THE FULL MONTY COMES TO THE BUSHNELL JANUARY 14-19, 2003
Contact: Jennifer Gallagher (860) 987-6082; e-mail: jennifer_gallagher@bushnell.org
HARTFORD, CT, December 4, 2002 - The Full Monty, Broadway's hit musical, will make its Hartford debut at The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts' Mortensen Hall January 14-19, 2003 as part of the Phoenix Broadway Series. Tickets are available at The Bushnell Box Office, located at 166 Capitol Avenue in Hartford, by calling The Bushnell Box Office at 860-987-5900 or online at www.bushnell.org. Tickets may also be purchased at our remote box office located in the lower level of Westfarms near The Gap.
Based on the record-breaking 1997 Academy Award(r)-nominated hit of the same name, The Full Monty is the 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.
Broadway veterans Christian Anderson, Cleavant Derricks, Robert Westenberg and Carol Woods star in the touring production. Anderson, who leads the cast as Jerry Lukowski, most recently appeared in Wit at the Geffen Playhouse, and played Mark in Rent on Broadway and Roger on the national tour. Derricks, who won a Tony Award(r) for Dreamgirls, will play Noah "Horse" T. Simmons. Tony-nominated Westenberg (Into the Woods) plays the rigid Harold Nichols. His other Broadway credits include 1776, The Secret Garden, Les Misérables and Sunday in the Park With George, among others. Woods plays Jeanette Burmeister, the strippers' rehearsal pianist. She most recently appeared in One Mo' Time and Follies.
Four-time Tony Award-winner Terrence McNally adapted the screen hit for the stage and added his own unique brand of American comedy to the story. "The show is about friendship, about being a parent," said McNally. "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." To help the story feel closer to home, McNally moved it to Buffalo, NY from Sheffield, England, where the original movie took place.
The Full Monty is directed by Jack O'Brien and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, with book by Tony Award(r)-winner Terrence McNally and music and lyrics by pop composer David Yazbek. The Full Monty has sets designed by John Arnone, costumes by Robert Morgan, lighting by Howell Binkley and sound by Tom Clark.
Ticket and Performance Information - Tickets for The Full Monty are available at The Bushnell Box Office, located at 166 Capitol Avenue in Hartford. To charge by phone, call (860) 987-5900 or buy online at www.bushnell.org. Tickets are also available at The Bushnell's remote box office located in the lower level of Westfarms. Performance dates are January 14-19, 2003. Curtain times are Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings at 7:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m. There is also a Wednesday matinee at 1:00 p.m. Ticket prices range from $15.00 to $60.00. Groups of 20 or more should call (860) 987-5959. The Box Office TTY number is (860) 987-6097.
About The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts - The Bushnell is Connecticut's premier performing arts center, hosting more than 450 events yearly, including major Broadway tours, symphony orchestras, family presentations, local arts and community events. In November 2001, The Bushnell completed a $45 million expansion project that added a second, 908-seat theater to the existing historic structure. The new, state-of-the-art performance hall allows for expanded arts, entertainment and community offerings. The Bushnell's nationally-recognized arts-in-education program, PARTNERS (Partners in Arts and Education Revitalizing Schools), is a cross-community educational effort serving 40 schools in 17 districts throughout the Greater Hartford area. The Bushnell opened in January 1930 and is a non-profit organization. For more information, call The Bushnell at (860) 987-6000, The Bushnell Box Office at (860) 987-5900 or visit our website at www.bushnell.org.