AIKEN NEWS NETWORK DEC 19

[clayMaine-iac]

Monty Python's Spamalot: Riding High Into The Home Stretch With Clay Aiken

You know that a musical based on a movie is special when theatergoers who know nothing about the material going in become die-hard devotees by the show's end.
   
Monty Python's Spamalot, 2005's Tony-winning musical scheduled to close on January 11, is a Broadway phenomenon whose new fans include Clay Aiken, the break-out 'American Idol' finalist who's appearing in the show as Sir Robin (and, in typical Python tradition, several other roles). In fact, Aiken hadn't heard of the innovative British comedy troupe before joining the cast.
   
"I thought Monty Python was a person and that Spamalot was about unwanted emails," he said. "But now, I'm a big fan. It's a silliness that's not slapstick. It's very smart." And, he could add, attracting repeat visitors.
   
"Probably just big Python fans came in the beginning, but now we're seeing people who just are curious...then they come back because it's so funny," he observes.
   
Based on the screenplay 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail,' by original Pythons Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin, Spamalot features a book and lyrics by Eric Idle, music by Idle and John Du Prez, and direction by the iconic Mike Nichols.
   
The show chronicles the quest for the Holy Grail by King Arthur (Michael Siberry) and the Knights of the Round Table. Naturally, along the way there are dancing divas, befuddled knights, obnoxious Frenchmen, a killer rabbit and the mermaid-like Lady of the Lake (Merle Dandridge).
   
Aiken, who shares the spotlight with the talented Tom Deckman (Prince Herbert), Rick Holmes (Sir Lancelot), Bradley Dean (Sir Dennis), and David Hibbard (Patsy), says he especially enjoys the production's spontaneity.
   
"One of the great things about the show is it's not always the same. When something breaks down, or someone messes up a line, we incorporate it. There's a scene where the Knight of Ni, says "We now say...' and he changes it every night." (Notably, in the performance following the presidential election he added "Yes We Can" and a comment on gay marriage.)
   
Such improvisation stems from the genius of director Nichols who emphasized keeping the show fresh by having the actors vary their reactions performance to performance.     
   
"When I'm in concert, it's pretty much the same every night and I never understood why people come back," notes Aiken who will be with the show through January 4th. "But I get why people return to Spamalot; it's never the same."
   
Every night at the Shubert Theatre, Aiken, whose recording career has netted him six million albums and half a dozen sold-out concert tours, stops the show with 'You Won't Succeed On Broadway'  a particularly apt song when you take into account that Spamalot (on Broadway) marks his professional acting debut. After an initial run that ended on May 4th - during which he bonded with the supportive company, comprised mostly of Broadway veterans - he had no problem returning to his Spamalot family this past September.
   
As for the future, he says he wouldn't rule out another stint on Broadway, but has no concrete plans. For now, in these final weeks of the run, he is simply proud to have been part of a great show.
   
"There's pride that it's lasted so long-we've probably had one of the lowest turnovers of cast. And it's changed the landscape of Broadway because its one of the only shows that got men and women excited about theater," concludes Aiken, adding, "Many women might want to go to Broadway but they can't talk their husbands into it. But bring him to Spamalot and he'll thank you for it!"

CITYGUIDENY

[clayMaine-iac]

From a CD review:

THE GREATEST SONGS OF THE EIGHTIES

Barry Manilow

1/2

After pillaging the middle-of-the-road ruins of the '50s, '60s and '70s with varying degrees of bathos and success, Barry Manilow - the Clay Aiken of his generation - goes for the slow fizz of the '80s and its genuinely dullest hits.

IDAHOSTATESMAN

[clayMaine-iac]

On Monday (December 15), "Idol" executive producer Ken Warwick revealed a number of changes that will be introduced in the show's eighth season, including the return of the wild-card system, extending Hollywood week (now Hollywood weeks) and having 36 semifinalists instead of the traditional 24.

The wild-card system was last seen in season three, when it gave Jennifer Hudson another shot at the finals. It also saved eventual runner-up Clay Aiken in season two. The basic idea is that after the semifinal voting is complete, the judges have a chance to look at the castoffs and bring back the contestants they thought were unfairly voted off. Warwick said they decided to bring wild cards back to shake up the 12 men/ 12 women formula of the past four seasons.

MTV

[clayMaine-iac]

For those of us still tuning into “American Idol” for no other reason than the entertainment value of watching those old familiar judges tear some wannabe stars a new one, we may be in for some shocks. It looks like “American Idol” might be getting an EXTREME MAKEOVER--two shows, by the way, which we were always in favor of combining. Think of the wonders it would have done for Clay Aiken.


The “American Idol” fan site, mjsbigblog.com recently posted what they claim is an internal Fox memo regarding the nature of the upcoming season of “American Idol.” Amongst the major changes that will take place will be less time devoted to watching the bad singers audition. In the past, most of the shows centered around the round of auditions open to everyone, and highlighted the terrible, with plenty of time set aside for Simon Cowell’s barbed critiques. Instead, this season will focus on, “fewer bad singers and more ‘aspirational’ singers.” Instead of a top 24 being selected, a top 36 will be selected, before being whittled down to the 12 who get to compete.

ACTRESSARCHIVES

[clayMaine-iac]

“Idol” Finally Gives Me What I Want

Allow me to interrupt your dreary Monday morning with the first news of the changes that will be made to this season’s edition of “American Idol.”

And let me just say that I am extremely happy about them…

USAToday.com is reporting that 36 contestants will be chosen for the semifinals instead of 24 and for the first time since season three, the Wild Card round will return as the judges will choose three wild cards for the top 12 (You may recall that’s how we got Clay Aiken.).

We’ll get six male and six female contestants performing each week for three weeks with the top male and female vote-getters and the next highest vote-getter (whether male or female) moving on to the top 12 (No more dramatic top 12 revelation episode with the urinal chairs? Awww…). Then the judges will choose which semi-finalists to bring back for the wild card round.

The website is also reporting that we will get only three weeks of auditions, allowing the show to add a second Hollywood week.

WOO-HOO! FINALLY! I’ve only been asking for that for years now…

HERALDDISPATCHBLOG

[clayMaine-iac]

Changes reported for new Idol season

Amid a flurry of rumors, here's Bill Keveney's story detailing changes for Season 8 to be announced today at a press conference. (Link updated to reflect corporate synergy.) To summarize, with commentary:

> A cutback on audition episodes (four to three weeks) and an increase in Hollywood-round coverage (two weeks). We pretty much knew this was in the offing from earlier producer comments.

> Semifinal round expanded to 36 from 24. Whew -- that is a big change. That would mean, I would guess, they'd have to increase the number of eliminations per night, from four per week to six, to keep the semis within the same three-week schedule. Also, a lot of people to get to know (however casually and briefly) in a short time.

> Reinstitution of the wild-card round, in which a designated number (three, which seems like a lot) of previously eliminated semifinalists are allowed to compete for a finalist slot -- the savior of Clay Aiken in Season 2. That could be tacked on to the final semis week (Thursday?) or provide an additional week of programming. It also means only nine out of the 36 semifinalists will be chosen by popular vote. Also -- rather big change -- the final 12 won't necessarily be split evenly between the sexes. (Good move, will avoid situations like the weak class of women last season.)

USATODAYBLOG