What do you get when you combine six unemployed Buffalo steelworkers with a Chippendale-worthy striptease? 

You get The Full Monty, an original musical production hitting the stage at Village Theatre in Issaquah on September 15.

Based on the 1997 British comedy film, The Full Monty tells the tale of a group of unemployed men as they plot to find a way out of debt and back on top. The musical blends grin-and-bare-it comedy with real life struggles.

Theater veteran Dane Stokinger will step into the role of Jerry Lukowski, the decision maker behind the strip-tease plot.  He convinces his friends to go along with the plan of baring it all with the intent of earning enough money to see his son. Stokinger’s character declares that their show will be better than the Chippendales dancers because they will leave nothing up to the imagination, raising the question of  “boxers or briefs” to a whole new level.  

Artwork and costume design rendering of character Jerry Lukowski by Cynthia Savage.

“It’s the big finale that everyone looks forward to and I promise it will deliver,” said Cynthia Savage, Costume Designer for Village Theatre. “Whether the men will be in boxers or a thong I can’t say. You will have to come and see for yourself.” 

The new production of The Full Monty will be brought to life at Village Theatre using an original set created by Steven Capone with the help of master carpenter André Burman and carpenter Mark Zetterberg.  

The musical promises big laughs, larger than life characters and a rock-and-roll inspired ballad.

“People often associate musical theater with sweeping ballads like Oklahoma, and not to discredit those productions, but there’s something very special about The Full Monty,” said Stokinger, a credible force in the Seattle theatre scene. “The score is absolutely brilliant and breaks the mold. Instead of dozens of violins, you hear guitars – it rocks.”

For those who have never experienced a live theatre performance, Stokinger accredited The Full Monty as a good place to start. 

“Live theatre is so different from sitting in a movie theater watching a screen. With theatre, we have the opportunity to create something very spontaneous. I was at performance of Titanic once and something went wrong on stage and the ship didn’t sink. It was hilarious. The audience appreciates that because it’s raw and it’s real.” 

Village Theatre is located at 303 Front Street North in Issaquah. For more information or to purchase tickets to The Full Monty, call 425.392.1942 or visit www.villagetheatre.org.

Show Info: 

(Left to right) Carpenter Mark Zetterberg and master carpenter André Burman at Village Theatre's Scene Shop.

Original model set design by Steven Capone.