Review: Atlanta Lyric reveals a risky, risque ‘Full Monty’

Through Feb. 28. 8 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays; 2 p.m. Saturday (Feb. 27 only). $38-$58. Jennie T. Anderson Theatre (at the Cobb Civic Center), 548 S. Marietta Parkway, Marietta. 404-377-9948, www.atlantalyrictheatre.com.

Bottom line: Fully enjoyable.

In his humorous curtain speech at the opening-night performance of Atlanta Lyric Theatre’s “The Full Monty,” artistic director Brandt Blocker urged the company’s Cobb County audience to fasten its proverbial seat belts.

(Lest we forget, this is where, back in 1993, Marietta's former Theatre in the Square temporarily lost its local government funding, as a result of the controversy surrounding its production of "Lips Together, Teeth Apart" — a hip and trendy comedy that fleetingly referenced, albeit frankly, a few unseen gay neighbors of the play's main characters, two straight married couples.)

Under Blocker's leadership since 2007, the Lyric has built its reputation on large-scale musicals, mostly specializing in familiar favorites ("Guys and Dolls," "Damn Yankees") and family fare ("Annie," "Peter Pan"). As solidly produced as such well-worn classics might be, it's in periodically stepping out of its comfort zone (or the comfort zone of its fan base) that the Lyric has truly distinguished itself: 2014's rather racy and irreverent "Spamalot," for instance, yielded some of the troupe's best work in years.

So does this “Full Monty.” Based on a 1997 British movie — but transplanted to present-day Buffalo, N.Y. — the show follows a group of desperately unemployed steel workers, who band together in a get-rich-quick scheme that involves a one-time-only gig as male strippers.

With its occasional adult language and frequent sexual innuendo, not to mention all of its winking and nudging about nudity, associate artistic director Alan Kilpatrick’s adventuresome Lyric staging clearly isn’t the same old song and dance.

(Irony of ironies, the candid script is adapted by Terrence McNally, who also wrote “Lips Together … .” And, never fear, the show’s climactic striptease doesn’t really go “the full monty,” either. The most troubling thing it reveals is probably the obtrusive battery packs attached to the actors’ pesky body mics.)

Not since Georgia Ensemble’s “Calendar Girls” has a cast displayed more pluck, or taken more pleasure in doing so. There isn’t a weak link among any of the members of Hot Metal, as the men are eventually dubbed: Jeff Juday as the divorced father of an adolescent son (nicely played by Matt Alea); Nick Caruso as his overweight best friend; Eric Moore as an older black man; Matt Lewis as their henpecked ex-boss.

Especially superb are relative newcomers J. Koby Parker as a lonely mama’s boy and Haden Rider as an ebullient local kid, whose friendship takes an unexpected — and altogether touching — turn.

Supporting actresses Marcie Millard, Jamie Wood Katz and Lisa Manuli make memorable their roles as various wives, and Jackie Prucha has fun as the guys’ wise-cracking rehearsal pianist.

Featuring music and lyrics by David Yazbek, the terrific score contains a number of show-stopping songs, under the musical direction of Paul Tate and accompanied by the Lyric’s polished 10-piece orchestra (conducted by Blocker).

Highlights include “Michael Jordan’s Ball” and “Scrap” (performed by the men), the solos “Big Black Man” (by Moore) and “Life With Harold” (by Millard), and the lovely duets “You Rule My World” (first sung by Caruso and Lewis, later reprised by Katz and Millard) and “You Walk With Me” (beautifully rendered by Parker and Rider).

Hot Metal’s gig is described as a bit of “niche marketing,” and the same surely holds true for “The Full Monty,” too. But it’s all good.