'Definitely a laugh-out-loud comedy:' Bucyrus Little Theatre's 'Spamalot' opens Friday

Cherí Laughbaum predicts tickets for the Bucyrus Little Theatre's production of "Monty Python's Spamalot" will sell out early.

"'Spamalot' is hilarious," said Laughbaum, the production's director. "If you know anything about Monty Python, it's pretty much an adaption of 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' — with music. It's a little naughty, a little bit bawdy. Not so much naughty as bawdy, as Monty Python is."

It's the first time Laughbaum has directed a show for the company.

"I've been directing for about 20 years, mostly in Galion, and I directed the plays and musicals at the high school in Galion," she said. She has performed at BLT in the past — "but I think my last show was like 25 years ago."

A friend of hers had appeared in a show at the Bucyrus theater, and then she heard they were planning a production of "The Addams Family," which she had enjoyed directing at the high school.

"And I thought, 'You know what, that would be kind of fun.' So I auditioned for Grandmama and got it, and just remembered how much fun it was," Laughbaum said. "And the atmosphere there is just so welcoming and so nice, so I kind of got conned into directing there. Nicely, of course. They've just been anything I need, they're just like, 'Yep, we'll get it for you, no problem.'"

Producing "Spamalot" was her idea, she said — her husband had appeared in a Crawford Theatre Company production a few years ago, "and it was such a funny show that I can remember laughing so hard at that." She proposed it to the theater's board, and they agreed.

'Absolutely fabulous cast'

"We've got an absolutely fabulous cast doing a fabulous job," Laughbaum said. "It's about King Arthur, and he is going around to get knights for his round table. He makes a pit stop in Camelot, which looks a lot like Vegas, and goes on the quest that God gives him to find the grail. They finally find the grail, and he ends up getting married to the Lady of the Lake, whose real name is Guinevere.

"But it's very funny. ... If you're not paying attention, you're going to miss the jokes. It's very funny."

The show, set primarily in medieval England with a nod to modern-day, is both costume-heavy and prop-heavy, she said. The way it's written, most of the 17 cast members play more than one part. Except for the king, the cast members have between two and six costume changes. There's also a backstage crew of four, plus four people doing lights and sound.

"This is my first experience directing at Bucyrus and they have just been fabulous," Laughbaum said. "I'm used to doing a lot of stuff myself, and they've taken a lot of that over. We had a couple of folks doing lighting design ... And my husband actually designed the set, and then they built it. He is 3-D printing a lot of our props and helmets, too, for the show."

Tickets for 'Spamalot' are available online

"Monty Python's Spamalot" will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the theater, 130 Songer St. Additional performances are planned next weekend at the same times. Tickets, $15 for adults and $10 for students, are available through the website, bucyruslittletheatre.com, or on the Facebook page.

"I would do it quick, because this is going to be a show that will sell out very quickly," she said.

It's "not really" a family production. "There's some humor that's a little bawdy — think Mel Brooks kind of naughty," Laughbaum said, adding none of the content is shocking.

"Now, my grandson is 6. I would take him, because the humor would go right over his head. And he's seen a lot of the shows I do anyway."

Laughbaum said she's particularly pleased with how well the cast members fit their parts.

"Jason Chandler, who plays King Arthur, was absolutely perfect," she said. "The gentleman playing Bedevere, Lee Sterling, is hilarious. He cracks me up constantly. It's a very funny, hold-your-sides-laughing, kind of show. ...

"It's definitely a laugh-out-loud comedy; if you want a feel-good show where you're going to leave going 'Oh my gosh, that's awesome,' this is the show to do it. But again, not really family friendly because it is a little naughty."

ggoble@gannett.com

419-559-7263

This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Bucyrus Little Theatre's 'Monty Python's Spamalot' opens this weekend