What would you do to provide for your family in times of financial turmoil? How far would you go? These are pertinent questions for many Americans today in this time of economic uncertainty. These questions and more are at the center of Terrence McNally (Book) and David Yazbek’s (Music and Lyrics) popular contemporary musical The Full Monty, based on the film of the same name.
At Keegan, Mark A. Rhea and Susan Marie Rhea’s direction allows for the more heartwarming aspects of the story to shine through. They’ve assembled a group of enthusiastic, seasoned and less-seasoned talent to bring the Average Joes and their significant others – dressed in socio-economic status-appropriate garb designed by Erin Nugent – to life.
Ashleigh King’s choreography is delightful – and more about presenting the decidedly human characters on a journey.
Casting wise, the production features a very solid triple-threat ensemble, which cannot be overlooked.
It’s hard to keep your eyes off Kurt Boehm in any scene whether he’s the focus or not…. he possesses an exceedingly strong and versatile tenor voice that’s particularly evident in “Man/Man Reprise” and the more ballad-like “Breeze Off the River.” He’s also charming, natural and relatable to boot so much so that you want to root for his character – and this is exactly what’s needed for the production to be successful. Likewise, [Michael] Innocenti shows off his knack for comedy as the slightly dense Ethan and also possesses a thoroughly professional voice.
