What says Mother's Day more than giving Mom a naked guy? Naked Boys Singing! can't think of anything else that celebrates motherhood more than a boy in the buff, so they're giving free admission to any Ma who comes to the Actors' Playhouse with a daughter or son in tow.
Naked Boys Singing! is a sometimes comic, sometimes serious, all singing, all dancing revue of tunes celebrating mankind sans clothing. The original 16-song score includes such numbers as "Fight the Urge," "The Bliss of a Bris," "Muscle Addiction," "Nothing But the Radio On," "Members Only" and "Window to Window." A cast album of the Los Angeles production is available at the theatre.
The revue's contributing writers are Stephen Bates, Marie Cain, Shelly Markham, Jim Morgan, David Pevsner, Rayme Sciaroni, Mark Savage, Ben Schaechter, Robert Schrock, Mark Winkler and Bruce Vilanch.
According to a Keith Sherman office spokesperson, currently in the Naked cast are Eric Dean Davis, Christopher Kelly, Steven Spraragan, Billy Briggs, Luis Villabon, Bruce Linser, Eric Potter and Bill Rolon joining original cast members Tom Gualtieri and Patrick Herwood.
Producers are Jamie Cesa & Carl D. White (The Last Session), Hugh Hayes, Tom Smedes and Jennifer Dumas. Naked Boys Singing!, a long-running hit in Los Angeles musical as well, turned 400 in its New York incarnation June 19. The eight gentlemen have been stripping down and suiting up since their opening July 22, 1999. Tickets are $50-$35 or $70 for the first two rows. The Actors' Playhouse is located at 100 Seventh Avenue South below Christopher Street. Call (212) 463-0060 for information.
* Surprisingly, Naked Boys Singing! does have a costume designer.
Carl D. White designed both set and costumes for the show, which celebrates nudity in sketches and songs written by 13 writers. Conceived and directed by Robert Schrock, with musical direction and arrangements by Stephen Bates and choreography by Jeffry Denman, Naked Boys began previews in Greenwich Village June 30, opening July 22.
"Everybody's always surprised to hear there are costumes -- there's quite a bit of costuming," reveals designer White, who doubles as a producer and triples as general manager. "Each of the guys has between four to seven different changes: Gym clothes and two full suits, including one for a strip tease so it rips away..."
White told Playbill On-Line "the guys are naked for 85 percent of the show, but when they're costumed they are in various states of dress and undress -- shoulder pads, jocks, boxer brief, or just underwear in classic white."
He said white underwear is of particular interest to women, who make up a large part of the audience.
"I've chosen to go with fabrics that are nets or nylons, things you can see the body through," said White.
-- By Christine Ehren
and Kenneth Jones
