Undressed Under Duress
Multi-Part Series Coming in Early February To Union Suit Fans in the Limelight! Look For It!
1/22/2020
1/14/2020
In
1962 hillbillies invaded Beverly Hills. The dirt poor Clampetts had
hit pay dirt literally by accidentally striking oil on their Ozark
acreage. The family were hillbillies alright, right down to the
men's union suit underwear. The television show broadcast on CBS
lasted nine memorable years until 1971 receiving seven Emmy
nominations. You can still see the Beverly Hillbillies in syndication
to this day. You just can't seem to avoid it!
Predictably, as soon as Jethro took off his rope belt, his britches plummeted down around his ankles revealing his white union suit. Granny saw her chance, figuring Jethro wouldn't chase her out the door in his underwear. She made a run for it.
In a season one episode, entitled “No Place Like Home,” the Clampetts return to the Ozarks for a Christmas visit. Early one morning, Granny wakes up and shuffles to the living room where the boys are soundly sleeping on the floor. Difficult to awaken, she steps outside on the porch and gathers hand fulls of snow. Back inside she tosses the snow onto the faces of Uncle Jed (Buddy Ebsen) and Jethro.
Jethro grabs for his britches in hopes Granny will stop yelling at them.
These
misfit millionaires had all sorts of misadventures. In one episode
Jethro Bodine (Max Baer, Jr) was told to keep watch on Granny (Irene
Ryan). He was to make sure she sat on a chair and did not leave the
room. Conniving Granny convinced the slow witted Jethro that he could
contain her more carefully if he tied her up. Looking around the room
and finding no constraints, Jethro asked her just how in the world he could do
that. She retorted "use the rope you have around your waist!"
The one holding up his britches. What a great idea Jethro exclaimed as he removed his belt, 'er rope!
The one holding up his britches. What a great idea Jethro exclaimed as he removed his belt, 'er rope!
Jethro attempts to pull up his britches to take pursuit. But immediately
trips and crashes to the floor. Granny runs out the door as Jethro struggles mightily to disengage himself from his britches.
In a season one episode, entitled “No Place Like Home,” the Clampetts return to the Ozarks for a Christmas visit. Early one morning, Granny wakes up and shuffles to the living room where the boys are soundly sleeping on the floor. Difficult to awaken, she steps outside on the porch and gathers hand fulls of snow. Back inside she tosses the snow onto the faces of Uncle Jed (Buddy Ebsen) and Jethro.
They shout and jump up in their underwear fully awake now.
Like all true hillbillies they sleep in their union suits. Granny tells
the lazy bums to get dressed and get on with the day.
1/02/2020
12/24/2019
Big
Red and the Boys
Chicago's About Face Theatre Company Presents "A New Home for the Holidays."
h
shows in Chicago, Philadelphia, New York, Los Angeles, and San
Francisco!
For
the past ten years or so Big Red and the Boys have been cheering
audiences in Chicago and, more recently, in Los Angeles, San
Francisco, New York, and Philly. It is a “Yuletide Cabaret Show”
starring Meghan Murphy. She and the guys perform and dance their way
through the holidays on stage. The boys, Nick, Andrew, Patrick, and
John are back up singers and instrumentalists. The show is “funny
and heartwarming” and has been a holiday tradition at Chicago's
About Face Theatre / Theater Wit. The perfect tonic for the winter
holidays. They have become so popular they have expanded across the
country. And no performance is complete until the boys strip down to
their long handled union suits.
Hear
are some shots of Big Red with the boys in their bright red holiday
underwear:
"Nothing Like Red Union Suits to Brighten the Season!"
Merry Christmas From These Union Suit Fans in the Limelight
12/04/2019
Since
2009, The
Emperor's New Clothes
The
Musical,
has been performed countless times by elementary to high school kids
across the country. The music was composed and lyrics written by
Bill Francoeur. Emperor
Plumptoe, two weavers, the empress, a jester, and a throng of
townsfolk sing and dance their way through this engaging musical
featuring seven original songs. When the emperor is tricked into
parading before his loyal subject's in his invisible suit, they break into the climactic song, “The Man in the
Underpants.” By all accounts, the kids love performing this new
take on the time honored fairy tale.
Many
plays are based on the story, translated into 100 plus languages, by
Hans Christian Anderson of Denmark. Nearly everyone knows the
timeless story of the vain emperor who is clothing obsessed to the
detriment of his kingdom. Two imposters convince the ruler that they
have made him a beautiful suit of clothes like nothing he has ever
owned. The magical cloth is invisible to the ignorant. Those who are
not fit to serve can't see a thing. Well, you know the story.
After
the emperor is paraded before his subjects in his fine new suit of
clothes, he is ceremoniously placed upon a royal pedestal to be
admired. In reality, he is wearing only his union suit. Soon, a kid
spills the beans by pointing out that their unadorned leader “has
no clothes.” He's standing there in his underwear!
Embarrassed
to be exposed, wearing nothing but a bright red union suit, the
emperor covers his face and turns away while enduring the song, “The
Man in the Underpants.”
Having quite enough of the laughter and ridicule, the chagrined emperor jumps down off his pedestal and attempts to run away.
But he is quickly turned back and forced up on his perch as his subject's resume their “praise.”
Noah, a 9th grader from Chandler, Arizona, does a great
job in his role as the emperor.
Following
is the video from their presentation...
In
this second video, another boy plays Emperor Plumptoe in boxer shorts
rather than the typical red union suit...
and in this last video, the little kids take their turn as an elementary student gives another performance as the Emperor...
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