The Tony Award-winning Best Musical of 2005, "Monty Python's Spamalot," will begin its National Tour with a six week engagement at The Colonial Theatre on March 7. Tickets will go on sale Sunday, December 11, at 8 a.m. at the Colonial box office. Beginning at 10 a.m., tickets will also be available at all Ticketmaster outlets, by calling 617-931-2787 and by visiting www.ticketmaster.com.

Lovingly "ripped off" from the internationally renowned comedy team's most popular film, "Monty Python and the Holy Grail," "Spamalot" is the winner of three 2005 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Director (Mike Nichols) as well as the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards as Best Musical.

Monty Python, of course, is not a person, but rather an irreverent band of British actors and writers (and one American) who presented their famous comedy show "Monty Python's Flying Circus" on the BBC from 1969 to 1974. International fame and success followed.

"Spamalot" features a book by Eric Idle based on the screenplay by Monty Python creators Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin. Music and lyrics are by Eric Idle and John DuPrez.

Mike Nichols has been acclaimed as one of the great American directors in film, theatre and television. He has won the Academy Award as well as eight Tonys. He recently received the Directors' Guild of America Award for Lifetime Achievement as well as the DGA Award for best direction of the HBO adaptation of "Angels in America."

Aside from his work with the Pythons, Eric Idle has written a West End play, "Pass The Butler;" three novels including The Road To Mars, The Rutles - A Mockumentary and many songs "too rude to mention." He has also sung opera, acted in movies, appeared on television and crossed American performing comedy on "The Greedy Bastard Tour." His diary of that 15,000 mile bus journey was recently published by Harper Collins.

Sold out in New York since opening at The Shubert Theatre on March 17, 2005, "Monty Python's Spamalot" has remained the hottest ticket on Broadway and continues to break box office records.

-- OnStage Boston

12/09/05