The Full Monty: My 10 Favorite Photos
My family and I are participating in our local theatre production of The Full Monty.
When our family performed in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in 2023, I was an observer as my wife and two girls starred in the show. This time, I joined the team as an ensemble member.
For our rehearsals, I asked for special permission to bring my camera and capture some behind-the-scenes pictures. These BHS shots are often my favorite kinds of photos. I feel like I would’ve been a great on-set movie photographer.
This is also a way I can give back to the production without working on the set, or the market plan, or having a starring role. By taking photos, I can capture the process. Along the way, the cast and crew can see how the show becomes The Show.
Throughout the month of rehearsals, I snagged hundreds of photos. Here are my 10 favorites and why I appreciate them so much.
#10: First Day of Rehearsal
I walked into the church basement, where we would live for weeks fleshing out the show, and was immediately caught by the light streaming in the sliding-glass window. This was a good sign: good, dramatic light. I knew I had a good situation to create interesting photos.
#9: View from the Stage
In the church where we rehearse, there is a stage where we don’t rehearse – which I think is kind of funny. Maybe it’s too small. But anyway, here’s a view from that stage as we practice.
#8: Jaime Feeling It
My wife, Jaime, is feeling something here. It was a fun moment to capture as the other actors read their lines.
#7: Contacts for Harold
Vicki (played by my wife, Jaime) and Harold are my favorite characters in The Full Monty. Initially, you see them as a materialistic couple that only cares about money, vacations, and displaying a false image of wealth and status. But soon you realize that they are deeply in love, and none of those material things matter. Here’s a moment where you see Vicki’s love for Harold in action, and it’s a hilarious moment in the musical.
#6: Makeup Time
Pure backstage goodness. Matt is our stage hand, and he plays a club owner in the musical – typical big, tough, handy guy. Here, he’s getting some makeup applied by his partner, Kris.
#5: The Boys
The six main characters of the show, here lined up on stage. I love how the negative space created by the shadow in front of the stage blacks out the entire theatre, leaving the focus on the guys with their hands raised.
#4: Reg In Light
Here, Tori looks like Bruce Wayne, barely in light, mostly in shadow. Tori was a frequent subject of photos because he’s such a character.
#3: Dressing Room
Before we got settled into the theater and backstage, I caught this quiet moment with Talon in the dressing room that I really like.
#2: Reg In Shadow
Like I said: Tori is a character, and here, that dynamic light in the church basement comes back into play. I fell in love with the light in our rehearsal space.
#1: Jerry In Repose
My favorite shot from rehearsals – this moment of quiet and rest from Talon, who plays Jerry, on the stage. It’s minimal, focused, and the contrast between Talon’s skin and the black stage floor is my kind of perfect.
I took a lot of photos during the process, and I’m very proud of the work. You can see more photos from our The Full Monty rehearsals on my Flickr profile.
BONUS: Horse Cracking Up
Allyn is a laugher, and I have a ton of him cracking up at some inappropriate comment. This one was my favorite 🙂
All photos were shot on the Canon EOS M6 with a variety of lenses.