The rub with The Mysteries is that we are talking about Adam & Eve. This isn’t nudity for no apparent reason or because it will be “edgy” (I’ve been to those shows and it is embarrassing to watch). Adam & Eve is a well-known biblical story about purity where nakedness doesn’t exist and man/woman are of one body. We have to honor the text and theme of the story. Without the purity of pre-apple and impurity of post-apple, what story would we really be telling? And, how can we ask the audience to buy into a world where nudity doesn’t exist unless we trust them to go there.

So… the issue becomes not “if” we will do the nudity… but… how we will do it. I think the director’s solution (which will remain a Mystery – pun intended) is fantastic, theatrical and thrilling.

So… since we’ve opted to dive in….

What is the best approach to something as sensitive as nudity in rehearsals? I read Edgar’s blog about the BIG DAY approaching where he will have to take his clothes off for the first time. I mean, obviously by opening night we (the entire cast and especially the nude actors) need to be very comfortable, but when do we start working on it?

When is it “Time” to start taking off the clothes in rehearsals? Doing it too soon seems somehow harmful to the actors who are putting themselves out there. Doing it too late can mean that the actors will not have reached the comfort level in time for opening night. And, with a 4-act play… the Adam/Eve scene will only be rehearsed every-so-often, and therefore opportunities to explore this issue are few and far between.

Last night, Edgar (the actor playing Adam) was in boxers for rehearsal. It was a good reminder that this is something we will be dealing with in the upcoming weeks. When I did Hair in 1994, there wasn’t a “deadline” or identified day when it was “Time” to jump in. It was a surreal experience because it came without warning. All of a sudden, people were nude around me and it happened without planning or discussion. It happened because the time had come and those who were doing it somehow instinctively knew that it had come. Perhaps this issue, like most in a challenging artistic process, can be best addressed by patiently waiting and listening for the answer to present itself.