“The Full Monty” is about what happens when times are tough, your back is against the wall and you decide to go for broke.
Based on the 1997 British film, “The Full Monty” is a musical with book by Terrence McNally and score by David Yazbek. It will be performed Aug. 21-Oct. 6 at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora.
Performances are at 1:30 and 7 p.m. Wednesdays, 7 p.m. Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays, 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays and 1 and 5:30 p.m. Sundays. The 13th Broadway Series season opener is being directed by Jim Corti and associate director Creg Sclavi.
“The Full Monty” is about a group of steel workers in Buffalo, New York, who have been out of work for 18 months. Foreman Jerry Lukowski, after hearing his ex-wife and her friends go bonkers at a Chippendales show, gets the idea to perform a striptease act with his friends to make some money. He is unconcerned with the pesky detail that none of them have Chippendale bodies or dancing skills.
The songs in this 10-time Tony Award nominee include “You Rule My World,” “Big-Ass Rock,” “You Walk With Me” and “Breeze Off the River.”
Sclavi was familiar with the show — he’s a fan of the movie and the production. If you’ve seen the movie, you’ll notice that the biggest change is that it is now set in America. Buffalo is also an industrial, blue-collar city so it fit the story perfectly and the change helps American audiences relate to the play.
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“It actually follows the movie quite closely,” he said. “It holds very true to the source material. If you’ve seen the movie, you’re going to come in and see something fresh and see a new version of that story being told, but you’re going to recognize a lot of the things and see the little Easter eggs that pop out. But if you haven’t seen the film at all, you’re still going to watch a wonderful story and you’re not going to be lost in the least.”
Ben Mayne, who grew up in Austin, Texas, and now lives in Chicago, stars as Jerry Lukowski. He’s never performed in “The Full Monty,” but knew the show and loved the songs.
“It’s kind of a bucket list part and show for me,” he said.
His character, Jerry, is the ringleader who rallies the group of would-be strippers.
“They’re all struggling with life hurdles. They’ve been out for work for 18 months and they’re all just trying to keep their heads above water,” he said. “My character Jerry … comes up with this idea with his best friend Dave to become male strippers, although he doesn’t know how to dance or perform or be in front of a crowd.”
The out-of-work steel workers don’t strip for laughs, Sclavi said.
“They do it because they have seemingly run out of options,” he said. “These are guys who have been out of work for 18 months. They need to pay child support, they have mortgages, they have bills piling up. Not only do they have the financial burden of this, they are also now in a world where they do not have jobs and their wives do.”
Some men struggle with the idea of not being the breadwinner of their family, Sclavi said. It’s a hit to the ego and that can shake up their identity and sense of self.
“It’s the idea of these guys trying to find a way to pull themselves out of this slump that they’re in, not only financially but emotionally,” he said.
“There is so much to like about this show. From the outside, it seems sort of like this raunchy comedy — which it is, but it is so honest and touching in so many ways,” Mayne said. “I think people will be really surprised by how earnest the themes are and how moving a lot of the family relationships and friendship dynamics are.”
While it’s a comedy, subjects like divorce, self-esteem, masculinity and the roles of husbands and fathers are explored.
“It really touches on so many different things but doesn’t hit you over the head, which is so great,” Mayne said.
He loves working with the Paramount’s cast and production team, he said.
“Jim and Creg are so great … they let us play around and then reign us in when they need to, which is a lot because we’re howling onstage. We’re making each other laugh like crazy,” he said. “It’s a great cast.”
Sclavi was quick to praise his cast as well.
“They’re wonderful. They’re so fun and they come in with so many great ideas and they’re really excited to be a part of this and to tell this story.” Sclavi said. “They’re coming in with this aspect of the community being important. They’re very smart and creative. It’s a very collaborative room all around.”
The production will have a live orchestra, he said.
“It’s very jazzy, there’s a lot of brass in there. Which is leaning into this steel, metal-worker kind of town,” Sclavi said. “There are all different styles of music but there is a lot of brass. Also, there are some really beautiful, touching songs as well.”
Sclavi believes audiences will love the show and have a wonderful night at the theater, he said.
“It’s a beautiful show about community and family and finding your self-definition after it’s been pulled out from underneath you,” he said. “And seeing these people grow and become better humans, which I think is something we can all connect to. I’m really thrilled to share this with audiences. I think they’re going to have a blast. I think it’s going to be something different than they’ve not quite seen at the Paramount before and I’m thrilled we get to share this with the community.”
“The Full Monty” contains adult language and brief nudity, but he promises nobody is walking around naked onstage. If parents are concerned about bringing kids, Sclavi advises they call the box office to have any questions answered.
“I really think it’s something the entire community and theater-going audience are going to love,” he said. “If you loved the movie, you’re going to completely fall in love with it again onstage.”
The Paramount will offer two Pay What You Can performances at 7 p.m. Aug. 22 and 3 p.m. Aug. 24. An open captioning performance will be at 7 p.m. Oct. 2 and an American Sign Language interpretation will be at 8 p.m. Oct. 4.
Annie Alleman is a freelance reporter for the Beacon-News.
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‘The Full Monty’
When: Aug. 21-Oct. 6
Where: Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Ave., Aurora
Tickets: $28-$85
Information: 630-896-6666; paramountaurora.com