What a blast!

171 people came to the Arts Council Theatre tonight to see dress rehearsal of "The Full Monty".  At $10 a pop (the discounted price), they certainly got their money’s worth.

A few technical glitches (including a late entrance by yours truly) didn’t detract from an exciting show.  I watched the last twenty minutes of Act One from the back of the house, and had a blas — even though I have seen those numbers several dozen times.  The "guys" have come a long way, even in the past week.  Extra kudos to Ralph, who brought the house down with "Big Black Man" (as I always knew he would).

The audience was, I would say, mostly senior citizens taking advantage of the discounted price, peppered with younger theatre friends.  They were an appreciative audience.  It was raucous at the end.

The finale is, of course, when the 6 guys, go the "full monty".  It’s a nail-biting time for everyone.  The cast (except the six guys) are out in the audience, whooping it up, but we can’t help but be concerned.

Will the "strategic" lights go off at the right moment?  (A few times, they’ve come on too early).

Will Neil’s breakway pants actually breakaway?  (They failed two night ago, and it required some quick-thinking castmates to come and help tear them away).

Will someone’s scrotum fall out prematurely?  (Don’t ask….)

Fortunately, none of that came too pass.

And I saw the sweetest thing: As I mentioned above, the cast (except for the six guys) are in and about the audience, whooping it up, making cat calls, etc.  And right in front of where I positioned myself, an elderly couple was sitting.  Both were perhaps in their 70’s.  And as the spotlight hit the stage for the final number, and the bass and drums went into their thumpa-thumpa of the opening strains of the song, they looked at each other and giggled, and he put his arm around her as she nuzzled against him.

It was one of the sweetest things I’ve ever seen in a theater,

And then, the guys onstage took their clothes off.