Yazbek on Full Monty

[OuttaTowner]

Posted: 5/3/25 at 8:48pm

On tonight’s episode of On Stage, Frank DiLella asked David Yazbek about the possibility of a Full Monty revival. Yazbek seemed hopeful, stating that several successful workshops had recently been held.
I’d be so happy if this were to happen - one of my favorite scores!  With some killer casting, this could be great. Jake G - any plans after Othello wraps?

[ACL2006]

Posted: 5/3/25 at 8:52pm

Honestly surprised there hasn't been more talk of this being revived. This, Crazy For You and Dreamgirls seem overdue for a revival.

Updated On: 5/3/25 at 08:52 PM

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 5/3/25 at 9:36pm

I like the show a lot, but like any revival it would die a quick death without bona fide stars.

Leigh Silverman directed a reading in 2019 with Stark Sands and Debra Monk –– which is a horrible choice of director, and not a commercially-appropriate cast.

I have a hard time imagining many legitimately famous guys who’d be willing to Let It Go 8x a week, and the roles themselves aren't *that* great. Like, of all the dozens of roles that people like Aaron Tveit and Keegan-Michael Key and Tony Goldwyn turn down each year, why would they say yes to these roles?

It's a shame the cast is too big for an Off-Broadway mounting unless it REALLY got scaled back/rewritten.

[Kad]

Posted: 5/3/25 at 9:42pm

Silverman is truly a bizarre director choice for this show.

Honestly, I think this would be a perfect choice for Encores. It's a great score, but I do think there are quite a few elements that... may not play well today (thinking specifically of "Big Ass Rock," which is one long suicide joke. It's a funny one, but discussion around suicide has changed substantially in the last 25 years).

[scripps]

Posted: 5/3/25 at 10:18pm

I love The Full Monty and saw the OBC 13 times. The memory of seeing it for the first time from the front row with my then bestie and Jason Danieley coming out the stage door afterwards exclaiming that the cast played the whole show to us and thanking us for coming still makes me smile (and they did, because he totally winked at me right before the strip). A great, solid show which I believe has a decent regional life now.

I would love Encores to present this now that they are adding shows from my youth to their seasons. I've sometimes wondered why Roundabout hasn't revived this given that it could be done so cheaply! 

 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 5/3/25 at 11:13pm

scripps said: "cheaply!"

The original production had a cast of 26 (including a child and at least 10 Principal characters) and an orchestra of 11. The scenic needs are not MISS SAIGON-level, but this is not a small or cheap show.

[darquegk]

Posted: 5/4/25 at 12:02am

This feels like a show that could EASILY scale to a chamber version with a little goosing. The strippers, a kid, one man and one woman playing multiple roles, with a jazz quartet or quintet for the band. 
 

Pittsburgh CLO has developed a little cottage industry workshopping and premiering chamber versions of larger shows like Xanadu and Young Frankenstein. I’ll bet Full Monty is in their book of future options.

[Skywalker3]

Posted: 5/4/25 at 8:37am

Here in the Netherlands we had 2 versions with only 10 actors. The 5 main guys, the 3 wifes, the music teacher and 1 guy playing the other guys. The last version even cut the kid!

[BorisTomashevsky]

Posted: 5/4/25 at 8:51am

The problem with these smaller, economical versions where there’s one ensemble member is that they just don’t look or feel right in larger spaces. If you’re doing it at Theatre Row, sure. But Broadway musicals kinda demand expanse, and that extends to the amount of human energy onstage especially when viewing a community like Monty is set in. 

Updated On: 5/4/25 at 08:51 AM

[OuttaTowner]

Posted: 5/4/25 at 9:01am

If Yazbek has been conducting workshops, I presume he’s done some tinkering - so we don’t know what changes that he may have introduced. Guess we’ll have to wait and see. He mentioned trying to get producers interested - I could imagine Studio Seaview injecting some star power that would make this a hot ticket. 

[Wick3]

Posted: 5/4/25 at 10:31am

When the ladies at Real Women Have Curves performed the title song in the show, it somehow reminded me of the Full Monty. I know I know the premise is different. 
I loved the show back in 2001 and still remember how I scored front row seats thanks to rush. Ahhh back then rush tickets were actual great seats!

If it does get revived, I also think a name will help with ticket sales. Patrick Wilson was in his late 20s when he performed in this show so hopefully they can cast an actor in that age range willing to sing, dance, and show it all.