In 35 years of doing and seeing theater, I've caught plenty of huge touring shows, but never went backstage at any. With Monty Python's Spamalot only two months away at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, I toured the facility to learn what's involved in bringing such a grand spectacle to Olympia.

"We size them by the truck," says Kevin Boyer, the interim executive director. "A road show like this travels in three to five semi-trucks worth of stuff. ... They'll get here about four o'clock in the morning, and they'll begin to unload the road boxes."

Those boxes contain all the show's sets, costumes, wigs, light booms, sound equipment, perhaps even a washer and dryer. "They bring a skeleton crew, so they'll have a head carpenter, a head wig master, a head costumer, but we supply local crew. Sometimes it ranges up to 50, 55 people that we hire just for that day."

The Washington Center is right in Oly's downtown core, so load-in is complicated by tight turns, a modest loading dock and the need to park each truck offsite once it's unloaded.

"This theater," Boyer continues, "when it was renovated in 1985, was in the footprint of the theater that had been here since 1924, the Liberty Theater. It was hemmed in on both sides by buildings."

As the crew unloads the set, technicians begin hanging and focusing lights. "A lot of shows, believe it or not, are moving toward inflatable sets," Boyer notes. Even so, "it takes all day. It goes down to the wire. ... The most time-consuming part is just loading everything in. The setup doesn't take nearly as long."

The cast bus arrives later that afternoon. "The cast will come in typically two hours before," Boyer explains, "and do a walkthrough so they know the size of the stage." This also gives the crew the opportunity to do final sound checks with a small orchestra and actors' wireless mics.

"Broadway shows have gotten lighter and lighter when it comes to musicians," Boyer says, "because keyboards and synthesizers can do so much of the work. But it is a live music show."

Half an hour before curtain, the show is ready, and the house will open to 983 excited patrons.

"We were built on a European jewel box tradition," Boyer says, meaning seats rise through four decks at the Washington Center, each surprisingly close to the performers. "It's orchestra, loge, mezzanine, balcony. So when you walk out, if it's a full house, you have a wall of people clapping in your face ... It's a very live hall. We love the acoustics in here."

"Hullo," the conductor will announce. "Are you ready? Then we'll begin. ..."

Meanwhile, actors and dancers wait for their entrances in the "green room" that lies under the full width of the stage.

"It's a whole little city down below," Boyer chuckles. Between the matinee and evening performances, Washington Center must provide dinner so that the actors needn't remove their makeup. "Feeding everybody is difficult. We don't have catering on the site. We have relationships with 10 to 15 caterers in town."

When the evening show concludes, they'll pack the whole affair and move on to the next town. Big-ticket traveling shows perform in three or more locations each week.

Boyer and his own full-time crew of 13 are already looking forward to the 2012-2013 season. "There's new stuff coming all the time," he says, smiling. I advise him not to book Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. He laughs and replies diplomatically, "I don't think that'll ever tour."

MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT

Wednesday, Nov. 9, 3 and 8 p.m.,
Washington Center, 512 Washington St. SE, Olympia
360.753.8586

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LINK: 2011-12 theater listings