Royal romance: Timeless stage classic kicks off Broadway at Tennessee series

Mark Harapiak, left, plays King Arthur and Jayme Armstrong is Queen Guenevere in the Broadway musical version of "Camelot," coming to the Tennessee Theatre Oct. 16 and 17.

Mark Harapiak, left, plays King Arthur and Jayme Armstrong is Queen Guenevere in the Broadway musical version of "Camelot," coming to the Tennessee Theatre Oct. 16 and 17.

The classic tale of King Arthur has taken many forms through the years, from literature to animation to cinema. The Broadway musical version "Camelot" premiered to critical acclaim in 1960, garnering four Tony Awards and running for 873 performances. Now an all-new production of the show will make its quest to the Tennessee Theatre this week.

Framed within a love triangle, "Camelot" revolves around beautiful Queen Guenevere, gentle King Arthur and the dashing knight Lancelot. As the kingdom is thrown into chaos because of the love affair, the noble king is faced with a moral dilemma: whether to sacrifice his true love or his prized honor.

Mark Harapiak, who plays King Arthur, says those moments in the play make the role much more complex than simply playing a hero.

"He's extremely thoughtful; he's a thinker," said Harapiak, who's from Manitoba, Canada. "He's flawed, but very human. It's an amazing role to play for me."

Harapiak doesn't have to look far for inspiration; he said he draws primarily from the traditional character. But he also relies on history books, because he said he sees likenesses of Arthur everywhere in people with positions of power.

"I think of great leaders of our time. If you get inside their head and see how they toil," said Harapiak. "(Arthur's) very human. He's a great leader and warrior, but he has a lot of uncertainty and questions about his ability to rule. It's fun that way. He's the great King Arthur, but you see him question his ability."

Harapiak said many of the scenes were "Shakespearean" in theme and tone, and because of that quality the show has lasted nearly five decades.

"A lot of it is the caliber of writing and music. The songs in the show are timeless," said Harapiak. "Any good love story well written is timeless."

"Camelot," which is based on T.H. White's classic "The Once and Future King," premiered this year on July 8, in Grand Bend, Ontario. It's directed and choreographed by Timothy French and stars - along with Harapiak - Jayme Armstrong and Gabriel Burrafato as Queen Guenevere and Sir Lancelot, respectively.

Stephen Woodward is a freelance contributor to the News Sentinel.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
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