By Susannah Whitman
If you’re looking for a poignant story wrapped in a riotously good time, head up to the Egyptian Theatre in Park City to see The Ziegfeld Theatre Company’s production of The Full Monty. Based on the 1997 film of the same name, The Full Monty follows the story of six unemployed steel mill workers in Buffalo, New York, and their unlikely plan to make ends meet by stripping. (And yes, there is stripping in the show.) But beneath layers of humor (pun intended), there are empowering messages about love, family, sacrifice, and the meaning of manhood.
The story is told through the eyes of the passionate (and sometimes volatile) Jerry (Jeremy Gross), who will lose custody of his son if he doesn’t make some money soon. The striptease act is his idea. Gross brings a firecracker energy to the role, which is balanced by strong emotional connections to his fellow actors and to the material. The motley crew of strippers includes Jerry’s best friend Dave (Caleb Parry), his old boss Harold (Shaun Carr), former co-worker Malcolm (Nick Morris), and open audition finds Noah “Horse” Simmons (Carlos Emjay) and Ethan (Tommy John Holt).
Parry’s portrayal of Dave is honest, humorous, and powerful, and he provides grounding for Jerry’s intensity. Carr performs the role of Harold well, bringing a strength and likeability to the character. Morris and Holt are both endearingly sweet as Malcolm and Ethan, and their clear beautiful voices are just one of the things that makes their number “You Walk With Me” in Act Two so honest and lovely. Emjay’s comedy as Noah “Horse” Simmons is perfect, and his number “Big Black Man” is a showstopper.
Two standout performances also come from Camille Van Wagoner as the lovable, rough-around-the-edges accompanist Jeannette, and Heidi Potter Hunt as Vicki, Harold’s wife. Both women have tremendous stage presence and comedic powers for days.
One of the strongest elements of this production is the varied and distinct members of the ensemble. The cast as a whole includes so many different body types and looks, and each actor creates a specific and unique character. This is true both of the main characters and the ensemble.
Caleb Parry’s creative set design allowed for a lot of flexibility—actors could shift between scenes and locations smoothly. Kyle Lawrence’s music direction highlighted soaringly satisfying moments in the soundtrack, and Joshua S. Robinson’s choreography is simple, fun, and fitting.
Under Hugh Hanson’s direction, the story moves beautifully between the comedic and the poignant. The script allows for the exploration of some powerful themes—body image, suicide, depression, homosexuality. But perhaps the most powerful theme was that of gender roles.
At the beginning of the show, most of the men (but especially Jerry) have rigid definitions for manhood. The man makes the money. The man provides for his children. The man doesn’t do housework and he definitely isn’t into anything that might be considered gay (dancing, for example). The problem is that all of these definitions are threatened when the steel mill starts laying off workers. Suddenly, the men in Buffalo aren’t making money or providing for their children, and have to start taking up housework. And when stripping becomes the most viable option for making money, they have to enter a world where dancing is the main activity, and where they meet men who are (gasp!) gay.
It is Jerry’s transformation—his letting go of these rigid definitions of manhood—that gives this musical its spine. Jerry, along with all the other men, learn that manhood does not come from violence or anger or being tough or even bringing home the money. Manhood comes from vulnerability. From exposing yourself (both literally and metaphorically) and all of your insecurities to other people. It is letting other people see the parts of you you’d sometimes rather hide, whether physical like pimples, fat, or *ahem* your smaller-than-average size, or emotional, like the love you have for another man or your hopelessness or your shame. The strip tease in the show isn’t just about men making money in an unusual or unexpected way. It’s about men learning to let themselves be seen—their bodies and their souls. The Ziegfeld gives us a great chance to experience all this—and more! And less!
Content advisory: Ages 16+ for mature subject matter, nudity, and language
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Ziegfeld Theatre Company presents The Full Monty by Terrence McNally and David Yazbek
Egyptian Theatre in Historic Park City, 328 Main Street, Park City, UT 84060
Contact: 435-649-9371
May 24 – June 3, 2018, Thursday – Sunday, 8:00 PM (6:00 PM on Sunday)
Tickets: $23 – $45, online, by phone, or at the door
Egyptian Theatre Facebook Page
The Full Monty Facebook Event
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