Naked Boys Chatting
By: Joseph F. Panarello Jul. 22, 2004
Miss De Mille looked deadpan at her interviewer and stated simply, "We were good".
Yes, Naked Boys Singing! is a good show: funny, sweet, touching and endearing. It also features an exceptionally talented cast of eight men who shed their inhibitions to perform material contributed by a group of writers including Stephen Bates, Marie Cain, Mark Savage, Jim Morgan and Bruce Villanch among others. This week the New York version enters its sixth year and to celebrate the occasion, BroadwayWorld.com chatted with three of the current cast members in the office of the show's producers.
George Livengood
George Livengood, Phil Simmons and Gregory D. Stockbridge proved to be an engaging trio who talked about the show and their careers as well as shedding light on the problems of performing in lengthy tours. After a few minutes in their company, it became obvious that these men have an obvious love for their craft and share a camaraderie which carries on-stage, contributing to the ebullience that is found when the lights go down at Theater Four.
Gregory D. Stockbridge
The obvious opening question was about performing nude in front of a paying audience. Greg Stockbridge (who shines as "The Naked Maid") volunteered that his nudity was the last thing on his mind on the night he opened. He'd had only one week of rehearsals before going on in the show and his greatest concern was remembering his words rather than his lack of wardrobe. He also added that most of the people in the cast are in pretty good shape and have been involved with dancers who are scantily clad, so the prospect of appearing completely unclothed wasn't a problem. "Besides," he adds, "when you see how freaked out the audience is by you being naked that you realize that YOU have the all the power. It really takes a second to realize that you're in control in a way that you didn't think you would be and it really is empowering." Yet, when asked about how their parents feel about their performing in the buff, the actors' responses were a bit different.
"My father is probably turning in his grave," remarked Livengood, "however my mother has come to see the show and had a wonderful time because it's really about as innocent as Will and Grace. She was with my aunt and they both enjoyed themselves...even my brothers-- who are burly construction workers-- were all very positive about it." Phil Simmons explained that his parents are Right Wing Republican Fundamentalist Christians and "they think I'm bartending."
Stockbridge offers yet another take on the situation: When his parents came to visit, they expected to see him perform in Naked Boys, instead, he bought them tickets for 42nd Street. "It wasn't the nudity." that concerned him, "but rather the gay content" which he felt uncomfortable with. He added that he sees his grandmother at least once a week and he has never been able to bring himself to tell her about the show he's performing in. Instead, the conversation centers itself on the catering gigs he picks up to supplement his income.
Phil Simmons
The topic shifted to unusual reactions from the audience and all three performers went on to share an anecdote about an incident which had taken place a few weeks earlier Two Asian ladies had come to see an evening performance of Naked Boys. Obviously they had seen Aida that afternoon because they had the souvenir programs and shopping bags from that show with them. They were seated in the front row at Theater Four and from the moment the cast revealed themselves to the audience, these ladies held their Aida programs over their faces and sat there quivering throughout the whole first act. "We were in hysterics," explained Livengood, "we almost could not get through the show." What was even more ponderous that these same quivering ladies returned to their seats for the second act, reacting in the very same way What could they possibly have been expecting?
Livengood also explains that he has a bit where he interacts with the audience and routinely asks the crowd if they think they could do what the cast is doing. For the first six months of the show's run, another performer was playing Livengood's track and he never had a response. However, once Livengood took over, he suddenly found that a 60 year old woman had jumped out of her seat and was ready to take him up on his offer. At that point he became quite flustered, but now realizes that he should have simply said, "This is Naked BOYS Singing! and you're a woman." He has since had numerous people attempt to take him up on his offer, but he's become quite deft about handling the situation.
George Livengood, Phil Simmons, Joe Panarello and Greg Stockbridge
Naked Boys Singing! may have its share of gay content, but that hasn't prevented it from attracting bachelorette parties, who seem to flock to the theater in droves. These gals are out to have a good time. They feel free to talk back to the actors before they are encouraged to do so and are unsubtle in their efforts to rifle candy wrappers or open cans of Pringles. There is also considerable chatting during the performance. The women point at the performers and are completely unaware of the fact that the theater's acoustics are so good that the cast can hear every word that is uttered by the audience. Sometimes that can be disconcerting. However, it is New York City, there is a bit of the "showtime at the Apollo" feeling that often pervades the crowd according to Livengood.
Another problem that this show seems to experience is the use of camera phones in the audience. Although the crowds are usually very cooperative about turning off their cellphones when given a reminder over the theater's PA system, there are times during the performance when women take out their camera phones and use them to transmit images from the stage to their friends back home. This is against copyright laws and infringement upon the cast. The theater's management has become stringent about confiscating camera phones when they are used in the theater.
When Oh! Calcutta! was first presented in New York, there were no camera phones to deal with, but there were several newspaper articles about the nude ballets that Margo Sappington had created for the revue. During the rehearsal period it became evident that the nude dancing was chafing and irritating the dancers' bodies. As a result, it was required that they had to slather themselves with baby oil as a preventive measure. Does the dancing in this show require the same precautions? Simmons quickly responds, "No. Mostly because we don't make body contact when we dance in this show." Livengood adds that one thing the producers didn't want was an "oily" look on the cast. "Besides, that stuff gets on the stage floor and we have to get down on our knees at various points. The oily residue would create problems for us." Mostly, though, the choreography in this show isn't going to cause the problems that Sappington's pas de deux did years earlier.
