The Full Monty

Six men out of work decide the answer is to take their clothes off in front of the entire town.

Based on the cult film and nominated for ten Tony Awards, The Full Monty moves the story to Buffalo. A group of unemployed steelworkers spy on their wives at a Girls' Night Out, watch how much they are enjoying the male strippers, and hit on a bold and largely unclothed scheme to make some fast money. Preparing for it leaves them exposed in every sense, and working through the fear, the self consciousness and the prejudices turns out to be the actual plot.

The book is by Terrence McNally, who wrote Ragtime, with music and lyrics by David Yazbek of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and between them they built one of the most anticipated closing numbers in the repertoire. It is razor sharp and genuinely warm, and right to the end you are not sure they will pull it off.

Carin Zakes directs, produced by Nova Hall.

Ten performances. Friday 4, Saturday 5, Friday 11, Saturday 12, Friday 18 and Saturday 19 June at 7:30pm, Sunday matinees on 6, 13 and 20 June at 2pm, plus one Thursday, 10 June at 7:30pm.

Getting tickets. Booking runs through On The Stage, from the show's own page on the Town Players site. The box office is on 203-594-3636 and they answer email at info@tpnc.org.

Where to go. The Powerhouse Theatre is at 679 South Avenue in New Canaan, tucked into Waveny Park, and it is an easy run in from anywhere in lower Fairfield County.