Phillips shows his range in ‘Camelot’

Musical version of ‘Camelot’ will be at the Des Moines Civic Center Oct. 23-28

By SCOTT NILES Courier staff writer

DES MOINES — Lou Diamond Phillips has been a punk, a terrorist, a special agent and now a king.

Phillips began his acting and singing career in the early 1980s and had a hit in 1987, “La Bamba.”

Now, the singer/actor gets to portray a king of medieval times in the Betts Broadway Series musical version of “Camelot,” which will be at the Des Moines Civic Center Oct. 23-28, with various performance times available.

In an interview with the Courier, Phillips said playing the role of King Arthur in a theatrical show like Camelot makes him feel good.

“I look at it as an American Shakespeare. These are plays that need to be reintroduced to audiences, both young and old,” he said.

In 1960, Richard Burton made the role of King Arthur famous on Broadway when he starred in the production, along with Julie Andrews and several other well-known actors.

Phillips said he believes he can do the role justice, though it will not compare with Burton’s success.

When asked how he believes he compares to Burton in the role, Phillips said “Hopefully not at all. We are two very different people. I believe I will add something different to the role and people will see it in a different way.”

He said the musical group he is now touring with has some fresh touches on the classic tale to make it a little more light-hearted and fun.

“The whole thing is just really fantastic; I have loved doing it all,” he said.

Though he is not new to the stage by any means, Phillips said each part he plays makes him think more about the characters themselves and what it was like to be that person and some of the messages they are trying to convey.

“A lot of the monologues are very deep and inspiring,” he said. “The speeches can be challenging to learn, but they carry a lot of weight and each one has a special purpose to add.”

As an avid actor, he said he still gets nervous before a performance, especially on stage.

“Stage acting is a lot different than on-screen acting. You have more lines to memorize at once and you can’t have a second take if you mess up, you just have to keep going,” he said. “It’s definitely work.”

Tickets for the performances can be purchased at any Ticketmaster location, at the Des Moines Civic Center Box Office or by calling (515) 243-1888. Groups of 20 or more should call (515) 246-2300.

Scott Niles can be reached at (641) 683-5360 or via e-mail at sjniles@mchsi.com.

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