Stage and Screen Star to Fill in for Azaria on Monty Python's Spamalot During Actor's Hiatus

By Ernio Hernandez
17 May 2005

Alan Tudyk
Alan Tudyk
Photo by Aubrey Reuben

Stage and screen star Alan Tudyk will fill in for Tony Award nominee Hank Azaria when the actor takes his leave from Monty Python's Spamalot on Broadway later this year.

Azaria will take a break from his Broadway debut June 6 to return to filming on his Showtime drama series "Huff." He is expected to return to his Spamalot roles (including Lancelot, The French Taunter, Knight of Ni and Tim the Enchanter) by late November, according to production spokespersons.

Tudyk was last seen on Broadway in Epic Proportions. The actor appeared in the films "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story," "28 Days" and "A Knight's Tale," on stage in Wonder of the World, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, Misalliance, Oedipus and Bunny Bunny. Other credits include "Wonder Boys," "Patch Adams," "Ice Age" and as the robot Sonny in "I, Robot" and TV's "Arrested Development," "Frasier" and "Strangers with Candy."

Spamalot was recently nominated for 14 Tony Awards including noms for Azaria, his co-stars Tim Curry, Michael McGrath, Christopher Sieber and Sara Ramirez as well as the show's score, book, direction, choreography, designs, orchestrations and the musical itself.

Mike Nichols ("The Graduate," "Angels in America") directed the musical inspired by the 1975 feature film comedy "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" which landed at Broadway's Shubert for a St. Valentine's Day (Feb. 14) start and a St. Patrick's Day (March 17) opening.

The self-proclaimed "lovingly ripped-off" show features a book by Eric Idle, based on the screenplay he co-wrote with Monty Python creators Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones and Michael Palin. The new score with music and lyrics by Idle and composer John Du Prez ("A Fish Called Wanda") also includes songs ("Brave Sir Robin" and "Knights of the Round Table") from the original film as well as Python signature "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life."

Spamalot tells the tale of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table on their quest for the Holy Grail — with a short stop in the dazzling Spam-filled land of Camelot.

Tim Curry, David Hyde Pierce and Hank Azaria star with Christopher Sieber, Michael McGrath, Steve Rosen and Sara Ramirez with an ensemble that includes John Bolton, Christian Borle, Brad Bradley, Thomas Cannizzaro, Kevin Covert, Jennifer Frankel, Lisa Gajda, Jenny Hill, Emily Hsu, James Ludwig, Abbey O'Brien, Daniel Pearce, Ariel Reid, Pamela Remler, Greg Reuter, Brian Shepard, Rick Spaans and Scott Taylor.

For more information, visit the show website at www.montypythonsspamalot.com.