Review: A VERY SKIVVIES PRESIDENT'S DAY Opens Eyes at The Green Room 42

There is a reason for the popularity held by the band The Skivvies, and while a lot of people might think that it is the underwear for which the five-person combo is known, the underwear comes in dead last in the order of importance. Don't get me wrong, the gimmick is a good one, festive and fun, sexy and silly; the real reason to go see The Skivvies is the insane musical talent that Lauren Molina and Nick Cearley bring to the stage, along with their bandmates Josh Roberts, Debbie Tjong, and Eli Katz Zoller. Long lauded as one of the most popular club/concert acts in the business, one would think that there might come a time when the wunderkinder of cabaret might run dry of ideas but the hits just keep on coming, as they demonstrated last night in A VERY SKIVVIES PRESIDENT'S DAY at The Green Room 42.

With their considerable musical talents, energetic shenanigans and a slew of super impressive guest artists, The Skivvies never fail to entertain, and this week's appearance at The Green Room 42 is just another feather in their cap, which, at this point, is looking like Dolly Levi's red feathered headdress. They offer song parodies, mash-ups, medleys, socio-political messages, song improvs, dance moves, musicianship, hilarity, and mind-blowing vocals from every singer on the stage. The Skivvies have been bestowed with one glowing review after another, ever since they first burst onto the scene, leaving this journalist wondering what else there is to say about them. It's all been said.

Well, maybe not all has been said, for I have something to say. To say it, though, I have to turn this article into more of a human interest story, rather than a review, by sharing something personal about myself, something I am regularly reluctant to do. If I do it, though, I have the potential to increase audiences and the fan-base for The Skivvies, as well as bring The Skivvies to people who would love them but who don't know it yet. So I will go out on a limb and share my story, the story of My First Ever Skivvies Show.

I never saw The Skivvies before. I was always aware of them and of their popularity but each time there was a Skivvies show to review, I assigned a different writer to the task, neither daring nor caring to see the show for myself. You see, I have body image issues. A lifetime with a yo-yo weight and a yo-yo waistline, living with eating disorders and low self-esteem, I have run the gamut from anorexia to compulsive overeating, managing to obtain an athlete's body for some 15 years. A back injury took me out of the gym and I lost my perfect body, so it can be difficult for me to be around a Skivvies concert or a Broadway Bares production, kind of like when you have to unfollow people on Instagram because of all their expensive vacation pics and sexy underwear selfies. In the name of self-protection, my better instincts had me avoid The Skivvies; but I recently interviewed Nick Cearley for Broadway World and he told me that he and Lauren Molina aren't the kind of people who would create The Skivvies so that people would look at bodies for which they held a lot of pride - he said that they were clowns. I liked that, I liked him and I like clowns; so I decided that I would cover A VERY SKIVVIES PRESIDENT DAY, where I learned the truth.

The truth is that at a Skivvies show, audiences will find love and friendship with their fellow humans, artists of varying ages, shapes, sizes, body types, all of whom are on stage to entertain, enlighten, illuminate and make people happy. There is no envy, jealousy, self-consciousness or self-loathing. There is no feeling of judgment anywhere. There is no negativity at a Skivvies show, only solidarity in art and companionship. Audience members will leave a Skivvies show happy that they came, glad that they participated, and feeling filled with humanity. So don't make the mistake I did when I gave up years during which I could have been enjoying The Skivvies, because of something in my head that wasn't real. If you are a person who has missed a Skivvies show out of fear of feeling inadequate, please take this man's word for it: at a Skivvies show, you will feel included and elevated. You may trust them to leave you feeling better than you did when you came in. The Skivvies will take care of you during their show.

And if you are feeling even slightly trepidatious, come find me and we will sit together, because I will be there, too.

Find The Skivvies online at their website

Find great shows to see at The Green Room 42 website

Daniel Dunlow

The Skivvies with Lesli Margherita as Betty Ford

The Skivvies with Gina Milo as Betsy Ross

The Skivvies with Travis Kent as Little Edie

The Skivvies with Ben Bogen as Rutherford B. Hayes

The Skivvies with Kuhoo Verma

The Skivvies with Florrie Bagel

The Skivvies with Tim Hughes as Abraham Lincoln

The Skivvies with Logan Hart

The Skivvies with Nathan Lee Graham

The Skivvies are Nick Cearley, Eli Katz Zoller, Debbie Tjong, Lauren Molina, Josh Roberts