Scarborough Music Theatre Adds Extra Performance of The Full Monty 2/16

This February the hottest ticket in Scarborough will be for Scarborough Music Theatre's production of THE FULL MONTY. Advance sales are already so high that the group has added an extra performance on Wednesday, February 16.

Based on th 1997 film of the same name, the musical is the story of six unemployed steel workers who are forced to deal with their insecurities when they decide to make money by forming a male striptease act - especially when they announce that their act is different from the professional strippers because they are going to do the full monty. But the show doesn't just deal with their physical insecurities. These are men who are trying to find their way in a society that leaves them questioning what it is to be a man. Are they still men if they can't provide for their families? Do their wives still find them attractive if they've put on a bit of weight? Will their friends still accept them if they find out that they're gay? "There certainly is a fair amount of nudity and course language in the production", says director Michael Jones, "but the challenge of this production will be to absorb the audience in the humanity of the story. This is not a show about taking your clothes off; this is a show about a group of people who are having a really hard time and are struggling. As they struggle they are really human because it's about asking 'am I an adequate person who deserves to be loved?'"

The cast is a mix of SMT veterans and new members. John Palmieri has performed in many plays but playing the lead role of Jerry Lukowski is only his second musical role - his first being the role of Rooster Hannigan in SMT's November production of ANNIE. "Despite the fact that I'll be mostly naked in the show," he says, "the biggest challenge for me will be the large number of songs I'm in." Palmieri is confident that by the time the show is ready to open he, and the rest of the cast, will be ready to give the audience the full monty. For Michael Harvey, playing the role of Malcom MacGregor, this is just the most recent musical in his 30 year career but the show it not without its challenges. "For me," he says, "the biggest challenge in the show is keeping myself from falling down laughing hysterically every time we strip."

The show auditioned in mid-November and the cast and crew have been hard at work since then. Shortly before Christmas they did a full run of the first act and the first run of the second act will take place three weeks before opening. The rehearsal schedule has been hectic, especially working around the Christmas holidays, but with so much work being done early in the process they find themselves with time to perfect the scenes. "[Director] Michael [Jones] works you hard," says Palmieri, "but only because he works even harder himself. Above all, it's always fun and rewarding."

THE FULL MONTY runs from February 3-19, 2011. Tickets are currently on sale through the Theatre Scarborough box office and can be ordered by phone (416-267-9292) or online at www.theatrescarborough.com. Regular tickets are $25 with student and senior discounts available for Thursday evening and all matinee performances. Tickets for groups of 10 or more are available for $20 each.

Scarborough Music Theatre presents The Full Monty - February 3-19, 2011

 

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