"Bare", The Musical.

[jakiboi]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 4:14pm

Hi i'm writing a paper on musicals and just wondered what people are thinking of the musical "BARE", in the context do you find it offensive in any way or sacraligous or blasphemous???? Thanks guys.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 6:53pm

I find any show or movie that lambasts religion and then goes back to say that "no, no, no, the DOGMA is Bad, the rituals and HATE are bad, but GOD is real and loves everyone" a little annoying. This does this with the song, God Don't Make No Trash. This is a common point of view these days, I guess because we're in an odd transitional period where people are still brought up on religion and superstition but also live in a world of science and real reason.

[perfectliar]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 7:03pm

You find someone's beliefs annoying?

bare is a beautiful and honest musical. Updated On: 3/26/09 at 07:03 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 8:20pm

I think that one of the NICE things about BARE...is that even though the church cannot recognize the boys' gay relationship, they both hold true to their love of the church and seek the church to ease their pain.

[Gobstopper]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 8:40pm

The only thing that offends me is how poorly written and one-dimensional almost all of the characters are... At first I really liked this show, but a second or third listen revealed to me how incredibly flawed this piece is.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 8:48pm

Yes, it's very flawed...could they squeeze another teenage angst issue into one show? I have affection for it anyway. I think many young gay men can relate to and understand both Jason and Peter. I know many of my students certainly can and do.

[Gobstopper]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 9:08pm

I guess I can understand that, but it's still kind of unfortunate, because those two characters are just so annoying to me, because:

A) Peter may very well be the single whiny-est character in all of musical theatre. Every song he has in the show is *so* mopey. "Crawl inside and want to die alone," Peter? REALLY? He is really just a symptom though of how overly dramatic the show is as a whole. He would be okay if he weren't always portrayed as such a spineless wimp. Give the boy a little aggression, for pete's sake.

B) Jason is actually okay if he's not being played by James Snyder. If it's John Hill he's actually a pretty interesting character.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 10:14pm

"I think that one of the NICE things about BARE...is that even though the church cannot recognize the boys' gay relationship, they both hold true to their love of the church and seek the church to ease their pain."

But they both would have been better off if they overcame their beaten puppy syndrome and, instead of crawling back, recognized that the church itself was the source of their pain.

"You find someone's beliefs annoying?"

I find cherry-picking a religion very annoying, but it's all most people do. People pretend their morality comes from religion, but usually they inflict their own morality on religion, ignoring the parts they don't like, and this show is an example of that. If you're going to go in, go in all the way. It's all equally unreasonable.
Updated On: 3/26/09 at 10:14 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 10:24pm

I think their families play even a more significant role in the pain inflicted....or at least as much. Jason isn't worried about the church....he's worried about what his neglectful parents will think.

Yes, I agree Peter is whiney....but ultimately DOES stand up for himself....albeit at the end. But there ARE people like that. If he had a backbone, the primary conflict would be over.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 10:38pm

I think you're right about Jason, dramamama, it's been a while since I've seen it.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 3/26/09 at 11:40pm

cult
not like Cool Aid
but off Broadway history
it's a viable piece of theatre that may live on.

[musicalbluemirror]

Posted: 3/27/09 at 12:12am

i think bare is a wonderful piece to write a paper on
if you sit down and really think about the show and about the different morals of it you really see how it is an amazing piece of theatre that can reach out and touch every single type of person in todays society
IMO i think this show should be seen by as many people as possible because of how current and important the issues are
whether you include the religion aspect in ur paper, you can really break down the show n see how deep it is
excellent choice!

[Kad]

Posted: 3/27/09 at 12:50am

If Lifetime and LOGO had a son, it'd be Bare.

[provocation]

Posted: 3/27/09 at 3:54am

Having been in the shoes of BOTH Peter and Jason, I identify so much with the musical it's almost unbearable. I love the show so much for that reason. Having only heard recordings and never actually having seen it, I'm still in such awe how someone, in a sense, knows me so well that they can write a musical about my life and those who deal with similar issues. At the same time, the lyrical content has a little to be desired. The melodies are astounding, however, hence Intrabartolo's background. The second act, following the scene between Peter's phone call to his mother, is brilliant. I don't think there's a more heartbreaking moment in any of the shows I've seen in my short life. The characters are a little annoying at the beginning, but they do need to grow, right? And when you think about it, high school students are constantly over-dramatic, saying things like "I'm going to kill myself" and what not, so it definitely works.

[uncageg]

Posted: 3/27/09 at 4:41am

I was lucky enough to see it off-off-Broadway in NYC. Not a perfect book but I loved all of the music. I own the demo but not the new recording. Very glad I was lucky enough to see it, and meet Damon, I walked out thinking how sad it is that people still think this way and that some young people are still confused or afraid about coming out.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 3/27/09 at 6:19am

Well...very few folks WANT to be different...and trust me: it's incredibly easier NOW to come out than it was when I was a kid...even easier than it was only 10 years ago. But I don't think it will ever be "ordinary" or simple.

MANY young people are quite accepting, but harrassment still abounds around sexuality. MANY families still consider it "wrong". But at least we are moving in the right direction.

[SINGASIMPLESONG]

Posted: 3/27/09 at 8:38am

I saw this amazing show 10 years ago. At the Hudson Theater in Los Angeles. It is as relevant, heart-breaking, magical, and moving today as it was then.

(hey, I'm on a thread that's not Rock of Ages...where am I?)

I love this show more than words could possibly express. I know every lyric. every joke. At the reading at New World Stages last month for the new San Francisco production the Mom/Peter scene made tears roll down my cheek.

It is fantastic that this show is done by kids all over the world now. Your paper will be brilliant...