Filled with comedic and satirical devices, “Spamalot,” a parody of “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” pushed the cast outside their comfort zones and kept the audience on the edge of their seats for all four shows in Spaulding Theatre.
“‘Spamalot’ is really all over the place. [In the story, the] King of England, Arthur, travels around Europe to gather the Knights of the Round Table. [Then] Arthur gets a message from God asking him to find the “Holy Grail.” Arthur and the Knights journey in search of said grail and run into ridiculous situations,” sophomore Evie Comis said.
Playing a character inside the sometimes absurd world of “Spamalot” is brought to life through an acting environment, where actors play off each other to create a convincing story.
It’s not just memorizing lines that go into a successful production, but a strong cast, crew, costume, makeup, set, and lighting designers. And it all wouldn’t be possible without the dedicated director, Dana Caldwell.
“Mrs. Caldwell is truly the cornerstone of Laguna Theater. She cares about her students so genuinely and helps them grow to be better actors and more compassionate individuals. Her constant compassion and empathy make her a role model as much as a director,” senior Dylan Charney said.
Directors bring the best out of their actors; in a show like “Spamalot,” it is essential to portray the characters correctly.
But luckily, they do not have to do this alone. Caldwell had the assistance of student assistant director senior Dylan Charney, a prominent figure in the theater throughout his Laguna Blanca career.
“Dylan is incredibly passionate and helps bring us all together, strengthening the theater community. He is able to get everyone focused and participating while also bringing energy and fun to every rehearsal. He always gives it his all whether we are tap dancing or fighting with swords and baguettes,” senior Amelie Dalporto said.
There is no show without costumes, and that is where costume designer Flinn Brady comes into play.
“Flinn is our costume curator and tailor. She chooses each dress, pant, shirt, hat, accessory, and shoe for everyone in the cast. She personalizes everybody’s outfits and sews and re-sews them to ensure they fit everyone comfortably,” Evie said.
Behind the scenes, more key figures reveal themselves such as Richard Croy, known as RC.
“I think the real question is, what does he not do? RC is such a unique character. His humor brings so much fun and brightness into the theater. He cares so much about all of us, and it really shows through his creativity and constructive criticism during tech week,” junior Eleanor Crafton said.
Zack Lillie Liberto, commonly referred to as Deux-L, picked up an incredible amount of slack in the theater productions.
“Deux-L contributes tremendously to Laguna Theater. He is incredibly kind and is always ready to teach us. He mainly does projection and programming sound and projection cues,” freshman Cooper Green said.
The theater is a community full of talented and self-motivated students and mentors.

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