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The beginning of the 21st century was a good moment for comedy on Broadway. Mel Brooks' stage adaptation of his film "The Producers" was Broadway's biggest hit, having won a history-making 12 Tony Awards. British comedy group Monty Python-member Eric Idle wisely saw that the time was ripe to bring one of their beloved properties, "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" to the stage as well. When the other members didn't agree, Idle set to making it happen solo. Soon thereafter, Spamalot was born.
Monty Python's Spamalot premiered at Chicago's Shubert Theatre Dec. 21, 2004, moving to Broadway's Shubert Theatre just a few months later. Idle provided the book and lyrics, collaborating with composer John Du Prez on the music. Mike Nichols directed the production, his first Broadway directing gig in over 10 years, and walked away with a 2005 Tony Award. The show was a hit; it ran until early 2009, for 1,575 performances. Following its Broadway run, productions of the show played Las Vegas, US and UK national tours, the West End, Austalia, New Zealand, Spain and many other countries all around the world.
Ten years after its Broadway premiere, Spamalot is poised to make an all-star return to the stage in California at the Hollywood Bowl. Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Kevin Chamberlin, Christian Slater and even Idle himself will take the stage. It's the perfect moment to look back at the equally-all-star original Broadway cast and check in on what they're up to today. Where are they now?
Scott Taylor (Ensemble and Dance Captain)
Scott Taylor began his career as a Broadway dancer during the original run of Cats. After performing and serving as dance captain in several subsequent Broadway shows, Taylor graduated to assistant choreographer for Thou Shalt Not. Spamalot proved to be the last of his Broadway performing gigs, but not the end of his Broadway career; he served as associate choreographer on the most-recent revivals of A Little Night Music and On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. He's currently the associate director on Aladdin.
John Bolton (Swing)
John Bolton is a frequent Broadway character actor; Spamalot was his fifth Broadway show. He stood by for most of the male leading roles and played King Arthur full-time during one of Tim Curry's vacations as well. After Spamalot, Bolton appeared on Broadway as Daryl Grady in Curtains. He created the role of The Old Man (Ralphie's father) in Benj Pasek and Justin Paul's A Christmas Story and played it on Broadway in 2012. Regionally, he portrayed funny man Frank Schultz in San Francisco's production of Show Boat, a production that was recently released on DVD and Blu-ray. Theatregoers will soon be able to see him back on Broadway in Dames at Sea, scheduled to begin performances this September. Bolton will be playing The Captain and Hennesey.
Sara Ramirez (The Lady of the Lake)
Sara Ramirez won both Outer Critics Circle and Tony Awards for her hilarious Spamalot performance as The Lady of the Lake. Her songs, especially "Find Your Grail," "The Song That Goes Like This" and "The Diva's Lament" were among the score's most popular, primarily due to her hysterical renditions of them. Ramirez unfortunately hasn't been on Broadway since Spamalot; soon after leaving the production she was whisked to Hollywood to join the cast of "'Grey's Anatomy." Playing the role of Dr. Callie Torres, Ramirez has been on the show for all of its nearly 10-year run. With no end for the show in sight, it looks like Sara Ramirez fans will have to stay tuned to their televisions for the moment.
Michael McGrath (Patsy/Mayor/Guard 2)
Another of Broadway's favorite character actors, Michael McGrath earned a Tony nomination for his performance in Spamalot and has been a fixture of Broadway frequently ever since. He's appeared in Is He Dead?, Memphis, Born Yesterday, Nice Work If You Can Get It and this season's On the Twentieth Century. For his performance as Cookie McGee in Nice Work If You Can Get It, McGrath won a 2012 Tony Award. McGrath will be back on Broadway before you know it; he's was recently announced to return in Roundabout Theatre Company's upcoming revival of She Loves Me in the role of Sipos.
