The Center Stage Jackson community theatre group is preparing to stage the musical comedy "The Full Monty." It's about a group of wannabe male strippers who decide to bare all for some cash.
On a recent Wednesday evening, actors and musicians with the company gathered at the Potter Center at Jackson College to work on the music for the production.
Director Charles Packard says the story follows a group of out-of-work steelworkers in Buffalo, New York who hit upon a novel idea to make some money: put on a show as male strippers, à la Chippendales.
“They’ve hatched a scheme that they can earn plenty of money and solve all their problems just by doing the full monty, an old cliché for fully naked," he explained.
The lead character, Jerry Lakowski, is played by Talon Baldwin, who is also producing the musical. The strip show is his character’s idea.
“Unfortunately, Jerry has a history of large schemes that he has a hard time of accomplishing, and his friends know this. They’re used to this from Jerry, always having these big, broad ideas," Baldwin said. "So, he gets in a little over his head and has to pull himself out of it at the end.”
Baldwin says he’s always loved comedic parts, especially the silly roles getting all the laughs. He says Jerry is different.
“He’s very intelligent. He’s ambitious, right? He’s not the funny one. The comedy happens around him, and that’s a very different part than I’ve ever had to play before. It’s very difficult. It’s been quite a challenge to get to there," he said.
Packard says in putting on a strip show, these guys are just hoping to keep their families going during tough times.
So, how do the wives and girlfriends of these men feel about all this?
“Through the arc of the show, we learn whether that’s really important to the women or not,” Packard answered. “What’s truly important to holding these families together is the courage that the men show in putting themselves so exposed and so on display like this.”
The obvious question for people who are unfamiliar with the show has to be asked: do these guys, with their dad bods, really go "the full monty?"
Director Charles Packard discusses the nudity very carefully.
"Visually, there is not. But, the experience that we’re concocting for you will be shocking and delightful, and fairly PG.”
The Center Stage Jackson production of "The Full Monty" runs for two weekends at the Jackson College Potter Center’s Baughman Theatre, starting Friday. The show is for an audience aged 18 and older.