One of the Naked Boys' most comical numbers is called "Fight the Urge" and is set in the showers of a high school locker room. One young man struggles with his feelings for the school's star quarterback and hopes that Mother Nature doesn't reveal the boy's admiration. As performed by Livengood, it's as charming as it is funny, but it makes one wonder whether there have been any accidental arousals while the cast was performing. It is a sheepish Livengood who admits there have been and he was the focal point each time. On one occasion there was a couple who were seated in the audience and were getting "quite randy". Livengood caught sight of them and froze, which caused the situation to "work its magic." He continues, "Another time I was doing "Nothing But The Radio On" as a back-up singer and was walking back and forth, step-touching, and it started to happen--and I don't know why. And that was one that the audience really saw because the lighting was bright. They commented on it afterwards to me. Outside on the street people were asking me about it. It's not something that we want to have happen in the show. It was very embarrassing. You see, this is an ensemble and if you're looking different from the rest of the guys it causes a distraction."
A pregnant pause fell over the room when the trio was asked what part of their training served them best in preparation for their present jobs. Ultimately it was agreed that their vocal coaching has paid off tremendously for their work in Naked Boys. After all, the word "singing" is in the title and even though the show's running time is less than two hours, it contains an abundance of music. However, the dance training figures prominently in the case of Phil Simmons. Simmons is a "swing" and he covers 5 different tracks; that is, he's learned the material that is performed by five different men in the production. He must be ready to go in their roles in the event of their absence. This means knowing not only the blocking for five individuals, but knowing the harmony for their vocalizing. He says that at his station, he has a small tape player with everyone's music on it. It is there for him to review with. "Basically," he says, "I come to the show every night and if no one is dead or bleeding, I go home after the first act." He adds that on one occasion he went on in the middle of the first act when a cast member injured himself onstage.
Simmons was watching the show from the house and saw what happened. However this was when the show was at the Actor's Playhouse, where the only access to the backstage area was through the auditorium. So he had to walk through the house-- in full view of the audience to get backstage, where he completed that evening's performance. Simmons also clarified the difference between a "swing" and "understudy". An understudy is prepared to go on for an actor who is playing a major role in any given show. A swing is responsible for learning the parts of smaller roles and should be ready to go in. It becomes confusing in the case of Naked Boys Singing! because all of the tracks seem equal. Simmons is quick to point out that by contract, he is actually considered an UNDERSTUDY.
Asking the men what their best stage experiences were prior to joining Naked Boys brings smiles to their faces. Livengood beams when talking about the tour of Hello, Dolly!, starring Carol Channing. He recounted the time when he first met this Broadway Legend. He was with the cast in the studio, where they were working on the number "Dancing". Channing came in and she began singing, "Put your arm on her waist and stand; with her right in your left hand" and he found tears in his eyes. At that moment he realized was working with Carol Channing and performing in one of Broadway's greatest musicals. "Truly being on stage with her and the standing ovations and stuff, there's never going to be anyone who's going to get that audience response again. The public loves her, so doing Hello, Dolly! with her was a highlight of my career," says Livengood.
Simmons was happiest to talk about his tour in A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum which starred Rip Taylor. He was of the Protean swing, but also covered the role of Hysterium. When the actor playing the role had to leave the cast for a few weeks, Simmons went on and had a great time playing opposite Taylor. He said that "Those venues seat thousands and thousands of people, and I never knew what was going to come out of [Taylor's] mouth, but I loved him and he loved me and we had the best time."
Stockbridge is first and foremost a singer, so he considers singing in a tour of Tommy as well as a regional production of Sweeney Todd to be among his favorite experiences. The two shows have vastly different scores, but he felt that "any opportunity to sing any music like that is something I view as a gift".
The three men have considerable experience performing in touring shows. They spoke at great length about the negative aspects of doing a tour: the packing and unpacking, the heightened security checks at the airports, the lack of home cooked meals and the separation from loved ones. Livengood mentioned that during his Dolly! tour, there were married women in the cast who had left their children home and miserable without their little ones. Yes, the money is better than what they are paid in an Off-Broadway show (virtually everyone in the cast holds some sort of second job), but the overwhelming virtue of their present gig is that they come home to their loved ones and sleep in their own beds, Besides each of them has had friends who were cast in big-budget Broadway musicals that lasted a few months or less, yet their present show continues its run and provides its cast with steady employment.
Neither Phil Simmons, Greg Stockbridge nor George Livengood seem to indicate they are ready to leave Naked Boys Singing! any time soon. They have high praise for the producers, who readily let the cast leave the production for short-term jobs that may pay more. Livengood says he "plans to see this show through", but also says that when the time comes, "it'll be nice to be challenged in a different way". However, that seems to be off on the horizon because Naked Boys still does good business and is frequently the top grossing Off-Broadway show--quite a feat for a production that is celebrating its fifth birthday.
Perhaps it's the plethora of bachelorette parties that keeps filling the seats at the theater.
Naked Boys Singing! was conceived and directed by Robert Schrock and produced by Tom Smedes, Carl D. White, Hugh Hayes, Jen Dumas and Jamie Cesa. It is currently playing at Theater Four (424 West 55th Street). Performances are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday @ 7 PM, Saturdays @ 7 and 10 PM, Sundays @3 and 7 PM. Ticket prices range from $65 (for VIP seating in the front rows) to $35. Call Telecharge at 212.239.6200.
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