Legendary: Albuquerque Little Theatre brings King Arthur's court to stage with 'Camelot'

Oct. 31—"Camelot," the classic Arthurian tale of a romantic triangle gone bad, opens at Albuquerque Little Theatre on Friday, Nov. 3.

The recipient of 12 Tony nominations, five Academy Award nominations and multiple Broadway productions, the show is returning in a pared version with a contemporary flair. Famed director/screenwriter Aaron Sorkin revived the musical on Broadway in 2023.

"This is an updated version that has a more modern approach," said artistic director Henry Avery. "It's not as an elaborate production with all the costumes and scenery. But it emphasizes the characters and the music. It's a lot cleaner, crisper production. It really gets to the meat of it."

Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe penned the stage musical in 1960; the film version aired in 1967. The story is based on the legend of King Arthur as adapted from the 1958 novel "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White. The figure of Arthur first appeared in Welsh poetry in the late sixth and early seventh centuries, a hero who was said to lead the Britons in battle against Saxon invaders.

King Arthur marries Guenevere; she falls in love with his best knight, Lancelot; their affair splits the round table.

Arthur wants to create a new kind of knight — one that does not pillage and fight, but tries to uphold honor and justice.

"The story is as old as time," Avery said. "What I've fallen in love with are the lyrics, they are so clever and so good. It's really a great masterpiece of musical theater."

Cameron Illidge-Welch and Madison Dodd play Arthur and Guenevere. Both actors are new to ALT. ALT regular Stuart Neef plays Lancelot.

"It's hard to find the actors that are the right types with the vocal range because it's very challenging vocally," Avery said. "They rarely leave the stage at all."

"The ideal of Camelot is something we all strive for," Avery continued. "It's that utopia, the ideal world. It almost gets there, but life gets in the way."

"But the dream goes on, and the ideal goes on."

The musical marks ALT's second show of its 94th season.

On Friday, Nov. 10, the theater will host "Camelot in the Parking Lot," a mini-Renaissance Faire, between 5-7:30 p.m. Wear your best Renaissance ensemble and receive a free bag of popcorn.