Don’t Miss ‘Spamalot!’ Lady of the Lake Shannon Thurston + Monty Pythonesque Cast Bring the House Down! [PHOTOS]

The week had been crazy for our family. I had a medical scare and had just gotten some good news on Friday. Michelle has been studying and working non-stop getting ready for graduation next month from CMMC School of Nursing. We needed a daddy/daughter date night in a big way and we got it in the form of Spamalot at the Waterville Opera House.

I've watched Monty Python's Search for the Holy Grail more times than I can count. It's never gotten old. But seeing the same show (basically what Spamalot is but with more music) live on stage gave it a whole new thrill for Michelle and me.

The set was colorful, the orchestra was perfect and the performance was flawless. We laughed from the moment the orchestra started having "trouble" with a "wayward trumpeter" who wanted to play his own thing to the closing number (a reprise of Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, which I am still singing, thank you very much). Hearing Michelle's hearty laughter let me know this was the right decision.

I could talk about and praise every little bit of this magnificent show but I'll share a few of my favorite parts. There was the French castle (the castle "spokesman" had people in stitches) where King Arthur and the boys had a great plan to get inside but then forgot to get inside the giant rabbit. There was the very expensive forest with the Knight's That Say Ni were on guard. Oh, I can't forget about all of the dancing with some of the most lovely ladies I've ever seen on a theater stage! Also, there were some fun surprises of a contemporary nature. All I'll say is that they were so out of place, they were hysterical!

Even with all of the great comedy, colorful sets and teriffic dancing, there was one part of the show that really stood out to me and that was the amazing voice of Shannon Thurston. She had been on the Moose Morning Show earlier in the day. Had I known she could sing like that, I would have had her serenade us on the radio but, alas, I did not.

Her amazing voice filled every corner of the Waterville Opera House and, at a couple of exceptionally powerful crescendos, I got goose bumps. Plus, she was very funny in her role as well.

So, here are two things I learned by watching the play last night. 1) Waterville has access to an incredible pool of talent and there's no need to travel for great productions and 2) You succeed on Broadway without Jews.

Cudos to director Debra Susi, Musical director Michael Peterson, Choreographer Natalya Getman and all the rest of the team that put incredible effort into pulling off a world class production.

You still have two chances to see this performance before it's gone: Tonight (4/13) at 7:30 and tomorrow afternoon at 2. Enjoy.

PS...all the great photos were taken from the back of the house on Michelle's Galaxy S3. I'm impressed, Shelly!