For Michael York, life
is happy in ‘Camelot’

By Rita Charleston
For the Times

Audiences have long admired Michael York’s versatility in such films as The Three Musketeers, Cabaret and Austin Powers, among others.
With an impressive body of work over the past four decades on screen, stage, television and audio recordings, this consummate performer is now set to appear in Lerner & Loewe’s timeless masterpiece, Camelot, at the Merriam Theater June 5 through 10.
York will be heading the cast as King Arthur, a role originally written for the late Richard Burton and subsequently played by such actors as Richard Harris and Robert Goulet.
King Arthur’s enchanted kingdom, Camelot, is a place where honor and chivalry reign.
"And it’s a great acting role that requires some singing as well, which is an added attraction for me," York said. "It’s singing crafted for an actor, which makes it very special."
With more than 60 screen credits and television and film work, this is York’s North American touring debut, and he acknowledged that doing eight shows a week can be exhausting.
"That’s something I didn’t have on my resume, and I was very curious about what it was like to take such a big show, a show that so many people love, where the music touches everyone, and take it around the country," he explained. "Traveling since January is an interesting but very tiring experience. It’s surely not for the faint at heart because it demands so much of you."
Born in England in 1942, York is an alumnus of Britain’s National Youth Theatre and Oxford University, where he appeared in more than 20 productions. After graduating with honors in English, he made his professional stage debut at the Dundee Repertory Theatre, eventually joining Lawrence Olivier’s new National Theatre Company.
Franco Zeffirelli’s The Taming of the Shrew provided York’s feature film debut, and he’s still going strong.
"I think I always wanted to be an actor, and by the time I got to university I realized this desire was quite serious and important," he recalled. "I knew I had to pursue it because I didn’t want to spend my whole life thinking I could have done it but that I’d backed off and taken a safe alternative instead. So I decided to do it, and if it worked, good. And if not, then I’d simply turn my mind to something else."
Fortunately, it worked, and Michael York, admitting that he "never likes being pigeonholed," set off in many directions.
Today, in addition to his many appearances, he has more than 70 audio books to his credit, including his own children’s book, The Magic Paw Paw, the Grammy-nominated Treasure Island, the Audie Award-winning The Fencing Master and many others.
His numerous travels have enabled York to indulge in a hobby he most enjoys: "collecting anything to do with the theater, ballet and opera — costume sketches, scenic designs, the practical things," he explained.
York also enjoys writing and lecturing internationally — on Shakespeare and the history of the art of acting. His contribution to his profession has been recognized with the award of Britain’s Order of the British Empire (OBE), France’s Arts et Lettres, and a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
"I really like not being pigeonholed," the actor said. "I may have gotten to the age when most people are off to play golf, but not me. For me, I think stamina is the key to continuing to do this and also because I find it a very pleasant responsibility.
"I know, by doing this role, a role played by Richard Burton, and Elizabeth Taylor who gave me one of my first jobs in the movies, I have come full circle. I think Burton was the Welsh Arthur, just as Harris was the Irish Celtic Arthur, and now I suppose I’m the English one." ••
For information, call the box office at 215-732-5446.

About the show . . .
Camelot is being presented June 5 to June 10 at the Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad St.
Performances are Tuesday (June 5) through Friday at 8 p.m.; Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m.; and Sunday (June 10) at 1 and 6:30 p.m.
Tickets range from $73.50 to $25. They are available at www.ticketmaster.com
For information, call the box office at 215-732-5446.