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Normally, Eric would write this sort of thing, but that was not to be. "What’s the point?", he said. "The print is so small nobody will ever read it". So the honor fell to me. As usual, he has a point, but I guess you must be reading it, so what does he know ? Let’s skip the bit where Eric conceives the whole idea of turning Holy Grail The Movie into a stage musical, gloss over the part where he toils ceaselessly on the first draft of the script and fast forward to January 2002 when he asked me if I’d be interested in a bit of (unpaid) songwriting.
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Decca Broadway proudly presents the Original Cast Recording of Monty Python’s SPAMALOT, based on the hit movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail, one of the best-loved and most-quoted-from comedy films of all time. Currently playing sold-out shows to packed houses at Broadway’s Shubert Theatre, SPAMALOT captures the distinct brand of Python humor that appeals to audiences of all ages.
Click here for more...
SPAMALOT tells the tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and their quest for the Holy Grail, with the aid of hilarious, highly choreographed production numbers. The show has more than a few lusty maidens, a gaggle of beautiful ladies in diaphanous gowns, a small army of dancing knights, and a killer rabbit.
Click here for more...
Click here...
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Normally, Eric would write this sort of thing, but that was not to be. "What’s the point?", he said. "The print is so small nobody will ever read it". So the honor fell to me. As usual, he has a point, but I guess you must be reading it, so what does he know ? Let’s skip the bit where Eric conceives the whole idea of turning Holy Grail The Movie into a stage musical, gloss over the part where he toils ceaselessly on the first draft of the script and fast forward to January 2002 when he asked me if I’d be interested in a bit of (unpaid) songwriting. We’ve been doing this for many years (the unpaid songwriting thing) so no surprises there. But this seemed different. I loved the title and who could turn down the chance to work on this legendary film material? And I love working with Eric. So I jumped on a plane to LA and we set straight to work. After two and a half weeks we had roughed out fourteen songs and we went into Larry Mah’s garage studio in Sylmar to start recording demos. More songs appeared in the studio and after another two and a half weeks of intensive work, we emerged exhausted but elated with the first draft of the Spamalot score.
Copies of the script and CD were quickly circulated to the other Pythons and we were encouraged by their favorable reactions, especially their enthusiasm for "The Song That Goes Like This". Over the next two years, while waiting for the show to go into production, we were able to review and refine the songs and add many more to the collection. This album represents the very best of that body of work. As is normal in the development of a Broadway musical, many fine songs have fallen by the wayside, but it still amazes me that more than half of the surviving cuts derive from that first five-week creative burst in 2002.
I would like to give special thanks to Michael Palin, John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Neil Innes and Eric himself for the original Python songs. To Glen Kelly, Larry Hochman, Todd Ellison, Casey Nicholaw and Mike Nichols for their astounding work in bringing this score to the Broadway stage, and to Bill Haber for his heroic support at all times. Thanks also to Chris Roberts and Brian Drutman of Decca Broadway, to Frank Filipetti for his exceptional work on this album and to our wonderful Cast and Orchestra. But most of all, I would like to thank Eric Idle for allowing me into his extraordinary world and for being the most generous and inspiring writing partner anyone could wish for. We all know that without him, there would be no Spamalot.
So from Eric and I, we hope you all enjoy this album and catch a small glimpse of the love and joy which went into its making.
John Du Prez. New York, 2005.
Click here for the Spamalot eCard, and listen to music from the show!
www.montypythonsspamalot.com
www.universalclassics.com
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Decca Broadway proudly presents the Original Cast Recording of Monty Python’s SPAMALOT, based on the hit movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail, one of the best-loved and most-quoted-from comedy films of all time. Currently playing sold-out shows to packed houses at Broadway’s Shubert Theatre, SPAMALOT captures the distinct brand of Python humor that appeals to audiences of all ages.
The show features three popular stars: David Hyde Pierce (Frasier) as Sir Robin, Tim Curry (The Rocky Horror Picture Show) as King Arthur, and Hank Azaria (The Simpsons) as Sir Lancelot.
Directed by legendary Oscar®, Tony® and Emmy® Award winner Mike Nichols (Closer, The Graduate, The Real Thing, HBO’s Angels in America), SPAMALOT was written by founding Python member Eric Idle. In addition to many new songs written by Idle and composer John Du Prez (A Fish Called Wanda, Monty Python and the Meaning of Life), fans will recognize the songs from the Holy Grail film as well as the classic Python tune “Always Look At The Bright Side Of Life”.
Monty Python's Spamalot won 3 Tony Awards in the following categories:
• Best Musical
• Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical (Sara Ramirez)
• Best Direction of a Musical (Mike Nichols)
www.montypythonsspamalot.com
www.universalclassics.com
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SPAMALOT tells the tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table and their quest for the Holy Grail, with the aid of hilarious, highly choreographed production numbers. The show has more than a few lusty maidens, a gaggle of beautiful ladies in diaphanous gowns, a small army of dancing knights, and a killer rabbit. You won't find this particular combination anywhere else on Broadway.
www.montypythonsspamalot.com
www.universalclassics.com
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1 Tuning
2 Overture
3 Historian's Introduction To Act I
4 Finland / Fisch Schlapping Dance
5 Monks Chant / He Is Not Dead Yet
6 Come With Me
7 Laker Girls Cheer
8 The Song That Goes Like This
9 He Is Not Dead Yet (Playoff)
10 All For One
11 Knights Of The Round Table / The Song That Goes Like This (Reprise)
12 Find Your Grail
13 Run Away!
14 The Intermission
15 Historian's Introduction To Act II
16 Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life
17 Brave Sir Robin
18 You Won't Succeed On Broadway
19 Diva's Lament (Whatever Happened To My Part?)
20 Where Are You?
21 His Name Is Lancelot
22 I’m All Alone
23 Twice In Every Show
24 Act II Finale
25 Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life (Company Bow)
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Historian, Not Dead Fred, French Guard, Minstrel, Prince Herbert CHRISTIAN BORLE
Mayor, Patsy, Guard 2 MICHAEL McGRATH
Sir Lancelot, The French Taunter, Knight of Ni, Tim the Enchanter HANK AZARIA
Sir Robin, Guard 1, Brother Maynard DAVID HYDE PIERCE
King Arthur TIM CURRY
The Lady of the Lake SARA RAMIREZ
Sir Dennis Galahad, The Black Knight, Prince Herbert’s Father CHRISTOPHER SIEBER
Dennis’ Mother, Sir Bedevere, Concorde STEVE ROSEN
Book & Lyrics Eric Idle
Music John Du Prez & Eric Idle
www.montypythonsspamalot.com
www.universalclassics.com
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