By Ryan Black
Photography by John Skalicky
www.skalickyphoto.com
I was just watching an old home
movie the other day at my parents’ house.
You may wonder what the hell this has to do with
The Full Monty, but I will get to that in a minute.
Picture it: La Mirada, California, 1987, with Grandma
Pearl and my two cousins, getting ready to go to
our monthly theater outing. I was dressed to the
nines in my navy blazer with the gold crest, khaki
pants and penny loafers—on
my way to see Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. (My
mother still wonders how I could possibly be gay?)
I loved every minute of Grandma’s cultural
outings the second Sunday each month. Little did
I know then that that stage would be the first I
would work on seven years later, in 1994. It would
also be the location of my first callback for a major
part. Back then it was called La Mirada Light Opera,
and today, in a new venue at the Carpenter Center
in Long Beach, it's called Musical Theatre West.
Theater has been, and always will be, important to
our community. In a myriad of incarnations, this
troupe has been around for more than 50 years and
is still thriving thanks to Executive Director and
Producer Paul Garman, who credits its survival to “a
dedicated community of patrons and artists that are
like family.” Garman told me that “60,000
patrons come every year from as far as Las Vegas,
where they charter a bus for every show.” MTW
has evolved into a very well-respected theater and
a leading force in the barely surviving musical theater
community of Southern California. I respect and totally
support MTW. It was the first place where I felt
safe to be who I was. Bring in the violins, ‘cause
here I am, boys; here I am, world! It helped me to
go on to national tours and other regional shows—three
shows of which were at Musical Theatre West. I was
even called back for the role of Jerry in this new
Monty production! Some would think I’d be bitter
for not getting the part—and well, frankly
I am. I digress again, but I am not so bitter that
I can't recognize what a stellar cast and show this
is going to be. This is not a case of Nancy Pelosi
clapping for George Bush, but more of Hillary still
supporting Bill.
The Full Monty stars John Bisom, a local favorite
(and favorite of mine), as Jerry. Jerry’s an
unemployed blue-collar worker desperately trying
to hold on to custody of his son. With the recruitment
of other out-of-work men and a few strays, he resorts
to the full monty as a means of survival, while finding
out about love along the way. I asked MTW’s
new associate artistic director and director of this
show, Steven Glaudini, to sum up the show in three
words. “Live, Laugh and Love,” was his
answer. With a book by the legendary Terrence McNally
(Ragtime, Master Class) and music and lyrics provided
by David Yazbeck (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), this
musical is definitely about just that. The story
also touches on its own gay coming out story of two
of the main characters. Out Broadway veteran David
Engel (Suessical, Forever Plaid) playing straight-laced
boss, Harold, told me when I asked about the gay
arc of the story, “It presents itself in a
very powerful and moving way.” A Monty veteran,
Engel said, “I’ve never done a show where
the audience was so into it and supportive.” Into
it and supportive I am, and I will be there in the
front row on opening night with a flashlight to have
my own spotlight of that final Full Monty and, honestly
and truly, to honor and support Musical Theatre West.
What: The Full Monty
Presented by: Musical Theatre
West
Where: Carpenter Center for the Performing Arts
6200
E. Atherton St., Long Beach
When: Feb. 24-March 11
Tickets: (562) 856-1999, ext.
4
Cost: $25-52
Website: www.musical.org
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