As everything else at Ferris rumbles into motion, so does the theater. This time around, the theater brings the newly available “Spamalot” to town.
As the musical’s title card states, Spamalot is “lovingly ripped off from the motion picture ‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail.’” It also includes “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life,” the famous final song from Monty Python’s film “Life of Brian.”
The musical debuted on Broadway in 2005. The Mike Nichols-directed and Eric Idle-penned musical went on to garner 14 Tony Award nominations. It won three of them, including the award for Best Musical.
Katherine LaPietra, resident director and associate professor of the theater arts at Ferris, brought the newly available musical to campus. LaPietra has seen “Spamalot” three times already herself, including one Broadway performance in which one of her former non-Ferris students was in. “It’s a lot of fun, it’s a crazy show,” she said.
Ferris hotel and restaurant management senior Jessica Femminineo has tried out for many plays before, and will be doing so once again for Spamalot. “You shouldn’t freak out about it, no one knows what they’re doing. Show off your personality. Don’t worry about perfect singing,” Femminineo said.
Ferris liberal arts sophomore Julia Steudle added some more advice. “Everyone’s really nice in auditions. No one’s ever judging you,” she said.
LaPietra’s own audition talk only served to reinforce the students’ advice. “Nobody has to prepare anything; nobody has to have any experience. Theater at Ferris is all-inclusive.”
Interested students still have a few days to vie for the spotlight. Auditions began Sept. 3, and will continue through Wednesday and Thursday. Sign-ups for specific time slots are by WIL 166 behind the stage in William’s Auditorium.