The Full Monty
Presented by Theatre III
Book by Terrence McNalty, music & lyrics by David Yazbek
Runs through November 17
Ticket information

It takes real cojones to undertake "The Full Monty," and by saying that, we're not trying to be cheeky. The men of Theatre III in West Acton are undertaking the Terrence McNalty/David Yazbek musical - by portraying unemployed American steelworkers facing down their jitters as they prepare to debut as strippers at a local club, the Theatre III cast is required to sing, dance, and face down jitters as they play men ready to take it all off.

The British film that inspired this musical elicited ample discussion when it was released in 1997, but audiences expecting gratuitous nudity found instead a tale of male bonding, unemployment issues, and family - a sweet, funny tale that just happened to include the idea of taking it all off (an issue examined by the Brits again, this time from the female perspective, in 2003's "Calendar Girls").

The stage production opened on Broadway in 2000 and earned 10 Tony Award nominations; it's gone on to bring its songs, including "Big-Ass Rock" and "Michael Jordan's Ball," to South Korea. While Theatre III's performance space in West Acton may be a little outside Bostonist's typical theatre-going radar, given the task facing this cast, we think they've earned some extra city-style support.

Image from Theatre III's website