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“bare: The Musical” is, according to director Jason Bruffy, “sort of an epic story, but it deals with high school students in a Catholic boarding school.”

Peter and Jason, students hiding their relationship from their peers, are publicly exposed after they begin experimenting with “designer” drugs in the club scene and exploring their feelings further, and with others.

“It’s about whether or not they can accept their relationship, or whether the church can or the world can,” Bruffy said.

“bare” has been an underground hit for the last several years, making its Los Angeles debut in October 2000, then finding its way to New York and Chicago.

“It’s a little outside the norm of what musical theater is today,” Bruffy said, “drawing from influences like 'Rent’ and 'Spring Awakening.’”

Bruffy said one reason Know Theatre decided to do “bare” was because it gave them a chance to reach out to the regional college programs.

“We have some solid programs at CCM, Wright State University and Northern Kentucky University, so we went on a little bit of a search,” he said. “There’s a cast of 15, which is pretty big for us, and 12 of them are students or recent graduates.”

To fill out the adult roles, Bruffy not only pulled from the Know regulars but also wrote the Know’s first Equity contract by landing a guest artist appearance from Cincinnati resident Pamela Myers, whose resume includes a Tony nomination for the original Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim’s “Company.” She has appeared on such iconic TV shows as “St. Elsewhere” and in stage classics from “Gypsy” to “Sweeney Todd.” 

• WHAT: “bare: The Musical”
• WHERE: Know Theatre of Cincinnati, 1120 Jackson St., Cincinnati
• WHEN: April 3-May 4
• COST: $12-$22
• MORE INFO: (513) 300-5669; www.knowtheatre.com

photo by Deogracias Lerma