NORTH SHORE MUSIC THEATRE
  • Home
  • SHOWS
    • SUBSCRIBE 2023
    • BEAUTIFUL: The Carole King Musical
    • THE SOUND OF MUSIC
    • ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE
    • THE FULL MONTY
    • ELVIS: A Musical Revolution
    • A CHRISTMAS CAROL 2023
    • CONCERTS & EVENTS
    • KIDS SHOWS
    • ROMEO AND JULIET
    • SCHOOL SHOWS
    • Out at the North Shore
  • BUY ONLINE
  • AUDITIONS
  • BOX OFFICE
    • HOURS & INFO
    • TICKET & PACKAGE INFO >
      • SINGLE TICKET PRICES
      • 5-SHOW SUBSCRIPTIONS
      • 3-SHOW TRIO PACKAGE
      • VIP UPGRADES
    • GROUP TICKETS (10+)
    • ACCESSIBILITY
    • TICKET DONATION REQUEST
    • DIRECTIONS
    • SEATING
    • GIFT CERTIFICATES
    • PROMOTIONS
    • EMAIL CLUB
    • 2023 BROCHURES
  • EDUCATION
    • OVERVIEW
    • ADULTS
    • AUDITION WORKSHOP
    • KIDS & TEENS
    • SUMMER INTENSIVES
    • FAQ
  • FOOD
    • CONCESSIONS & BAR
    • GARDEN BISTRO GRILL
  • ABOUT
    • ABOUT NSMT >
      • Land Acknowledgement
    • WHO'S WHO
    • PRESS
    • CORPORATE PARTNERS
    • EMPLOYMENT
    • AUDITIONS 2023 >
      • NYC AUDITIONS
      • LOCAL AUDITIONS
    • HISTORY OF NSMT
    • PAST MUSICALS >
      • 2016 SEASON >
        • FUNNY GIRL
        • MARY POPPINS
        • SINGIN' IN THE RAIN
        • SPAMALOT
        • WEST SIDE STORY
        • A CHRISTMAS CAROL '16
      • 2017 SEASON >
        • THE MUSIC MAN
        • Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
        • YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
        • EVITA
        • 42ND STREET
        • A CHRISTMAS CAROL '17
      • 2018 SEASON >
        • MAME
        • PETER PAN
        • MAMMA MIA!
        • JEKYLL & HYDE
        • HAIRSPRAY
        • A CHRISTMAS CAROL '18
      • 2019 SEASON >
        • OKLAHOMA!
        • Disney's FREAKY FRIDAY
        • JERSEY BOYS
        • SUNSET BOULEVARD
        • THE BODYGUARD
        • A CHRISTMAS CAROL '19
      • 2021 SEASON >
        • MAMMA MIA! - 2021 ENCORE
        • A CHRISTMAS CAROL - 30th ANNUAL PRODUCTION
      • 2022 SEASON >
        • SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE
        • Rodgers + Hammerstein's CINDERELLA
        • BUDDY - THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY
        • LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
        • KINKY BOOTS
        • A CHRISTMAS CAROL - 31st Annual Production
    • PAST CONCERTS
  • CONTACT
    • CONTACT NSMT
    • CONTACT BILL HANNEY DIRECTLY
Picture
Act I
 
The play begins with a historian giving a brief overview of medieval England. An idyllic Scandinavian village appears, with gaily dressed Finnish villagers singing and dancing to the "Fisch Schlapping Song." The Historian returns, irritated, and tells them he said "England", not Finland. The villagers disperse and the pastoral forest is immediately replaced by a dreary, dark village with penitent monks in hooded robes chanting Latin prayers and hitting themselves in the face with wooden boards. King Arthur travels the land with his servant Patsy ("King Arthur's Song"), trying to recruit Knights of the Round Table to join him in Camelot and his quest for the Holy Grail. He encounters various strange people, including a pair of sentries who are more interested in debating whether two swallows could successfully carry a coconut than in guarding their castles. Sir Robin and Sir Lancelot meet as they attempt to dispose of the sickly Not Dead Fred ("He Is Not Dead Yet"). They agree to become Knights of the Round Table together.
 
