Naughty and nice: 'The Full Monty' strips down to raunchy great fun

By Peter Filichia, Star-Ledger
August 18, 2009 11:19AM

The show at the Carousel in Asbury Park sure isn't "Carousel."

"The Full Monty," the musical that played the Paper Mill Playhouse in June, is getting yet another production, courtesy of the ReVision Theatre Company. While the set here is not just ugly as sin -- rather, it's as hideous as all 12 mortal sins plus 100,000 venial ones -- the cast is great fun in this raunchy show.

How raunchy? There's more than a dollop of profanity in Terrence McNally's (otherwise solid, amusing and tender) book and David Yazbek's lyrics. With a plot involving six out-of-work men stripping in order to raise much-needed cash, there's also more skin on display than in the average musical.

Yazbek provided the quirky music, too, which is an excellent amalgam of pop rock and genuine show music. Though this is mostly an up-tempo, brassy score (nicely played by a 13-piece band), Yazbek makes room for three beautiful ballads, too.

Scott Guthrie excels as Jerry, the flat-broke father who's as far behind on his child support payment as the Mets are in the standings. His young son Nathan is played by Andrew Newsome, an endearing but not sticky-sweet child actor. Such kids neither grow on trees nor on many stages, so Newsome is to be cherished. So is director David E. Leidholdt for not letting the lad overdo it.

All the would-be strippers score, but Andy R. Jobe is the most impressive. He's Malcolm, who must make a journey from namby-pamby mama's boy to a self-actualized man in love. Jobe does just that. Among the wives, Katherine Pecevich's Vicki has plenty of sizzle as a coddled spouse who turns out to have more character than her husband Harold (the impressive Mark Gerrard) would have expected. So does Erin Evers as Pam, Jerry's ex. McNally was careful not to make her any kind of a shrew, and Evers expertly shows the character still has a great deal of love left in her.
And then there's Jeanette, the veteran of eight marriages whom the men have hired as their pianist. Jane Strauss looks like the Wrath of God with her colorful but eye-offending outfit, and her hair piled atop her head so that it resembles an out-of-control tumor. McNally gave her some sharp lines, but on opening night, Strauss not only got a laugh with all of them, but also acquired applause from most of them.
Too bad, though, that Leidholdt occasionally positions an actor so that the audience can't hear an important piece of information, either because someone's blocking him, or because he's in a too-far-removed place on stage.
Granted, the set used on Broadway and Paper Mill was never attractive enough to pass for the Embassy Ballroom in "My Fair Lady." But at least it was specific enough to let an audience know that it was in such places as a men's room and two posh suburban homes. One can't get the point of the scene of the jokes without knowing the location. What's more, the moment when Malcolm attempts suicidal asphyxiation by carbon monoxide in a car isn't clear because there's only a suggestion of a car.

When one considers those liabilities, "The Full Monty" doesn't seem to be the right show for ReVision. However, with all the talent that the company has on hand -- and how right each actor is for his role -- one can understand why the plucky company just had to do this musical.

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The Full Monty
Where: ReVision Theatre, Carousel House, 700 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park
When: Through Sept. 6. Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7 p.m.
How much: $25-$50. Call (732) 455-3059 or visit revisiontheatre.org.

"Monty" a flying circus at Asbury Carousel

August 19, 2009
By TOM CHESEK
CORRESPONDENT
 
Theater folk do love to tell stories of their experiences on the live frontlines of show business — so stop us if you've heard the one about the much-ballyhooed musical revival presented inside an old boardwalk carousel roundhouse.

It seems that just prior to the opening night performance, a beach security vehicle with a stuck throttle rammed into the building, reportedly causing a delayed reaction that resulted in the power going out during a big showstopper number just minutes before intermission — a number completed with the help of flashlights, and followed by an unplanned 45-minute break in which the audience enjoyed lemonade and cool ocean breezes (while frantic crews entertained alternatives like science-project batteries made from lemonade-stand lemons).
Ouch. Too soon? Well, the people of Asbury Park's professional ReVision Theater Company needn't apologize, since they managed against some pretty long odds to wrest a successful opening of "The Full Monty" from the jaws of what looked to be certain disaster — as nifty a recovery as anything we've seen, and accomplished largely through the beyond-Monty efforts of a game cast (with all due credit to a patient and supportive audience).
Although it hasn't quite trickled down to the middle-school or church-basement circuits just yet, the Americanized stage adaptation (by Terrence McNally and composer David Yazbek) of the hit British film has been seen on enough community stages to dampen whatever residual shock value remains from a musical about amateur male strippers. It also helps tremendously that the authors have humanized their characters — a set of unemployed factory workers, divorced dads, and lost souls living in a beaten-down Buffalo — in a way that puts the show's gimmicky central conceit into perfect perspective. While the script doesn't run nearly as deep as other McNally efforts, these guys are a pack of underdogs that you can root for from the start.

Between scoring some pertinent points on the psychological effects of joblessness and despair, "Monty" is essentially a fun party — and director David Leidholdt has played up some of the party-atmosphere flourishes in a way that compensates for the generally low-budget look and rough aspects of the unorthodox (but still engagingly funky) venue at the south end of the boardwalk.

