BWW Flashback: Cult Hit Rock Musical BARE Closes Off-Broadway Today

Bare plays its final performance tonight, February 3rd, 2013, after 21 previews and 65 regular performances. Bare began previews off-Broadway at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street) on Monday, November 19, 2012 and opened on Sunday, December 9, 2012. BroadwayWorld takes you back through BARE's beginnings off-Broadway below!

The company of Bare features Jason Hite (Jason), Taylor Trensch (Peter) and Elizabeth Judd (Ivy), with Gerard Canonico (Matt), Jerold E. Solomon (Father Mike), Barrett Wilbert Weed (Nadia) and Missi Pyle (Sister Joan). They are joined by Anthony Festa (Swing), Casey Garvin (Zack), Ariana Groover (Vanessa), Sara Kapner (Madison), Alice Lee (Diane), Megan Lewis (Swing), Justin Gregory Lopez (Beto), Michael Tacconi (Nick) and Alex Wyse (Alan).

Featuring music by Damon Intrabartolo and book & lyrics by Jon Hartmere, Bare is directed by Olivier Award nominee Stafford Arima (Carrie, Altar Boyz) and choreographed by EmmyAward nominee Travis Wall ("So You Think You Can Dance"). Additional music is by Hartmere and Lynne Shankel (Altar Boyz, Cry-Baby, Company). Music supervision and arrangements are also by Lynne Shankel.

The Bare creative team includes Tony Award-winner Donyale Werle (Peter and the Starcatcher, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson) as the scenic designer, costume design byTristan Raines (Tribes, Murder in the First), lighting design by TonyAward-winnerHowell Binkley (Jersey Boys, Memphis), and sound design by Keith Caggiano (Soul of Shaolin).

With a pulsating rock score, BARE is the story of a group of teens as they wrestle with their identities, sexuality and religion at a co-ed Catholic boarding school. As their final year of high school draws to a close, they attempt to navigate the complex road from adolescence to adulthood and must then deal with the consequences of their choices as they prepare to take the next step in their lives.

On National Coming Out Day, and the producers of BARE hosted an event at The Snapple Theater Center, which featured a vast array of speakers, including BARE director Stafford Arima and choreographer Travis Wall. They shared their personal experiences, spoke about their individual organizations and their collaboration with BARE, and together shared the message of equality for all. BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was there to chat with the whole gang, and you can check out what they had to say about the special day below.

Just before BARE began previews Off-Broadway in November 2012, the cast and creative team previewed the show for the press, and BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was there for all of the festivities. Below, get a first look at some of the numbers from the show, plus interviews with the cast and creative team, including director Stafford Aroma, lyricist and co-book writer Jon Hartmere, Jr., composer and co-book writer Damon Intrabartolo, choreographer Travis Wall and cast members Elizabeth Judd, Barrett Wilbert Weed, Gerard Canonico, Jerold E. Solomon, Missi Pyle, Taylor Trensch and Jason Hite!

The new incarnation of the rock musical Bare opened on December 9, 2012. BroadwayWorld was there to capture the return of the cult hit to NYC. Scroll down for production photos, shots from the opening night curtain call, and BWW's opening night interviews with the company!

Before BARE's final weekend of performances, the original 2004 cast, including John Hill, Natalie Joy Johnson, Adam Fleming, and Jenna Leigh Green, reunited at the show and took pictures backstage with the current cast.

BARE had its world premiere at the Hudson Theater in Los Angeles, Calif., where it began performances in October 14, 2000, and ran through February 25, 2001. Following the Los Angeles production, BARE began its run at the American Theatre of Actors (Chernuchin Theatre) on March 25, 2004. It opened April 19, 2004 and played through May 27, 2004. BARE has since had more than 100 productions worldwide.

A cast album for the current Off-Broadway production is in the works and plans are underway for upcoming productions in Korea, Japan, Brazil and Los Angeles.

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