Musical bares theme of growing pains
By Daily Bruin Staff
Oct. 19, 2000 9:00 p.m.
 Patty Onagan Entertainment John Torres
stars in the God Help! Productions "bare," a contemporary pop
musical, which is running until Nov. 19 at the Hudson Main Stage
Theatre.
By Sarah Monson
Daily Bruin Contributor
A new musical theatre experience has begun.
Traditional musical theater standards, gospel, rock and techno,
may seem like strange bedfellows indeed, but strange bedfellows is,
in essence, what “bare,” a new pop opera, is all
about.
Opened Saturday to a sold out audience at the Hudson Main Stage
Theatre in Hollywood, “bare” set a new standard for
what defines a great piece of American musical theater.
Comprised of a magnificently gifted cast, a phenomenal orchestra
and a spectacular set, “bare” tested the boundaries of
traditional musical theater and passed with a rainbow of flying
colors.
A tragic story, “bare” is about five high school
seniors, who, in their own way, discover themselves and bare their
souls to each other through a series of life changing events.
The show opens during mass in a Catholic boarding school where
the audience finds the lead character, Peter, caught in a dream
where angry saints and a flaming gay angel come alive and expose
Peter’s secret homosexuality. This opening scene is
uproariously funny, yet slightly misleading, as the show quickly
becomes very somber, touching and heartbreakingly sad.
 Patty Onagan Entertainment The world premiere of the
contemporary musical "bare," will be showing at the Hudson Main
Stage Theatre until Nov. 19th. Impressively convincing, John
Griffen plays Jason as a multi-faceted character struggling between
the roles of a popular and athletic straight guy, and the love
struck boy of Peter’s affections.
Ivy, the resident tease turned unwed mother-to-be, is
beautifully played by Jenna Leigh Green, whose harrowing ballads
“All Grown Up” and “Touch my Soul,” are
emotionally moving.
Jason’s twin sister, Nadia, an awkward outcast played
deliciously by Keili Lefkovitz, often adds a comic touch to the
show’s heavy subject with a little ditty about the coming
spring and how it can “lick her.”
Matt, in a superb performance by Wallace Smith, is Jason’s
nemesis, who ultimately exposes the sordid secrets each character
comes to covet.
Altogether breathtaking, John Torres, who plays Peter, delivers
a notably outstanding performance. His passion and conviction
pulses through his body, just as the vibrato and resounding depth
of his voice fills the theater. This combination makes the audience
fall in love with his character, as well as weep right along with
him in his futile search for answers.
The tremendous orchestral performances in “bare”
parallel the great acting. The talented musicians move from upbeat
dance tunes to songs of heartbreaking confessions of despair with
ease.
From Peter and Matt singing the explosively heartfelt and richly
layered ballad “Are You There” straight into a drug
induced vision of the Virgin Mary singing “Mother Love”
a la Diana Ross and the Supremes, “bare” is as quick
with its genre changes as it is with its scene changes.
At just over two and a half hours, the show runs longer than
one’s bum might be used to, but these trifles are quickly
forgiven once an actor opens his or her mouth and lets the magic
coupling of writer Jon Hartmere Jr.’s whip smart lyrics and
composer Damon Intrabartolo’s music pour out.
Enchanting, seductive and truly original, “bare” is
a show not to be missed by anyone who hasn’t got the
mysteries of life all figured out ““ which pretty much means
all of us.
Just make sure you come prepared with a box of tissues and an
open mind.
THEATER: “bare” will be performed through Nov. 19 at
the Hudson Main Stage Theatre, 6539 Santa Monica Blvd. in
Hollywood. For ticket information call (310) 289-2999 or visit
www.barethemusical.com.