Meanwhile, Arthur attempts to convince a peasant named Dennis Galahad that he (Arthur) is king of England because the Lady of the Lake gave him Excalibur, the sword given only to the man fit to rule England. However, Dennis and his mother, Mrs. Galahad, are political radicals and deny that any king who has not been elected by the people has any legitimate right to rule over them. To settle the issue, Arthur has the Lady of the Lake and her Laker Girls appear to turn Dennis into a knight ("Come With Me"). Cheered on by the girls ("Laker Girls Cheer"), the Lady of the Lake turns Dennis into Sir Galahad and together, they sing a generic Broadway love song ("The Song That Goes Like This"). Together, with Sir Bedevere and Sir Not-Appearing-In-This-Show (a knight resembling Don Quixote who promptly apologizes and then leaves), they make up the Knights of the Round Table ("All for One").
 
The five knights gather in Camelot, a deliberately anachronistic place resembling Las Vegas's Camelot-inspired Excalibur resort, complete with showgirls and oversized dice ("Knights of the Round Table" / "The Song That Goes Like This (Reprise)"). In the midst of their revelry, they are contacted by God (voiced by John Cleese) who tells them to locate the Holy Grail. Urged on by the Lady of the Lake ("Find Your Grail"), the Knights set off. They are viciously taunted by lewd French soldiers at a castle they come to, and attempt to retaliate by sending them a large wooden rabbit in the style of the Trojan Horse; however, they realize after the fact that it was not as simple as leaving the rabbit and walking away - they were supposed to be inside of it. Defeated, they leave in a hurry when the French begin throwing various barnyard animals - including cows - at them ("Run Away").

Act II
 
Sir Robin and his minstrels follow King Arthur and Patsy into a "dark and very expensive forest" where they are separated. King Arthur meets the Knights who say Ni, who demand a shrubbery. King Arthur despairs of finding one, but Patsy cheers him up ("Always Look on the Bright Side of Life") and they find a shrubbery shortly after. The Knights accept it, but next demand that King Arthur put on a musical and bring it to Broadway.
 
The Black Knight appears but King Arthur more or less defeats him by cutting off both his arms and legs, impaling his still-alive torso on a door, and leaving to find Sir Robin. Sir Robin, after wandering the forest for some time ("Brave Sir Robin"), finds King Arthur and insists that it would be impossible for them to accomplish this next task ("You Won't Succeed on Broadway"). King Arthur and Patsy promptly set off in search of Jews. While the Lady of the Lake laments her lack of stage time ("The Diva's Lament"), Sir Lancelot receives a letter from what he assumes is a young damsel in distress. He is a little surprised to find that the damsel is actually an effeminate young man named Herbert ("Where Are You?" / "Here Are You") whose overbearing, music-hating father, the king, is forcing him into an arranged marriage. Lancelot advocates for Herbert after the king returns, and Lancelot is outed as a homosexual in the process ("His Name Is Lancelot").
 
King Arthur begins to give up hope of ever putting on the Broadway musical and laments that he is alone, even though Patsy has been with him the entire time ("I'm All Alone"). The Lady of the Lake appears and tells Arthur that he and the Knights have been in a Broadway musical all along. All that's left is for King Arthur to find the Grail and marry someone. After picking up on some not-too-subtle hints, Arthur decides to marry the Lady of the Lake after he finds the Grail ("Twice In Every Show").
 
Reunited with his Knights, Arthur meets Tim the Enchanter who warns them of the danger of an evil rabbit. When the rabbit bites a knight's head off, Arthur uses the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch against it, knocking down a nearby hill and revealing that the "evil rabbit" was actually a puppet controlled by a surprised puppeteer. A large stone block showing a combination of letters and numbers is also revealed. After pondering the final clue, Arthur admits that they're "a bit stumped with the clue thing" and asks God to "give them a hand". The grail is "found"; Arthur marries the Lady of the Lake (who reveals that her name is Guinevere); Lancelot marries Herbert; and Sir Robin decides to pursue a career in musical theatre ("Act 2 Finale/ Always Look on the Bright Side of Life (Company Bow)").


Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
MASK POLICY: North Shore Music Theatre has lifted the indoor mask mandate for all of the upcoming scheduled shows - however masks are still strongly encouraged for the safety of our casts, staff, and audiences. North Shore Music Theatre reserves the right to change this policy at anytime should COVID protocols need to be put back into place or by artists request. Any changes in entry requirements will be provided on individual event pages as well as outlined in pre-show communications.
Picture
Picture

​VISIT ALL THREE OF BILL HANNEY'S ENTERTAINMENT DESTINATIONS!

Picture
Picture
Picture
© 2023 NORTH SHORE MUSIC THEATRE  |  54 Dunham Road, Beverly, MA 01915
   PHONE: 978.232.7200   |  FAX: 978.232.9999  |   EMAIL:  northshoremusictheatre@nsmt.org  | Privacy Policy
All photos © Paul Lyden except where otherwise noted.

  • Home
  • SHOWS
    • SUBSCRIBE 2023
    • BEAUTIFUL: The Carole King Musical
    • THE SOUND OF MUSIC
    • ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE
    • THE FULL MONTY
    • ELVIS: A Musical Revolution
    • A CHRISTMAS CAROL 2023
    • CONCERTS & EVENTS
    • KIDS SHOWS
    • ROMEO AND JULIET
    • SCHOOL SHOWS
    • Out at the North Shore
  • BUY ONLINE
  • AUDITIONS
  • BOX OFFICE
    • HOURS & INFO
    • TICKET & PACKAGE INFO >
      • SINGLE TICKET PRICES
      • 5-SHOW SUBSCRIPTIONS
      • 3-SHOW TRIO PACKAGE
      • VIP UPGRADES
    • GROUP TICKETS (10+)
    • ACCESSIBILITY
    • TICKET DONATION REQUEST
    • DIRECTIONS
    • SEATING
    • GIFT CERTIFICATES
    • PROMOTIONS
    • EMAIL CLUB
    • 2023 BROCHURES
  • EDUCATION
    • OVERVIEW
    • ADULTS
    • AUDITION WORKSHOP
    • KIDS & TEENS
    • SUMMER INTENSIVES
    • FAQ
  • FOOD
    • CONCESSIONS & BAR
    • GARDEN BISTRO GRILL
  • ABOUT
    • ABOUT NSMT >
      • Land Acknowledgement
    • WHO'S WHO
    • PRESS
    • CORPORATE PARTNERS
    • EMPLOYMENT
    • AUDITIONS 2023 >
      • NYC AUDITIONS
      • LOCAL AUDITIONS
    • HISTORY OF NSMT
    • PAST MUSICALS >
      • 2016 SEASON >
        • FUNNY GIRL
        • MARY POPPINS
        • SINGIN' IN THE RAIN
        • SPAMALOT
        • WEST SIDE STORY
        • A CHRISTMAS CAROL '16
      • 2017 SEASON >
        • THE MUSIC MAN
        • Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
        • YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
        • EVITA
        • 42ND STREET
        • A CHRISTMAS CAROL '17
      • 2018 SEASON >
        • MAME
        • PETER PAN
        • MAMMA MIA!
        • JEKYLL & HYDE
        • HAIRSPRAY
        • A CHRISTMAS CAROL '18
      • 2019 SEASON >
        • OKLAHOMA!
        • Disney's FREAKY FRIDAY
        • JERSEY BOYS
        • SUNSET BOULEVARD
        • THE BODYGUARD
        • A CHRISTMAS CAROL '19
      • 2021 SEASON >
        • MAMMA MIA! - 2021 ENCORE
        • A CHRISTMAS CAROL - 30th ANNUAL PRODUCTION
      • 2022 SEASON >
        • SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE
        • Rodgers + Hammerstein's CINDERELLA
        • BUDDY - THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY
        • LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
        • KINKY BOOTS
        • A CHRISTMAS CAROL - 31st Annual Production
    • PAST CONCERTS
  • CONTACT
    • CONTACT NSMT
    • CONTACT BILL HANNEY DIRECTLY