BWW Reviews: ‘NAKED HOLIDAYS’ Rises to the Occasion

EndTimes Productions presents its 5th annual Yuletide bacchanalia at the Times Square Arts Center, a hilarious, free-spirited debauchery of anything goes (and it pretty much does).  This musical not only rises to the occasion, but also proves that this year, it's "not about the holidays... it's about the NAKED holidays."

Now in its fifth year, Naked Holidays is comprised of an entertainingly shameless cast of 19, along with multiple talented writers who have pulled off cleverly indulging material that will definitely brighten your holiday bah-humbug.  

One of the standouts is The Annihilator, about Christmas at a professional wrestler's house.  Chris Lazzaro lays it all out there in this hilarious skit where his pelvic gyrations prove more effective than his wrestling moves.   

Silver Bells is another well-written, entertaining skit where they sing, "I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus," and then add, "And now they're divorced."  

Kara Addington and Alexander Dunbar as hosts, effectively keep the show moving along, and serve as titillating distractions between scenes.

Rudolph's Law, tells about an elf who goes door-to-door announcing that he's a registered sex offender, but has been "chemically castrated if that makes a difference."  Again, clever, effective material that is as funny as it is provocative.  Santa Christian parodies Night Ranger's "Sister Christian," and First Noel boasts a naked ensemble swaying with only stuffed lambs on their crotches, and pictures of Jesus on their breasts.  

Not all humor was effective, however.  Jokes about Penn State, Jane Fonda, Julia Roberts and Lindsay Lohan collectively called "ho, ho ho's," and Michael Jackson who was "dreaming of being white for Christmas" had mixed audience reviews.  

The climax of the show was The Naked People Play, where everyone stripped into their holiday... I mean, birthday suits, and gave the audience what they REALLY came to see.  

Honest and courageous, Naked Holidays steps outside the Disney-filled Christmas box by offering something entertaining, raw, and audaciously clever.  This excitingly raunchy, provocative show will become more of a holiday tradition than egg nog and mistletoe.  With the hustle and bustle and frustration of the holiday season, Naked Holidays will surely prove to be "the most wonderful time of the year."

Naked Holidays runs December 8-10, 15-17, 19-22, & 27-30 at 8pm and December 11 & 18 at 7pm.  Roy Arias Stage 4 is located inside the Times Square Arts Center at 300 W. 43rd Street (at 8th Avenue, 4th Floor).  Tickets are $47.50, available at (212) 352-3101 or www.EndTimesProductions.org.

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