The Best Gay Play EVER

Whilst in Chicago a couple of weeks back, my friends surprised me with tickets to the About Face Theatre's production of "Take Me Out" at the Steppenwolf Upstairs Theatre. The play had been getting rave reviews in Chicago media and my friends Doug and Larry decided to make seeing it part of my weekend in the Windy City (along with ""Wicked" see previous blog).

Okay, before I go any further, I should say that I love live theatre. Love it. Make it a well-acted play with intelligent dialogue, acted by consummate professionals and I am happy as a pig in, well, you know .

Now, throw in hot men (who are consummate professional actors) exhibiting full frontal male nudity and, well, I just might collapse from "the vapors" before the evening has concluded.

"Take Me Out" had all of this. The story, about a gay baseball player who comes out of the closet and the repercussions of this decision to his teammates and friends, is craftfully written. The dialogue sparkles, even when it is the dialogue of a cromagnon Southern redneck relief pitcher phenom. The characters are believable and the story, although a tad rushed in places, keeps the audience engaged and committed.

And then there's the nudity. Don't get me wrong -- I would have loved the play without the nudity. With it, I gained an experience that will keep me warm and happy for months to come. The play is staged primarily in the team's locker/shower room. The first actor to walk onstage starkers was Danny McCarthy as Toddy, a slightly pudgy, unremarkable everyman. I fell in love with him immediately.

Almost every actor in the play (every player on the ball team) appeared nude at some point - virtually all of them at once during a shower scene. Two of the leads, Kyle Hall as Kippy and Derrick Nelson as gay ballplayer and central character Darren Lemming, were unbelievably talented actors and eye-poppingly hot men. Hall's chiseled, hairy, sinewy body and Nelson's dark, muscular body (and their nature-blessed genitalia) made me happy to be gay. Also notable in the acting/hot body department was Kyle Hatley as redneck Shane Mungitt. (Mothers, if you want your boy-childs to grow up to be talented actors and/or potential centerfolds, apparently the best name for them is Kyle.)

On the non-nude front, actor Tom Aulino's portrayal of neurotic CPA Mason Marzac was an energetic delight. He perfectly captured the character's nervous, obsessive behavior and the isolation that kind of personality often creates. Bravo.

Bravo to everyone involved in this production. It was a feast for the eyes... and the soul.