While Scott Guthrie and Adam Kern do a fine job anchoring the cast as broke brainstormer Jerry and his "fat bastard" buddy Dave, the show doesn't really spark to life until the "Hot Metal" dance troupe begins to come together toward the end of the first act (unfortunately, right about the time the lights went out on Aug. 14). The audition-scene intros of painfully bad dancer Ethan (Jonathan Gregg) and, especially, the "Big Black Man" known as Horse (Mark Weekes) are comic highlights that are very nearly eclipsed by the presence of Broadway veteran Jane Strauss, as the dance troupe's chain-smoking, wizened old crow of an accompanist (love those hopelessly dated references to Arthur Godfrey and Buddy Greco).

Apart from that surefire crowdpleaser of a role, the capable female performers in the cast (including such returning ReVisioners as Katherine Pecevich and Deidra Grace) necessarily cede the spotlight to the starring sextet of stripping pals rounded out by humiliated former boss Harold (Mark Gerrard) and suicidal lonely guy Malcolm (Andy R. Jobe). Still, one could make the case that the women literally saved the show on that weird opening night, by whooping up the energy level from the audience in the climactic (and briefly full-frontal) "Let It Go" production number.

Struggling to make ends meet in a harsh economic climate; striving valiantly to mount a slick show in what can be called a "quirky" space, the ReVision producers have every right to identify with their underdog protagonists here. While it's ultimately not going to be the sort of legacy-making choice that last spring's "Kingdom" was, their "Monty" is a fun summer show in a dress-down setting (air conditioned exclusively by nature), best enjoyed in that spirit — or with whatever spirits you can take in beforehand.

Continuing through Sept. 6, "The Full Monty" presents performances at 8 p.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and at 7 p.m. Sundays. Tickets, $35-$50, can be reserved by calling 732-455-3059 or visiting www.ReVisionTheatre.org.

Additional Facts

THE FULL MONTY B Terrence McNally and David Yazbek Carousel building, 700 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park 8 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays; 7 p.m. Sundays Through Sept. 6 $35-$50 732-455-3059 or www.ReVisionTheatre.org

The Full Monty is Superlative!

By Carlo Durand
The Coaster

August 18, 2009

In 2001 when the musical “The Producers” won its 715^th Tony Award (slight exaggeration) many wondered if the hype surrounding the sold- out comedic romp had gotten a bit out of hand. Granted, the show was a joy with irreverent humor and catchy tunes and all, but a growing number of dissenters (myself included) began grumbling that there was a Broadway show tragically unawarded and overlooked due to the Juggernaut of Mel Brooks’ campy blitzkrieg. “The Full Monty” (based upon the award-winning, 1997 British film of the same title) managed to run two years and earned the reputation of being a great show that should have run longer. If you missed out on the Broadway run or simply miss the show, then you are in luck because Asbury Park’s ReVision Theatre’s production of “The Full Monty” is sensational.

F or the uninitiated, the story (the movie is set in Northern England, the stage adapters ,Music and lyrics by  David Yazbek, book by Terrence McNally, have set the action in Buffalo, NY) concerns a group of six unemployed factory workers who decide to form a Chippendales-esque group and strip for badly needed cash, all for different reasons. Heading the cast as Jerry, a man sorely in arrears for child support and in danger of losing visitation with his son, is the talented Scott Guthrie. Mr. Guthrie establishes his presence from the opening moments with a strong, clear voice. He is the ringleader who dreams up this harebrained idea and convinces others to drop trou with him. It takes an actor of great charisma and conviction to make Jerry believable and likeable; Guthrie succeeds on both fronts. His portly best friend , Dave, is played by the lovable Adam Kern. Dave is much more than the traditional “chubby best friend” role. He is a person in crisis with his life. Unemployment, the assuming of house-husband duties, and the loss of faith  in himself and in his marriage (his wife played by the adorable Stephanie Sine) have made Dave miserable, yet Mr. Kern’s performance shows a fully developed character who the audience grows to love more and more throughout the course of the evening.

