Photo by Mark Frohna
The Full Monty - Skylight Music Theatre
Blink ... and you’ll miss it. “The Full Monty” that is. Or rather, “the moment” when the six middle aged men with various “dad bods” bare it all.
But that happens at the very tail end (bad pun!) of the hit musical and movie, The Full Monty, which kicked off the Skylight Music Theatre’s new season last weekend. And there was much to enjoy and celebrate beyond this entertaining and laugh-filled production: it had been 579 days since the last performance due to the Age of Pandemic closing theaters—and just about everything else.
The Full Monty, with book by Terrence McNally and music and lyrics by David Yazbek, was originally set in Britain for the 1997 hit film. The 2000 stage musical is now set in Buffalo, New York an industrial town which has laid off steelworkers and supervisors, including the six men at the heart of the story. They’re out of work. They need work. And the fastest way to easy money is to strip, just like the popular Chippendales dancers—except they look and act and move like, well average guys.
While the opening night audience cheered and yelled as the men came onstage—and the clothing came off—the heart of this show is about friendships, relationships, love and loss.
Director and choreographer James Gray beautifully showcases these relationships as husbands and wives struggle with the loss of income and intimacy, fear and loneliness. A single father is faced with losing custody of his young son, unable to pay support; a husband, his pride and dignity as possessions for his wife are repossessed.
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And clocking in at three hours (with a 20-plus minute intermission), director Gray makes the most of scenes that wander off from the main storyline with terrific performances in supporting roles. Janet Metz is a comedic standout as the material girl singing the praises of her well-providing husband in “Life with Harold.” Ditto for the trio of Dan DeLuca, Nathan Marinan and Joey Chelius in “Big Ass Rock,” who elevate the roles with their vocal and acting skills.
But there is so much to enjoy about The Full Monty as the six men fumble about, trying to learn macho moves and sexy steps and figure out how to wear a (nearly) nonexistent shiny red thong. Along with fellow “dancers” DeLuca, Marinan and Chelius, Jordan Arasmith, Lee Palmer and Zach Thomas Woods round out the “Hot Metal” dance troupe and the synergy of these six actors, along with McNally’s realistic and heartfelt dialogue, make the situations all the more comically believable and at times, very moving.
By the show’s final number promoting “the full monty” we’re all rooting for these so-called average guys, be it clothes on—or off. And in the end (I know, I know) it’s actually what’s inside that counts.
So go ahead and blink. Because seeing all of The Full Monty is well, seeing it ... all.
The Full Monty runs through Oct. 17 in the Broadway Theatre Center’s Cabot Theatre, 158 N. Broadway. This production contains adult themes and very brief nudity. Skylight requires proof of vaccination or negative COVID test within 72 hours of performance for all audience members ages 12 and up. In addition, SMT requires audiences to be masked at all times while indoors, regardless of vaccination status. For more information, call 414-291-7800, or visit: www.skylightmusictheatre.org/
