The 2005 Tony Award winner for best musical, Monty Python’s SPAMALOT, will finally reach London this fall. Tickets went on sale this past February, eight months in advance of its highly-anticipated opening night. Arguably, this will be the toughest seat to purchase this year but judging from its New York audiences and critics, it will be well worth the expense.

The production’s home will be the Palace Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue. Previews, originally scheduled starting October 2, will now begin Saturday, September 30. The red-carpeted Opening Nights will take place on October 16 and 17, and performances are currently scheduled through May 26, 2007 (so it’s not too early to book now!). For online sales, visit www.seetickets.com/spamalot.

The musical is based on the 1974 cult classic film “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” and the book was written by original Python member Eric Idle (who also helped compose the new score with John Du Prez). Tim Curry will reprise his Broadway role when the show opens before turning the “crown” over to Broadway’s current King Arthur, award-winning British actor Simon Russell Beale, in early 2007. Curry, best known for his work in the film version of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” is return to London’s West End after a twenty-year absence from its stages.

Like New York, London has a vibrant theater community – and there are dramas, comedies, classics and musicals running year-round. The majority of theaters are located in the West End, in and around Soho and Covent Garden.

The majority of tourists flock to the most popular shows: the musicals. Some have been running for years and should present no problem as far as booking when you arrive in London (like The Phantom of the Opera, Chicago, and We Will Rock You). Other musicals are much more popular and tickets need to be purchased in advance if you want a specific date and time (i.e. The Lion King, Mamma Mia).

The new trend is for Hollywood celebrities to work on the London stage, so it shouldn’t be a surprise to see American actors like Christian Slater in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest or Juliette Lewis in Sam Shepard’s Fool for Love. Kevin Spacey is now the artistic director of the Old Vic Theatre, and he often appears in its productions. Many British actors familiar to American tourists (like Jeremy Irons and Judi Dench) can also be seen regularly on the stage.

Theater tickets are expensive, made more so because of the current exchange rate. The Society of London Theatre, which is made up of theater managers and owners, has set up a permanent discount ticket booth in the center of Leicester Square called tkts. While you wait in line, notice boards show you which matinee and evening performances are available for same-day discounted seating. When you get to the window, simply purchase your tickets with cash or a credit card and you’re set. (If you’ve been to Times Square in Manhattan, it works the same way.) There is a second outlet now in the Docklands area, at Canary Wharf Docklands Light Railway Station. This is primarily for the large number of professionals and office workers who are now employed in the Docklands high-rise buildings, but may be more central to you depending on where you’re staying. A warning: tkts Canary Wharf only takes credit/debit cards; no cash.

If you have computer access from your hotel or flat, you can visit the Society’s website www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/ to see what tickets are available that day only. There is also great information on theater locations and performance times, casts, and an online ticket agent courtesy of Ticketmaster.

If you want to see a particular show that is not on sale at the tkts booth, phone or visit the theater’s box office. Expect the tickets to be full-priced, but occasionally there are specials available.

A final warning: many ticket agents call themselves the “official London half-priced ticket agency” or some other similar language. This is meant to confuse tourists. Although the vast majority of these outlets are legitimate ticket agencies, the discounts they are offering are not always 25% - 50% off like the ones at the tkts booth. They may also charge booking fees far greater than the £2.50 per seat fee that the Society charges. If you do decide to purchase seats from these agencies, ensure that they members of The Society of Ticket Agents & Retailers (STAR). Avoid purchasing any tickets from individuals on the street or in front of the theaters. While you may indeed receive a good bargain for a show that you want, you may also be a victim of fraud with very little recourse in retrieving your money – and you’ve missed out on a wonderful evening at the theater.

If you’re traveling to London this summer, the BBC Proms is a British musical tradition you simply cannot miss. The Proms, which began in 1895, has now blossomed into the biggest classical music festival in the world. The series of 70 concerts over an eight-week period is held mainly in the elegant Royal Albert Hall in South Kensington. Various chamber music concerts, pre-show talks, and educational and children’s events also take place.

All concerts are broadcast on BBC Radio 3, with the “last night” being a huge traditional event broadcast on television.

“Prom” is short for “promenade.” A hundred years ago, audience members strolled (or promenaded) throughout certain areas of the concert hall during the performance of the music. The tradition now continues with areas of the Albert Hall being reserved for patrons who wish to stand. This is also a very economical way to see the show, and tickets for so-called Prommers can only be purchased on the day of the performance. The true purpose of the proms is to eliminate class distinctions and have music available to all members of the British public for less than the cost of a movie ticket. Given the Proms’ popularity, some of the reserved seats may exceed that amount today, but there are still a large number of seats and standing areas that are amazingly affordable. And, unlike your high school prom, there is no dress code for these events. If you’re in jeans and a t-shirt and happen to be in the area, go on in!

The 112th annual BBC Proms season takes place between July 14 and September 9, 2006. This year’s highlights include two birthday celebrations (Mozart’s 250th and Shostakovich’s 100th) and a collaborative choral piece developed by Orlando Gough to be performed twice on July 29. This amazing and unique performance, called “The Voice”, will feature two BBC Orchestras, The Shout choir, and over 800 professional and amateur singers.

Also, “Proms in the Park” takes place on Saturday, September 9, in five different UK cities – including London, in Hyde Park. This additional “last night” event is due to the fact that the final night of the Proms is so intensely popular – climaxing with an enormous outburst of British pride, boisterous singing, and Union Jack waving — that the Royal Albert Hall could be filled six times over with all the requests made by the public for tickets. If you think the odds are against you for the grand finale, book tickets for the outdoor show for £23 each through the official BBC website — then go back to your hotel or flat watch the Albert Hall show for free.

If you have the stamina and funds for an eight week vacation this year, earn “full house” honors and attend every one of the concerts. You’ll be in a quirky but very elite group of fans who do so every year.

Visit www.bbc.com/proms for more information, a full schedule, and online booking details.