These two buddies soon enlist the res t of their crew:  Andy R. Jobe plays Malcom, a suicidal security guard with mother issues. Jobe has an amazing singing voice and a wonderfully cartoonish physicality (somewhat reminiscent of Shaggy from “Scooby Doo”). His performance is hysterically funny and remarkably touching. Mark Gerrard plays Harold, the group’s reluctant dance instructor. Harold is in a pickle due to his cash-strapped status and over-spending spouse (Vicki, portrayed with gusto and glamour by the fantastic Katherine Pecevich). Gerrard succeeds well as a man fighting to keep up the illusion of stability while slowly crumbling under the weight of the pressure. His duet (“You Rule My World”) with Mr. Kern , as they sing of their respective loves in their lives was a highlight. Mark F. Weekes portrays Noah (aka “Horse”) and brings a charged vitality to the role of an older man seeking re-discovering his youthful inner boogie and Jonathan Gregg plays Ethan, a hapless oaf who has a habit of knocking himself senseless. Gregg is a wonderful performer with a beautiful voice and expert comic timing.  These six fellows have the unenviable task of not only needing to sing, act and dance but to be in varying states of undress during part of it. The group does not disappoint , particularly at the end of act one when we see them all begin to gel as a performing group thanks mainly to Connor Gallaghers’s exciting choreography . Ho wever the finale is nothing less than electric as the guys truly go for broke and do go “the full monty” which is British slang for “all the way”, meaning buck naked.  The audience was hooting and applauding every member of this delightful cast. The show was directed with finesse by David E. Leidholdt who kept the action flowing seamlessly and guided every performer onstage to memorable moments (particularly local favorite Bob Angelini in his professional debut whose brief “strip audition” was a comic highpoint of the evening). The superlative musical direction was by Andrew Hertz.  The entire evening was a complete and total joy, yet there was one factor that truly helped in firmly establishing this production as a deluxe success. The factor is a force of nature named Jane Strauss. A Broadway veteran with highly respectable credits, Ms Strauss quite simply stole the show as Jeanette, the group’s musical director.  Line by line, glance by glance, gesture by gesture, Strauss delivered comedic homeruns and had the boys onstage and the audience in the palm of her hand.

Since 2008, Revision has established itself as Asbury Park’s resident professional theatre company and in a short time has become well known=2 0for its professionalism and dedication to quality work. Currently the company utilizes the performance space at the Asbury Park VFW Hall (where their celebrated spring production of the hip-hop musical “Kingdom” was staged to raves) and the Carousel House on the Asbury Boardwalk (where “Monty” is now playing). There is a resonating sense of rebirth here. What was once a vacant shell ready for demolition is now heralding a new era for a city. Peter Allen wrote “Everything Old is New Again”. Asbury is coming alive again and no city can truly thrive without the presence of art.  One can only hope that the Carousel House or another empty theatrical venue can soon become this group’s permanent home. They deserve one and the city needs one. In the meantime, see “The Full Monty” and enjoy a bit of Broadway caliber theater right here on the shore.

“The Full Monty”  runs Wed-Sat at 8PM, Sundays at 7PM through September 6^th at The Carousel House on the Boardwalk, 700 Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park, NJ 07712. Call 732-455-3059 for tickets and information or visit  www.ReVisionTheatre.org

"Hair' grabs gold ring

Scoop Slone, Casey Gensler and Ephie Aardema are co-stars in ReVision Theatre Company's production of "Hair," being staged at the carousel house in Asbury Park.
(Dennis Carroll)

August 19, 2008

by TOM CHESEK, Asbury Park Press

What a piece of work is "Hair: the American Tribal Love-Rock Musical" that caught Broadway with its pants down more than 40 years ago.

Welded to its Summer of Love origins, devoid of all but the barest-bones plot points, populated by the sketchiest of characters, the 1967 show created by James Rado and Gerome Ragni might have been little more than a vanity project for its writer-stars if it weren't for one crucial distinction — those songs.

Working with composer Galt MacDermot, the authors crafted a set of generational anthems, emotional ballads and satiric sing-alongs that stand very well on their own, even as they shoulder the entire weight of moving the show along. All this, without owing a thing to the conventions of Tin Pan Alley's Golden Age.

Along the way to revolutionizing the whole musical template as practiced in postwar America, "Hair" managed to shed a number of Broadway bugaboos — against sex and drug references, interracial romancing and liberal dropping of the f-bomb, to name but a few. Most of all, it's famous for the shedding of clothing, which the cast does during the "Be-In" sequence that forms the climax to the first act.

ReVision Theatre Company, the new professional troupe based in Asbury Park, has selected this unorthodox show as its first extended-engagement production — and they've opted to do it in an unorthodox venue, the Carousel building that adjoins the old Casino at the south end of the boardwalk.

Unless you're a recovering 1990s skate punk, you probably haven't been inside that historic roundhouse for many years; not since the hand-painted ponies of the old wooden ride stampeded out of state. Boardwalk developer Madison Marquette has done a tremendous job getting the unique structure up to speed as a live performance venue, a purpose it was never designed for.

Director Andy Goldberg (whose 1970s-retro tribute to the Aussie pop group Boney M was a smash on European stages) and the ReVision team have also worked hard in orienting this show to its unusual space, keeping the cast of 17 actors mostly above the audience on a central riser, side platforms and scaffolds.

As Claude, the conflicted "Tribe" member whose drafting into the Vietnam-era army forms the crux of the drama here, Casey Gensler shares the spotlight with Scoop Slone, who displays some solid rock-star cred as the Puckish, self-centered Tribesman Berger. If anything, however, "Hair" is an unusually democratic show in which pretty much everyone gets their turn to shine — with stand-out moments delivered by Kyle Taylor Parker ("Colored Spade"), Julia Arazi ("Air"), Mike Russo ("Don't Put It Down") and Ephie Aardema ("Easy To Be Hard").

Special kudos should go out to lighting designer George Hansel, who's met the considerable challenges of rigging and illuminating this oddball space with an effort that pays off in full during the extended "trip" and hallucination sequences of the second act.