Christopher Sieber (The Black Knight/Sir Dennis Galahad/Prince Herbert's Father)
Christopher Sieber also received a Best Featured Actor Tony nomination for his performance in Spamalot, solidifying his place as a true Broadway star. After departing Spamalot, Sieber created the role of the diminutive Lord Farquaad in Shrek the Musical, earning his second Tony Award nomination. He was a replacement Georges in the most-recent revival of La Cage Aux Folles, and soon thereafter played Billy Flynn in Chicago. After replacing Terrence Mann as Charles in Pippin, Sieber returned to the Shubert Theatre to take on the role of Miss Trunchbull in Matilda the Musical, where he can currently be seen terrorizing British children 8 times a week.
Hank Azaria (Sir Lancalot/Tim the Enchanter/The French Taunter/Knight of Ni)
Film and TV star Hank Azaria, probably best known as the voice behind countless beloved "Simpsons" characters (including Moe, Apu, Chief Wiggum and the Comic Book Guy), made his Broadway debut in Spamalot, earning a Best Actor Tony nomination and winning a Theatre World award for his performance. After departing the production, Azaria returned to his film and television career. "The Simpsons" has continued and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon, but Azaria has found time for several big movies as well, including "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian," "The Smurfs," "The Smurfs 2" and "Lovelace." He did return to Broadway shortly after his time with Spamalot, appearing as David Sarnoff in The Farnsworth Invention in 2007. Currently, he is continuing voice work on "The Simpsons" and filming "Oppenheimer Strategies," a new thriller film starring Richard Gere and Michael Sheen.
Tim Curry (King Arthur)
Tim Curry is one of the rare brand of performers whose career has effortlessly jumped between stage, TV and film. He made his Broadway debut as Frank 'N' Furter in The Rocky Horror Show, a role he'd already played in London and on the big screen in the cult-classic film adaptation. He received a Best Actor Tony nomination for his performance in Spamalot, which to date is his last Broadway appearance. Following Spamalot, he worked quite a bit as a voice actor, lending his distinctive vocal qualities several animated TV shows, including "Young Justice," "Transformers: Rescue Bots" and "Me, Eloise." Unfortunately, Curry suffered a stroke in July of 2012 which has limited his public appearances and acting work, but he continues to work as a voice actor, appearing as recently as 2014 in "Star Wars: The Clone Wars."
David Hyde Pierce (Sir Robin/Brother Maynard/Guard 1)
After some early Broadway performances, David Hyde Pierce went to Hollywood to become a big TV star. He portrayed Niles Crane on the longrunning sitcom "Frasier," for which he won four Emmy Awards. After "Frasier" ended its 11-season run, Pierce made a triumphant return to Broadway in Spamalot, earning a Drama Desk Award nomination for his performance. He has remained a frequent presence on Broadway ever since. He won a Best Actor Tony Award for his performance as Lieutenant Frank Cioffi in Curtains, and received an additional Tony nomination for his performance as Vanya in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. Recently, he has entered the world of stage direction, helming It Shoulda Been You both for its premiere at the George Street Playhouse in New Jersey and on Broadway.
Christian Borle (Minstrel/Historian/Prince Herbert/French Guard/Not Dead Fred)
Though it's hard to believe now, Christian Borle was not a beloved star when he was cast in Spamalot. His turn in the Monty Python musical turned out to be his breakout performance, and his star has been on the rise ever since. Shortly after his time with Spamalot, Borle created the role of Emmett in Legally Blonde, for which he received his first Tony Award nomination. Following a stint as Bert in Mary Poppins, Borle portrayed composer (and ultimately director) Tom Levitt in the short-lived but much-loved TV show "Smash." While on hiatus between the two seasons of "Smash," Borle created the role of the hilariously diabolical Black Stache in Peter and the Starcatcher on Broadway, winning a Tony Award for his performance. Back on TV, Borle played Max in NBC's "The Sound of Music Live!" and Mr. Smee in "Peter Pan Live!" Currently, Borle is appearing as a very narcissistic William Shakespeare in Something Rotten! Borle won his second Tony Award for this performance.
(Logan Culwell is a musical theatre historian, Playbill's manager of research and curator of Playbill Vault. Please visit LoganCulwell.com.)
