NUDITY in Camelot - setting the record straight!

Let me set the record straight on the nudity in Camelot. First off.. this show is NOT a kids show.. is it? Never was! It is about lust...adultry.. there is violence.. even killing.. but throw in one breast or buttock and watch people squirm about it being OK for the kids. GOD BLESS AMERICA and the morality police. Call Bush.. NSMT has unleashed the WM Double Ds!!

NSMT's Camelot is NOT a pointy hat cartoony Camelot. It is being approached in an earthier way. More true to the period, and the source material.. THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING. Does anyone remember that Arthur is really supposed to be in his 20's in this piece? No... we have been brainwashed by the 200 Robert Goulet tours of Camelounge that have been shoved down our throadts for years.

As for where the nudity fell... It was NEVER a love scene. (I would squash this rumor at Talking Broadway.. but I am one who is banned for life for questioning the not-so-great and powerless Admin there.) I don't know who has started that rumor. I will tell you that one visual is a unicorn. A mythical creature of beauty... it is danced by a female ballet dancer in a stunning costume .. but the costume does not have a top. HIDE YOUR EYES KIDS.

I for one am sad that the voice of the minority wins. I am talking a handfull of complaints... But the squeeky wheel gets the grease. No one will write a letter to an artistic director saying "I trust your vision."

More should!

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Updated On: 9/9/05 at 09:55 AM

I may be way off on this but a distant memory tells me that it is possible that Mary Sue Berry (sorry for spelling, I don't have the recording with me at the moment) might have been in a see through type costume in the original production. True?

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When you license a show.. you get a script and a score. How that is interpreted is up to the director. Were we wrong when we produced MAME and had same sex couples at Mame's party? It is not in the script.. but it worked beautifully, because it made sense that that is who Mame would have at parties.

Let the director have his vision.

See it before you complain. This show is about desire, passion and sex .. isn't it?

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"I always thought the show was more about Arthur's desire for honor and justice in the kingdom of Camelot than about sex, but all right."

My sentiment exactly.

Interesting that right after Camelot, NSMT is doing The Full Monty.

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Trust me, we have permission for what we do.

As a subscriber, you make a statement of support for NSMT and what we do by buying your subscription. Should we have not done Pacific Overtures because it scored low on audience surveys? We did it, people walked out at intermission by the heard, we won every award to be won that season and recieved lots of funding because we make bold artistic choices balanced with traditional offerings.

It is a balancing act.. Pleasing the audience while not being artistically bankrupt. We could do seasons that are GREASE, MY FAIR LADY, ANNIE, SOUND OF MUSIC and CRAZY FOR YOU ... wouldnt that be loverly!?

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"It's a costume design decision!"

Actually the actor must give their permission to appear in the nude, and Actor's Equity is supposed to be notified.

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I'm no expert when it comes to camelot as I just bought the London revival cast recording in light of all this "hoopla" but having listened to if for the first time last night I can very easily see why a director could sense that there is more to the sexual nature of the piece that he want's to explore. it's a very lusty, sexual show for sure. it seems like it's been that way from the start with those lyrics so I don't see why every time a production is reimagined people have to lash out and try to protect the original vision. there will always be some hick theatre company doing the show exactly the way it was on Broadway. If that's what you want go see that. Personally, I prefer to see something that, even if I don't agree with, will challenge my perspective and cause me to look at a piece in a different light then before.

Also I would like to comment on the fact that adding nudity to a production does not, in my opinion, of course, constitute radical changes to the script. One could do the entire show in the nude and probably get away with it because you haven't altered a word of text. Also nudity being added to classic works has been around for years as many companies have produced nude Shakespeare and other such classics all over the country. As I remember "Naked Macbeth" or whatever it's called is being mounted in NY this year. the naked human form has been admired for centuries by artists and sculptors. it's nothing to be ashamed of and only in America is nudity something that is even an issue. Most everywhere else in the world will have no problems featuring couples having sex in a commercial to advertise breath mints... so calm down. it's just nudity...

So there is nudity? While I'm all for the director's vision, nudity does make me uncomfortable. Oh no, I'm a terrible person.

I wonder if NSMT knows that their publicity department is shoving opinions about artistic liberty down our throats.

I have been completely naked onstage and all joking aside, it's not a big deal. After you do it once, it's much easier (god, i'm digging a hole here). And if nudity is a possiblity, of course actors should be told. It would never deter me from auditioning for something I wanted to do.

People do nudity all the time without express consent from the script or playwright. You could do Equus without the nudity or you can add it to Ophelia (as Lillian Gish was thrilled to do).

It's absolutely fine to follow another concept.

How many times have you heard professionals mention that they don't read the stage directions?

new playbill article...

Audience members could catch a glimpse of a naked body part, and we all know that seeing an exposed breast or buttock automatically leads one to a life of debauchery.

I LOVE IT!

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/95017.html

Updated On: 9/9/05 at 05:29 PM

It's nice to know art still has the power to provoke these kinds of emotions. It's not so nice that censorship is alive and well in this country.

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well, if it's during the enchanted forest of morgan le fey scene as Dollypop suggested then it seems completely valid as some kind of fantasy sequence...

Can I be the first to say that the snotty attitude of both you (NSMTPublicity) and the Artistic Director have completely turned me off both to this production and the company. The snide remarks about the people who happen to disagree, and the Artistic Director's sarcasm have left a very sour taste in my mouth.

I know that's probably an unpopular opinion, but I had to say it.