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PROVINCETOWN GUIDE
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| DIRECTORY |
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Provincetown :: Monday, March 15th 2010
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Naked Boys Return
At the Post Office Cabaret Until Labor Day
By Guy Wolf of Provincetown Magazine
July 2nd, 2009
The first line of Naked Boys Singing’s press release reads, “Talk about a Show with Balls!” With a headline like that, you know you are in for a night of theater unlike most others. Sure, you’re seeing a musical, but it’s one where all six of the actors are naked for the entire 60-minute show. But what you’ll soon discover about this show is that it is so much more than just great-looking guys singing with no clothes on.
| “This is the show’s ten-year anniversary and while the show is really funny, campy and over-the-top, behind all the laughter is a strong message.” |
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Naked Boys Singing is no stranger to Provincetown audiences, having had two successful productions; one in 2001 and another in 2007. Former 2001 Naked Boy performer and now co-producer and director Tom D’Angora says there were a lot of factors that led to the upcoming production at the Post Office Café and Cabaret (303 Commercial St., Provincetown).
“This is the show’s ten-year anniversary and while the show is really funny, campy and over-the-top, behind all the laughter is a strong message.”
He makes his point by reciting one of the show’s lyrics: “Now I know that who I am is not shameful or obscene.”
In a telephone interview from his apartment in New York, D’Angora goes on to say that Provincetown audiences also had a lot to do with his decision to bring the show back. He seems to delight in saying, “There is nothing like performing in Provincetown. The audiences are sophisticated but still really like to have a good time. People in Provincetown have an amazing sense of humor; they can laugh at you and at themselves, so everybody, onstage and off, has a good time.”
D’Angora agrees that Provincetown audiences can also be challenging. “[They] won’t let you get away with a crappy production. Within ten minutes, by the time you are on the street at Spiritus, everyone lets you know if you have a bad show.”
Naked Boys Singing has had its share of controversy over the years, including a “cease and desist order” in Provincetown during the summer of 2001 when the show was at the Crown & Anchor. An out-of-date ordinance that banned nudity within 500 feet of a church or school (the Unitarian Universalist Church being the nearest neighbor), led to threats of fines and closure. The old law didn’t take into account that Commercial Street, in the center of town, was now predominantly a hub of commerce and entertainment.
The struggle with the town ordinance made national headlines and eventually, Naked Boys Singing was free to perform au naturel, unencumbered by antiquated laws and threatened fines.
D’Angora remembers that time well. “Everybody in Provincetown was talking about it and the community was so supportive. I was 24 and fighting for something I believed in. It was empowering to get up and do the show every night despite the legal issues. It was exhilarating. Nothing will ever compare to that summer. It is one of the best theatrical experiences of my life.”
One of the misconceptions the 2001 producers and company had to deal with was the idea that this was a sex show and not a legitimate theatrical experience.
The show features some fine songs with lots of wit and humor, and while not in the vein of Rogers and Hammerstein or even Sondheim, the show holds its own musically, especially with a good cast. Being attractive and naked makes the show all the more appealing, but according to D’Angora, thinking the show is about sex is a distortion.
“Naked Boys is not a sex show but it is sexy. It would fail miserably if it was all about sex. The music is good, the show is really funny and above all it has so much heart.”
This belief in the show’s merit and earnestness is shared by Steve Riggle, a member of the 2007 company who is performing again this year. Like all the performers in the 2009 cast, Riggle has an impressive résumé that includes a national tour of Cats and appearing in A Chorus Line. Like D’Angora, Riggle is excited about coming back to Provincetown,
“The first time I was ever in Provincetown was in 2007 when I was in Naked Boys Singing. It was the best summer of my life and I made some really good friends. It didn’t feel at all like I was working. I was at the beach all the time and doing the show at night. I was also given the opportunity to assistant direct this time around so I thought, ‘why not?’”
In our phone interview, Riggle acknowledged that being naked was not the hardest part of being in the show. He had, after all, already been in three or four productions where he had to take his clothes off.
Riggle takes a breath and says, “Being naked was the easiest part of doing the show. The nudity becomes routine. I found being alone onstage and singing, to be more emotionally challenging than being naked.”
In his role as Assistant Director, Riggle sat in on the audition process. The producers and director had to see if actors would be comfortable performing in the buff, so potential cast members had to strip down.
Riggle notes with some amazement, “95% of people sang better naked. All the worry about singing goes away because all the concern and self-consciousness goes into standing there buck naked.”
Both D’Angora and Riggle agree that after a rigorous audition process, the 2009 cast is very strong. The five other great-looking men onstage with Steve include: David Bryant; Matt Ludwinski; Ryan Obermeier; Eric Restivo; and Kevin Spencer. Along with co-producer Michael Duling and musical director John Thomas, D’Angora says if you’ve seen the show and loved it, see it again.
“The basic show is the same. It has to be with set lyrics and scenarios but I am really excited about some innovative staging, and you’ve got to see and hear this incredible cast.”
“Naked Boys Singing” is performed at The Post Office Café and Cabaret Fridays-Mondays at 7:30 p.m., Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10:15 p.m., (No show on Thursdays. EXCEPT Thursday, July 2 at 7:30 p.m.) through Labor Day. Tickets can be purchased at The Post Office Café and Cabaret, 303 Commercial Street, 508.487.3892.
Also visit ProvincetownMagazine.net for more articles and information.
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