Theater Review: Camelot

                             Cast of "Camelot"
                 

There are ordinary plays and musicals and big downtown shows. I go to all and like most of them.

But then there’s “Camelot,” the Lerner and Loewe musical based on T. H. White’s novel “The Once and Future King,” originally staged in 1958 by Moss Hart. 

“Camelot” is like no other show in offering not only terrific songs, but an amusing and delightful story about those long-ago days of knights and their ladies, along with a serious consideration of democracy, justice and romance and the struggle between democracy and aspiration.

North Coast Repertory Theatre offers a splendid rendition of “Camelot” through June 30, replete with terrific singing actors who can even dance.

King Arthur, played by Jered McLenigan, is a king who doesn’t really want the job and tends to spend more time hiding in or behind a tree. One day he happens to see Guenevere (wonderfully played by Lauren Weinberg), who has been named the new queen and has come to meet her soon-to-be spouse. She and Arthur hit it off and they will eventually get together.

Then there’s Lancelot du Lac (Brian Krinsky), a handsome stranger who will eventually fall for Guenevere and create more political problems. 

“Camelot” is a long, complex story that can be done with varying numbers of cast members. Never mind who’s doing what to whom, the importance of this particular show is the excellence of the actors, who do justice to both the script and the fabulous Lerner & Loewe score.

McLenigan’s Arthur is adorable as the don’t-want-to-be king, who nonetheless likes Weinberg’s terrific Guenevere and enjoys hanging out with her. So he concocts a different future for them, inventing a new group for the knights, who will now sit at a more democratic round table and come up with positive things to do.

Of course, there’s the not-so-nice Mordred (Nick Apostolina) and several others including Jacob Caltrider (as Sir Dinadan), Jason Heil (as Merlyn the magician and Sir Gareth) and Scott Hurst, Jr. as Sir Lionel, and Elias Wygodny, in his first Lerner & Loewe musical as Sir Sagramore. 

Kudos also to the musicians (pianist Daniel Lincoln, cellist Jacob Thompson and violinist Kiersten Smith), to set designer Marty Burnett, lighting designer Matthew Novotny, costume designer Elisa Benzoni, projection and sound designer Matt Fitzgerald, props designer Audrey Casteris and fight choreographer Benjamin Cole.

“Camelot” is a big production all around. Kudos to all involved for making it the smashing sensation it is. 

The details

“Camelot” plays through June 23, 2024 at North Coast Repertory Theatre, 987 Lomas Santa Fe Drive in Solana Beach.

Shows Wednesday and Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday and 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 and 7 p.m.

Tickets: (858) 481-1055 or NorthCoastRep.org