By: Renee Hammond
Shelby High School is preparing to take the stage with a fresh and humorous take on the legend of King Arthur in their upcoming musical: King Artie & The Knights of the Rad Table. English teachers, Kristi Calvery and Riley Quick are co-directing the play. This year’s production promises to bring a fun and modern twist to the classic tale, blending action, humor, and a touch of fantasy.
What sets King Artie & The Knights of the Rad Table apart from past productions is its wide appeal, with a diverse and versatile cast of characters. Calvery said this year 35 students signed up to participate in the school play, so finding a script to include as many students as possible was extremely important. She also noted that there are more male students who signed up this year than in previous years. Luckily, she and some of the senior drama students read through script samples until they found the perfect play: humor, music, and forty-four roles of various sizes.
“Last year’s murder mystery dinner theater play was really well received,” Calvery said. “It had humor, music, and a lot of fun moments. This play will have all that and more — action, historical characters, and a good dose of silliness. It’s appropriate for all ages, so whether you bring your grandma or a third grader, everyone will have a good time.”
Ms. Calvery is directing the play for the second year at Shelby High, and she explained why this particular play was chosen: “In the past few years, we had a murder mystery and several fairy tales, so we wanted to try something different,” Calvery said. “We had a lot of requests for fantasy elements. Some wanted pirates, others wanted dragons or fairies, so this play seemed like a perfect fit. It also allows for versatile roles, which makes it easier to cast both male and female actors.”
Calvery also noted the musical aspect of the play as a major draw. “We have a lot of talented music students this year, and many of them have been requesting a musical. Even though I’ve never directed a musical before, this seemed like a good year to try it.”
Rehearsals for the play began in the middle of March, and the cast and crew will have about six weeks to prepare before the opening performance on Monday, April 28th at 7:00 p.m. for the public, and another performance on Thursday, May 1st at 1:15 p.m. for the school and public.
Calvery shared her approach to both coaching and casting. “With a play, we need everyone there, every time,” she said. “We look at students’ grades and consistency to make sure they can commit to the schedule.” She also said that she had a group of students who wanted to help behind the scenes creating the sets for several different acts and working on costumes, props, lights, and sounds.
Paolo Manda, one of the students auditioning for the role of Lancelot, shared a bit about the storyline. “Artie is a cool guy with a cool girlfriend- well, maybe not that cool,” Manda joked. “But Lancelot, yeah, he’s cool. The story follows Artie and his friends, as they go on a quest, fight a dragon, and save the day. It’s a fun twist on the King Arthur legend.”
Manda landed the role of Lancelot, and he has begun preparing by studying the script and trying to understand the character’s motivations. “He’s cool- and I like to think I’m cool too,” Manda said with a laugh.
With a blend of humor, action, and a touch of fantasy, Artie & The Knights of the Rad Table is shaping up to be one of Shelby High’s most memorable productions. Be sure to mark your calendars for this exhilarating and entertaining show!
Performance Dates: Monday, April 28, at 7:00 PM & Thursday, May 1 at 1:15 PM
Shelby High School purchased the play scripts, music, and production rights from Pioneer Drama. Book and lyrics by Pat Lydersen. Music by Wendy Woolf.