Aladdin to offer ‘The Full Monty’

Friday, Aug. 22, 2003 | 8:31 a.m.

A 1997 British movie about full-frontal male nudity was such a hit that producers turned it into a Broadway musical, which also became a hit.

"The Full Monty" is on tour and will make its Las Vegas debut Oct. 14 at the Aladdin.

"The show is about friendship, about being a parent." Terrence McNally, who adapted the screenplay for the stage, said in a prepared statement. "It's also about an image obsessed society that says you have to look like Brad Pitt. This show says quite the opposite.

"It celebrates everybody for exactly who they are."

The original story takes place in Sheffield, England. For the stage, McNally moved it to Buffalo, N.Y.

Lyrics for the stage production are by pop composer David Yazbek. The musical is directed by Jack O'Brien and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell.

"The Full Monty" is described by producers as a "raucous and heartfelt story of six unemployed steelworkers who go to great lengths to make some cash and help out a friend in trouble."

"When a local male strip show -- whose dancers venture down to their G-strings -- is a hit with the local women, the cash-strapped factory workers figure they can cash in big time if they go the full Monty."

The musical opened on Broadway in October 2000. It received 10 Tony Nominations in 2001, including Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Book, Best Orchestrations, Best Direction and Best Choreography. The Broadway run ended in September 2002.

Yazbek, winner of the 2001 Drama Desk Award for his music, said in a prepared statement that " 'The Full Monty' is a sports story. It's not about stripping. It's a bunch of guys who get together and form a team. There are ups and downs, and, in the end, they win."

Nominated for a 2001 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album, the original cast recording of "The Full Monty" is available on RCA.