Goulet cast in the role of Arthur. The show was revived again in June 1993.

Synopsis

Guenevere arrives in Camelot on a wintry morning to marry King Arthur and is greeted festively by the Court. Arthur, shy and nervous, hides in the nearby woods ("I Wonder What the King is Doing Tonight?"). Guenevere comes to the woods, uncertain about herself and her future ("Simple Joys of Maidenhood"). She stumbles into Arthur, who tells her about life in Camelot ("Camelot"), and then discloses his identity. They are each happily charmed by the other.

Arthur learns from Merlyn the wisdom of peace and brotherhood before the Wizard is fatefully drawn into the cave of Nimue for his eternal sleep ("Come to Me"), and is inspired to establish the Round Table. The news of this reaches young Lancelot in France, who is determined to come to Camelot and join Arthur's knights ("C'est Moi"). A May Day celebration takes place on the castle grounds ("The Lusty Month of May"), where Arthur introduces his wife to Lancelot. Guenevere takes an instant dislike to the cocky young man and instigates him to engage three knights of the Round Table in a jousting match ("Then You May Take Me to the Fair"). Arthur is dismayed by this and at a loss to understand a woman's way ("How to Handle a Woman").

In the jousting match Lancelot easily defeats all three knights, drawing the admiration of all, including Guenevere. Lancelot falls in love with the Queen and is torn by the conflict between this love and his devotion to Arthur. He asks permission to leave Camelot for foreign conquests. Returning two years later, Arthur makes him a Knight of the Round Table. Arthur is painfully aware of the feelings between Lancelot and Guenevere but remains silent to preserve the tranquility of Camelot. Lancelot reveals his feelings to Guenevere ("If Ever I Would Leave You"). Nevertheless, she remains faithful to Arthur, and helps him in carrying out the affairs of State ("What Do Simple Folks Do").

Mordred, Arthur's illegitimate son, comes to Camelot to dishonour the King and try to gain the throne for himself. He schemes with his sorceress-aunt, Morgan le Fey, to trap Arthur in a forest one night. During this night, Lancelot visits Guenevere in her chambers, where she reveals her love for him ("I Loved You Once in Silence"). Mordred and some of the Knights of the Round Table interrupt, accuse Lancelot of treachery, and imprison him. Lancelot escapes, but Guenevere is sentenced to burn. ("Guenevere") At the last moment, Lancelot rescues her and takes her off with him to France.

For the sake of his own honour and that of Camelot, Arthur must now wage war on France. Just before the final battle, he meets Lancelot and Guenevere, and forgives them both. In camp, Arthur meets a young stowaway who wants to join the Round Table. Arthur knights him on the field of battle and sends him back to England to grow up there and pass on to future generations the ideals of Camelot.

Musical numbers

• "I Wonder What the King Is Doing Tonight" (Arthur)
• "The Simple Joys of Maidenhood" (Guenevere)
• "Camelot" (Arthur and Guenevere)
• "Follow Me" (Nimue)
• "C'est Moi" (Lancelot)
• "The Lusty Month of May" (Guenevere and Company)
• "Then You May Take Me To the Fair" (Guenevere, Sir Lionel, Sir Sagramore, and Sir Dinadan)
• "How To Handle a Woman" (Arthur)
• "Before I Gaze at You Again" (Guenevere)
• "If Ever I Would Leave You" (Lancelot)
• "The Seven Deadly Virtues" (Mordred)
• "What Do the Simple Folk Do?" (Arthur and Guenevere)
• "Fie on Goodness!" (Knights)
• "The Persuasion" (Mordred and Morgan Le Fey)
• "I Loved You Once In Silence" (Guenevere)
• "Guenevere" (Company)
• "Camelot" reprise (King Arthur and Tom of Warwick)

Awards

1961 Tony Awards for:

• Best Actor in a Musical - Richard Burton (winner)
• Best Scenic Design (Musical) - Oliver Smith (winner)
• Best Costume Design (Musical) - Adrian, Tony Duquette (winner)
• Best Conductor and Musical Director - Franz Allers (winner)
• Best Actress in a Musical - Julie Andrews (nominee)

1961 Theatre World Award:

• Robert Goulet (winner)

References

• Summary, production, and licensing information at Tams-Witmark
• Camelot Audition Advice & Show Information from MusicalTheatreAudition.com
• Synopsis and profile of the show

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