Film, television and Broadway star, Lou Diamond Philips stars as King Arthur in the national tour of Lerner and Loewe’s Camelot, coming to the Tennessee Performing Arts Center March 11-16, as part of HCA/TriStar Broadway at TPAC.
Glenn Casale directed this re-staging of the original script, adapted with an edgy new concept by Michael Lerner and co-produced by Liza Lerner, Alan Jay Lerner’s son and daughter respectively. Rachel de Benedet as Guenevere and Matt Bogart as Lancelot complete this love triangle.
“The legend of King Arthur, Guenevere and Lancelot is timeless and romantic, and it has inspired many versions of the tale in film, music and, of course, on stage,” said Kathleen O’Brien, TPAC’s president and CEO. “Lerner & Loewe’s breathtaking production captures the magic of Arthurian legend, and it’s a delight to offer it to our subscribers, especially after they’ve had the chance to see the comical take presented in Monty Python’s Spamalot. Audiences will fall in love with this love story.”
This is a much anticipated return to the stage for Phillips after his award-winning star turn in The Kind and I (1996) on Broadway. He received multiple awards and nominations including a Tony Award nomination, the New York Outer Critics Circle Award and a Theatre World Award for his performance as the King of Siam.
Lou Diamond Phillips burst on the film scene in 1987’s La Bamba as rocker Ritchie Valens. Receiving critical acclaim and a legion of fans, Phillips followed this with another break-out performance in Stand and Deliver (1988) and received the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actor and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his performance. In 1988 and 1990, he co-starred with Emilio Estevez and Kiefer Sutherland in Young Guns and Young Guns II. In Courage Under Fire, Lou received a Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Supporting Actor and a Lone Star Film and Television Award.
Born in the Philippines and raised in Texas, Phillips is the son of a naval engineer and is the proud father of four beautiful daughters. He is of Filipino, Hawaiian, Chinese, Spanish, Scottish Irish and Cherokee Indian ancestry and that has played a factor in some of his incredible leading roles. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre from the University of Texas at Arlington and has performed extensively at Stage West and Casa Manana in Fort Worth.
The glamorous and beautiful Rachel de Benedet was recently seen in the Broadway production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, where she co-starred with John Lithgow. She has tremendous Broadway, regional and touring credits that include Nine (Diana) and The Sound of Music (Elsa) Brigadoon (Fiona), The Secret Garden (Lily) and Kiss Me, Kate (Lili/Kate).
Matt Bogart’s Broadway credits include Miss Saigon (Chris), The Civil War (Private Taylor), Smokey Joe’s Café (White Guy), and Aida (Radames). He has numerous regional credits and leading roles at Arena Stage (Helen Hayes nomination), Kennedy Center, Signature Theatre, Paper Mill Playhouse and Goodspeed Opera House.
With a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe, the splendid, memorable score includes the romantic and haunting “If Ever I Would Leave You,” the captivating “How to Handle a Woman” and the majestic “Camelot.” Re-discover the grandeur of one of history’s greatest love stories.
InsideOut, one of four TPAC Education programs, will offer a pre-show Arts Appetizer on Wednesday, March 12, at 6:15 pm in James K. Polk Lobby. This event, which is open to the public, features cast members from the production and local professionals who discuss topics relevant to the performance. For more information, visit www.tpac.org/insideout.
Dates:
March 11-16, Andrew Jackson Hall
Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC)
505 Deaderick Street, Nashville
Times:
7:30 pm Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
8:00 pm Friday
2:00 pm and 8:00 pm Saturday
1:00 pm and 6:30 pm Sunday
Tickets:
$20-70 for single tickets, depending on performance day and seat locations. Tickets are available at www.tpac.org/camelot, the TPAC Box Office (Downtown or at Davis-Kidd Booksellers in The Mall at Green Hills), all Ticketmaster outlets or by calling 615-255-ARTS (2787).