Nudity on stage

[musicalkid]

Posted: 4/14/07 at 8:52pm

hi all,
i'm considering a certain source material for a new musical i'm intending to write. (it will remain undisclosed as of yet)

The material requires quite a lot of nudity onsatge, no profanity or dirty stuff, just plain nude. overall, it is a very family-friendly story (if it were'nt for the nudity).

to your understanding, how often do things like that happen? how are they accepted. has there recently been a musical that required nudity? what are it's chances of being produces professionaly?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/14/07 at 8:56pm

Broadway is no stranger to nudity - recent examples include Take Me Out (full frontal male), The Graduate (full frontal female), Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune (full frontal male and female), and I believe Marissa Tomei was known to drop her top on occasion during the Dance of the 7 Veils in the last Salome revival.

It's much rarer in musicals. Jane Krakowski and Anita Morris pretty risque stuff in both productions of Nine, Kelli O'Hara did full frontal and Melissa Errico dropped her top in Dracula, and I believe there was (some) nudity in one of the "Wild Party" shows.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 4/14/07 at 9:18pm

There is also some nudity in Spring Awakening.

[VonTussleGirl]

Posted: 4/14/07 at 9:22pm

No kidding?!

[handsome25]

Posted: 4/14/07 at 9:23pm

The question shouldn't be about the nudity. It should be about the source material. If it's worth it, the nudity will not matter.

[jv92]

Posted: 4/14/07 at 9:23pm

And Hair. Don't forget the granddaddy of all musical theatre peep shows!
Honestly, if it's for storytelling purposes, go ahead. As long as it isn't outlandish. Best of luck to you.

[ABSteel]

Posted: 4/14/07 at 9:26pm

Uh, we're also forgetting OH, CALCUTTA!

Duh.

I wish he'd tell us what the source material is.

[ggersten]

Posted: 4/14/07 at 10:15pm

Not a musical, but Love! Valour! Compassion! was referred to as the penis play, because, well, there was a lot of male nudity - at least in the Berkeley Rep production.

[steel84]

Posted: 4/14/07 at 10:26pm

The Little Dog that Laughed had some

[BDavis0092]

Posted: 4/14/07 at 10:40pm

If it is truely neccesary for the show and the plot then it will be accepted. If the audience feels as if it was just thrown in for nudity then it wont be taken well. It all depends on the show around it.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 4/14/07 at 10:50pm

Equus, the Musical? Can Harry Potter sing?

[theaterdude87]

Posted: 4/14/07 at 10:51pm

or Equs the play. because Harry Poter aka Daniel Radcliffe (he is a real person) can act.

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 4/14/07 at 11:26pm

The more the better.

PASSION had some.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 4/15/07 at 12:27am

There was even, apparently, nudity in the last Damn Yankees revival! ...wish I could have seen it.

[Jon]

Posted: 4/15/07 at 7:07am

The Damn Yankees revival had a brief shot of Greg Jbara's bare butt.

I can't believe no one has mentioned THE FULL MONTY.

Two mega-flops, DRACULA and THOU SHALT NOT, had female nudity.

[tazber]

Posted: 4/15/07 at 9:59am

It seems in general nudity is accepted in theatre. I don't know what your source material is, but if it is as you said aimed at a family audience, I would obvioulsy reconsider.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 4/15/07 at 8:17pm

"The Damn Yankees revival had a brief shot of Greg Jbara's bare butt. "

As did Passion of course depending on where youw ere sitting and what night you went (as well as Marin's breasts--they filmed two openings for the video one which ahd a bit of nudity--too bad it wasn't an extra on the DVD :P)

And of course Sprign Awakening which I'm shocked wasn't mentioned but maybe everyone's sick of discussing th enudity in it by now

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/15/07 at 8:18pm

And Jennifer Ehle's full frontal and rear nudity in Coast of Utopia Part II.

[dfwtheatreguy]

Posted: 4/15/07 at 9:07pm

and dont forget Bernadette Peters' full frontal nude version of "Rose's Turn" in the recent GYPSY revival.

[WickedOne2]

Posted: 4/16/07 at 1:04pm

The nudity in Spring Awakening is minor: part of Lea's breast as she is lying down and most of Jon Groff's butt in the sex scene

We also see Maureen's butt in La Vie Boheme in Rent.

[mallardo]

Posted: 4/16/07 at 1:22pm

Kelli O'Hara's nudity in Dracula was NOT "full frontal". Her back was to the audience.

[ken8631]

Posted: 4/16/07 at 1:41pm

Kelli's back wasn't to the audience during the two times I saw Dracula.....

[Fosse76]

Posted: 4/16/07 at 2:01pm

"Kelli's back wasn't to the audience during the two times I saw Dracula..."

I distinctly recall full frontal nudity in Dracula. I remember thinking how unecessary it was.

[HughE2030]

Posted: 4/16/07 at 2:31pm

Cat on a hot tin Roof - Kathleen Turner
Confessions of a Paparazzi

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 4/16/07 at 2:36pm

Hugh - I believe you're thinking of The Graduate, but I could be wrong.

And yes, Kelli did indeed do full frontal. That view from the front row....you could tell she wasn't very comfortable.

At least she had some success that season....with Piazza.