In the mood for a little “Gratuitous Nudity” of the male persuasion? A local musical revue is singing your tune.
The show “Naked Boys Singing!” at Chicago’s Bailiwick Arts Center boasts a kinky kind of chorus line. Eight men blissfully and boldly bare it all, except for what’s concealed by the occasional jock strap or cowboy hat, for 17 naughty numbers. This spectacular display of man flesh has been a hit among gay guys for months–but now, more and more women are starting to catch the act. They’re bringing along friends, organizing road trips, even planning bachelorette parties around the show.
“I think women enjoy the fun but slightly naughty atmosphere in a totally safe harbor,” says David Zak, artistic director at Bailiwick. “I suspect they enjoy the variety of bodies and appreciate mostly the men on stage who are just regular guys–not studs or supermodels–who are confident and talented.” He added that the show offers a welcome break from traditional erotic entertainment, such as movies, “where we see every inch of the woman and nothing of the man.”
We attended a recent “Naked” performance (it’s research, folks). In the crowd of about 90 were almost two dozen women. As the performers sang and danced and basically let it all hang out, the women boisterously showed their appreciation. During the “Gratuitous Nudity” number, when the performers sang “Tonight, you won’t wonder what’s under our underwear,” the women whistled and cheered. In a later number, when an adorable guy dolled up in studs and leather chirped, “I’m a perky little porn star from Skokie, Illinois,” the women roared louder than any leather-clad man in the audience. And during “Bliss of a Bris,” the women gasped and squirmed (though you have to figure empathy can go only so far).
Cheryl Neely, 43, of Chicago caught the show with two female friends. “I don’t have any naked boys at home; that’s why I’m here,” she said with a laugh. She found the show quite eye-catching, but discovered that “after staring at one spot for so long, you had to move your eyes and look elsewhere.”
Her friend Tiare Smith, 33, of Chicago said her “naked man at home” didn’t mind that she and her friends were out enjoying some eye candy. “He’s pretty cool.”
Gail Shiple, 50, was visiting from Toledo with a group of former high school friends–and they made a point of leaving their men at home. “Men aren’t secure enough to see this type of thing,” Shiple said. “And straight men have no sense of humor.”
Friend Lynne Zymaris, 51, got more than she bargained for. “I wasn’t expecting that much nudity, but they were NAKED!” she said with a huge smile. “But I have three boys and a couple of ex-husbands, so I wasn’t uncomfortable.”
The show “was much more risque than I expected,” said friend Sue Hancock, 51, of Lafayette, Ind. But she was glad she and her friends made the trip to Chicago. “I think [the show] would be illegal in Indiana!”
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“Naked Boys Singing!” runs through June 30 at Bailiwick Arts Center, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. Tickets are $30, and group discounts are available. For more information, call 773-883-1090 or go to www.bailiwick.org.