by Michele Markarian

‘bare stage’ by Michael Walker.  Directed by A. Nora Long.  Presented by Festival Theatre Company, in association with Paul Gregory and Alex Kenton at the Plaza Theatre, Boston Center for the Arts, 539 Tremont Street, Boston, MA  02116

Years ago, there was a Boston casting director who mounted a production of a show that he asked actresses – not actors – to appear in certain scenes topless.  The script didn’t call for it, and when a beautiful young friend of mine refused, she was taunted for not being “real” enough – or some strange foolishness – but allowed onstage anyway. Two of the other beautiful young women, including the lead, had already agreed to appear bare-breasted, so the director was able to get his rocks off while satisfying himself with the ability to make vulnerable young actresses do his bidding. Watching the scenes was uncomfortable, as the nudity was uncalled for. Across the river, a few years later, a Cambridge director did the same thing with the same result.  Happily, for playwright Michael Walker, the nudity in bare stage is an integral part of the piece. 

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