'Full Monty' performers deliver the goods
Robin Steele
Issue date: 4/25/08 Section: Arts & Culture
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Musical Forum's spring musical opens tonight at 8 p.m. in the Production Workshop downstairs space in T.F. Green Hall, following a group of average Joes who turn to stripping to make ends meet - and rediscover self-respect in the process. The book was written by Terrence McNally, with music and lyrics by David Yazbek '82, following the 1997 film of the same name.
With a run time of around two-and-a-half hours, the show, directed by Matt Bauman '10, follows a group of laid-off factory workers searching for work in early-1990s Buffalo, N.Y. After witnessing the success of a local male strip club, divorced father Jerry (Brandon Chinn '09) recruits his sad sack buddy Dave (Mike Williams '10) to join him in creating a one-night-only strip show to make some extra money. Jerry needs the money in order to retain partial custody of his son, Nathan (Adam Cassel '08).
Jerry and Dave eventually enlist four more desperate locals - mama's boy Malcolm (Chris Tyler '10), former manager Harold (Herald Sports Columnist Ellis Rochelson '09), elderly "Horse" (Nick White '10) and the well-endowed Ethan (Lee Taglin '10). As the nervous group practices for the big night, with the help of brassy pianist Jeanette (Sophie Shackleton '09), the personal stakes get higher.
Harold hasn't told his wife Vicki (Allison Schneider '10) that he lost his job because he's afraid she will leave him. Dave and his wife Georgie (Beth Berger '10) are becoming increasingly estranged, leading to his defection from the group to take a job as a mall security guard.
The professional stakes also get higher when Jerry impulsively declares that the group will go for the "full monty" - complete nudity - in order to differentiate themselves from professional strippers. As word spreads and personal plot lines come to a head, the town comes out in full force to see "the full monty." Will all the characters perform? Will they go all the way?