The legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Roundtable is one of the most well-known legends in history.
But a group of young local thespians are giving it a laugh-laden upgrade.
In “Spamalot,” audiences get to follow King Arthur as he gathers his knights in search of the Holy Grail, befriends the Lady of the Lake, encounters the Knights Who Say “Ni!” and suffers the indignities of the French taunters.
“It’s essentially a parody of the Arthurian legends, where King Arthur goes through this mythical and wonderful and often very crazy and non-sensical version of Camelot. He’s looking for the Holy Grail, but really he finds so much more than that,” said Virginia Sever, director of the production.
Agape Theater Company, a youth theater troupe based on the southside of Indianapolis, is staging the family-friendly musical “Spamalot — Young@Part” as part of this year’s IndyFringe Festival. Originally spawned from the minds behind Monty Python, the Broadway musical has been adapted into an hour-long version bringing all of the guffaws and goofiness of the original with jokes best for kids and adults alike.
After premiering Thursday, the performance runs Sunday, Tuesday and Aug. 24 at District Theatre in downtown Indianapolis.
“It’s a chance to sit down, relax and have a laugh. This world is stressed out, and honestly we all need some time to sit back and laugh,” said Johnny Gaiffe, who plays King Arthur in the show.
“Spamalot” continues Agape Theater Company’s participation in the IndyFringe Festival, an annual celebration of independent artistry featuring a collection of the most off-the-wall, quirky yet thought-provoking performances local theater has to offer.
“The Fringe gives people who don’t do this professionally the chance to just explore and play,” Sever said. “It really celebrates the diversity of attitudes and stories in our city, bringing our community together in a really accessible way.”
Agape, which was founded in Greenwood to provide more opportunities for young actors on the southside, was initially accepted to be part of the festival in 2020, though the pandemic forced that year’s event to be cancelled. The troupe made its debut in 2021 with “Narnia” and returned in 2022 with “Sing Down the Moon: Appalachian Wonder Tales.”
For this year’s festival, Agape decided to flex their comedic chops with “Spamalot.”
The 60-minute, youth-focused performance is taken from the Broadway musical, which itself was adapted from the beloved film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.”
“In addition to being a fun comedy-musical, it’s also a show about achieving your goals with the help of people beside you,” Sever said. “Especially in a comedy, it’s really easy for the heart of the show to get lost. But we’re really trying not to do that.”
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The entire cast the show consists of young actors playing the various parts, from Arthur to Lancelot to the Laker Girls dance ensemble. As such, certain aspects of the original musical needed to be toned down. For example, a scene in Camelot featuring the Knights of the Round Table is shifted from a Las Vegas-style number to a just a scene of people having fun.
“We tried to work around some of the more adult references, just to make it more appropriate for kids to be in but still push their boundaries as actors,” Sever said.
But pulling the performance together has been invigorating for those involved.
“It’s been a blast working with the kids and the cast, seeing them get excited about and grow in their characters — really it’s been wonderful,” said Jake Hobbs, assistant director of the show.
Gaiffe, Ben Frederick and Harmony Quinn have all been part of Agape Theater Company shows in the past and wanted to join what sounded like a fun production.
For Frederick, it was a chance to be part of a cultural phenomenon.
“‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’ is one of my all-time favorite stupid movies, and after listening to the music of ‘Spamalot’, I knew I had to do this show,” said Frederick, who plays Patsy in the production.
Gaiffe also felt the cultural connection to the source material, which has made for a unique experience putting the show together.
“For me, it’s been surreal. This was something that’s been watched in my house for years, and I’ve always heard it quoted growing up. Doing it, it’s hard to believe,” he said.
Harmony Quinn, on the other hand, was unfamiliar with Monty Python and the cult following of the film. But after a friend asked her to, she watched the show and decided it was an opportunity she wanted to take.
“It looked really cool,” said Quinn, who plays the Lady of the Lake. ”And there were a lot of people who I’ve worked with the past and enjoy working with were part of it.”
Rehearsals have been ongoing throughout the summer, but all involved are ready for “Spamalot” to step into the spotlight.
“It’s a silly musical, and I mean that in a good way. But I hope people can drag the overall message of friendship and community and coming together to achieve a common task,” Hobbs said. “And I just hope they have a lot of fun, and it encourages people to see more theater and to be a part of theater.”
IF YOU GO
“Spamalot — Young@Part”
What: A youth-centric adaptation of the hit Broadway musical “Spamalot,” which itself was based on the classic film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.”
Who: Agape Theater Company, an organization dedicated to providing acting opportunities for young people on the southside.
When: 2 p.m. Sunday, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and 11 a.m. Aug. 24
Where: District Theatre, 627 Massachusetts Ave., Indianapolis
Cost: $22 for adults, $16 for students
Information and tickets: indyfringe.org/performance/2024-fringe-spamalot
