Review: 'The Full Monty' by the Warner Stage Company

Pictured: Rob Girardin and Jake Kordas in 'The Full Monty' Photo Credit: Mandi Martini
©2018 The Warner Theatre

Dedicated to Luke, never forgotten

‘The Full Monty’ is a musical with a book by Terrence McNally and score by David Yazbek. This piece is an Americanized musical stage version adapted from the 1997 Fox Searchlight British film of the same name. So in the stage version there are six unemployed Buffalo, NY steelworkers, low on both cash and job prospects, who decide to present a strip act at a local club after seeing their wives' enthusiastic support for a touring company of the Chippendales. One of the unemployed men brags that their show will be better than the Chippendales dancers because they'll go "the full monty"— strip all the way. In this surprisingly heartwarming show, the men prepare for the one night only show. They work through their fears and nagging self-consciousness until they ultimately overcome these inner demons and find strength in the camaraderie they have developed during the rehearsal process.

Roxie Quinn is the director and choreographer of the Warner Stage production that runs through next weekend on the Warner mainstage. Mrs. Quinn, as her husband John Quinn (Dave Bukatinsky) respectfully addressed her during rehearsals, deems ‘The Full Monty’ to be her favorite musical, despite the odd looks she always gets when she says it out loud. She writes in her director’s note that “‘The Full Monty’ has a perfect combination of comedy and heart, and a genuine sense of reality. This gem of a show makes you laugh, cry, and then laugh some more.” Mrs. Quinn is not wrong on all of the above, although she showed up for her curtain speech with Sharon A. Wilcox in a robe and thought she was supposed to lead the audience participation part of the program. (She was kidding.)

Executive Director Lynn Gelormino, who also gets a note in the printed program, reminded the audience members that last year the Warner Stage Company presented ‘Calendar Girls,’ the story of a group of women who ended up taking off their clothes. It was also a testament to friendship, courage and strength, so you may be sensing a theme at the Warner.

The director/choreographer was blessed with six super talented and very brave guys to play the six steelworkers who are regular guys in every way, as opposed to the buff Chippendales. We can’t help but love these community theatre actors who brought the always funny characters to life. Rest assured that the ladies in the cast are outstanding, as are the supporting male members of the cast, especially young Jake Kordas who plays Jerry’s son Nathan. However, those six leading guys who had to show lots of skin will hold a special place in my heart when I think of this production.

I always love to see Rob Girardin (‘Next to Normal,’ ‘First Date’ with Goshen Players, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ with Landmark) on any stage, so I may have appreciated parts of his performance as Jerry Lukowski that others missed. However, anyone in the audience could see his wonderful stage presence, his excellent singing voice and his dance skills. He had the best jumpshots in “Michael Jordan’s Ball,” and his ballad to his son called “Breeze Off the River” was a beautiful heartbreaker.

Mrs. Quinn’s husband played the role of the chubby Dave who is the best friend of Jerry and the onstage husband of Georgie. Mr. Quinn (‘Gypsy’ at the Warner) nailed the character who has the most trouble letting it go and stole our hearts as he reprised the role he played in the 2010 production at the Warner. Jamal Ford-Bey (his bio: ‘I’ve done some shows. I might do more.”) was a riot as Noah T. “Horse” (don’t ask!) Simmons, the oldest member of the stipping six. Tony Leone (‘Rock of Ages,’ ‘American Idiot’) brought his charm to the role of Ethan Girard. Zachary Taylor (‘Peter and the Starcatcher’) could not have been stronger as the young (and suicidal) Malcolm MacGregor and John Royse (in his Warner debut) made us believe he was Harold Nichols, a supervisor at the factory who is afraid to tell his wife he was let go.

Other guys in the cast included Frank Beaudry as Teddy Slaughter, Theron Johnson (‘Seussical,’ ‘Peter Pan’) as four characters, Jason Michael Maur (AspenDream Productions) as Tony Giordano and two other roles in his debut at the Warner, John Mullen, Jr. (‘Ragtime,’ ‘Evita’) as Reg Willoughby, and Jonathan Parks as a legitimate male stripper Buddy ‘Keno’ Walsh. Mr. Kordas, an eighth grade student and the youngest member of the cast, was wonderful as Nathan; this show marks the 21st production at the Warner for this young man.

The ladies had to be on the top of their games to keep up with these guys and without exception they did just that. Kaitlyn Anthony (‘The Who’s Tommy’) was Susan. KC Beauregard (Reza in ‘Once’) was powerful as Jerry’s ex-wife Pam in a role that did not include any musical instruments. Katie Chamberlain (Waitress #1 in ‘Rock of Ages’) worked easily with Mr. Quinn, as Georgie, the wife of Dave. Susan Hackel (Grandma in ‘The Addams Family’) was a hoot as Molly, the aging mother of Malcolm. Juliette Koch (Sally in ‘Follies’) took on another show after her triumphant performance as Jenny in ‘It Shoulda Been You’ to play the pampered wife of Harold Nichols. This marks the third time she has played this role of Vicki. Marianne Parks reprised the role of Estelle Genovese and it was fun to see Karen Robinson (‘Ragtime’) as Joanie Lish.

Eve Van Syckle (‘Follies’) was hysterical as the multi-married, wisecracking piano player Jeanette. Caitlin Beaudry (Dance Captain) made her first appearance at the Warner in the ensemble. Jackie Demaio (‘Cabaret’ at the TOH, ‘First Date’ in Goshen) played Delores and a dance instructor.

The 13-member orchestra who got to sit onstage above the action sounded amazing under the direction of Music Director Michael Berkeley. It was great to watch the talented musicians play the orchestrations by Harold Wheeler and become a part of the show. I enjoyed the projections of photos by Mandi Martini put together by the director at the beginning of both acts and the lighting by Andrew Smith was perfection. The costumes designed by Aurora Montenero (the mother of Ms. Parks) were spot on, especially the velour and sparkly running suit get ups for Jeanette. The set design by Mrs. Quinn and Stephen C. Houk was gritty and functional.

I highly recommend this “most revealing musical” that you can take your mother to next weekend, just be forewarned that there is some strong language, adult themes and brief nudity. It will be high on my top ten list of community theatre musicals for sure and on the way out of the theatre I overheard a woman tell her companions that she wanted to come back and see it again. If only I could fit it in...

Ms. Wilcox announced that the new season at the Warner Theatre will include at the Nancy Marine Studio Theatre 'Agatha Christie's The Unexpected Guest' in September, 'A Charlie Brown Christmas,' Ken Ludwig's 'Baskerville,' and 'Disaster' by Seth Rudetsky. On the Mainstage will be 'Newsies,' 'A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder,' a "feel good" show to be announced and 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.'

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local theatre venues and she posts reviews of well over 100 productions each year. In 2016, she became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle. She continues to contribute theatre news, previews, and audition notices to local Patch sites. Reviews of all levels of theatrical productions are posted on Naugatuck Patch and the Patch sites closest to the venue. Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and Connecticut Theater Previews and on Twitter @nancysjanis417