This group is drawn together on a
shared journey of self-discovery by
the joy of dance.
Research going back at least
to the 1980s shows that dance
improves heart health, joint
flexibility, brain function, and
reduces anxiety. The last piece is
particularly relevant to The Full
Monty, as these characters are
in the middle of the most stressful
moments of their lives – they have
lost their jobs, some of them are
losing their families, and their town
is slipping into a state of decay.
Maybe that isn’t the most likely
source of musical comedy gold,
but it certainly has the ingredients
required for a deeply engaging
drama. This script has found
a way to magically marry the
two. We have characters who
desperately want something,
and in their ridiculous pursuit of
that outlandish goal, they come
to understand what they actually
need: real confidence and genuine
self-knowledge.
THE FULL MONTY • theatrecr.org
By dancing, and by uncovering
themselves, the men of The Full
Monty uncover truths about who
they are, and what they want.
They are fathers, friends, and
lovers. They are ordinary men,
and I hope that you find more than
their moves to be extraordinary.
I hope that you delight in the
contents of their characters – their
hearts, their persistence, their joy.
(And of course you can laugh
and cheer and boogie along with
those moves too!)
I send a heartfelt thanks to the staff
and board of TCR for entrusting
me with this opportunity and for
providing the resources to execute
our vision. Thanks to the volunteers
who have offered their time and
talents so generously. Thanks
to my wife, Katie, who is my
North Star, both personally and
professionally, and to Dash for
pretending to still know me, even
though I’ve basically been away
directing plays from the moment
he was born.
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