Super Shirtlessness!

Summer has officially begun, and the blockbusters are kicking off some good shirtlessness!  I am particularly excited about "Man of Steel" since it stars the delightful Henry Cavill as my favorite superhero, Superman.  Mr. Cavill has graced this blog before when he played the loyal yet tortured Charles Brandon on "The Tudors" and spent most of the first season of that show shirtless.  As the above trailer shows, Mr. Cavill will continue to further the cause by appearing shirtless in this film in addition to wearing a suit that is essentially a unitard.  I love him.  If I were not doing a show in Philadelphia, I would organize at IMS outing to see this movie immediately.  Not only am I excited to see his take on Clark Kent, but I am also thrilled to see him paired with an actress who is older than him.  It's rare to find a Hollywood blockbuster in which the female love interest is older than the lead, and as someone who is also older than Mr. Cavill, I applaud the choice.  Who knows, maybe next will be a superhero movie with a mixed race couple?  Will miracles never cease to exist?

And speaking of miracles, this year's Tony Awards featured top awards to African-American actors and female directors.  There was a lot of hoopla about the diversity of this year's show which I must applaud.  I can't help but be a little bit surprised though that it took this long to have a show that was not just a parade of white men.  I hope that next year's show will build on it and include some other minorities too, like Latin people and Asians.  In such a diverse city, I wish that our theater would reflect its make-up more accurately.  Here's to hoping!  Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Shirtlessness on Broadway

Apparently our work has had enough of an effect on Broadway to warrant an essay by the venerable Ben Brantley in the New York Times this week.  Two IMS members sent me this link the day it came out.  Mr. Brantley seems less beholden to the shirtlessness than we are, but I'm glad he is commenting on it in the Times.  I'll agree that sometimes, shirtlessness can seem like more of a costume than a shirt when everyone's torso has been worked out to the exact same shape of perfection.  And I don't think that anyone needs to take off his shirt to give a great performance.  But I'm not going to lie - I enjoy some eye candy.  In an industry where the text of what anyone is saying is not always the most interesting thing, I'll take some shirtlessness.  Sebastian Stan, pictured above, garnered quite a bit of notice for his shirtlessness in "Picnic" this winter.  I like his torso and can see why someone might consider running away with it, I mean, him.  In any case, I think it is important to consider what we are promoting here at IMS.  In no way is IMS advocating for cookie cutter torsos across the boards, but rather for men to take care of and feel good enough about their torsos to show them off now and again.  Thanks to Mr. Brantley and Broadway for making me refocus on the cause.  I'll probably never thank those two entities on this blog ever again, so let's all take note.  Also, let's hope that this weekend's Tony Awards take similar note - perhaps a shirtless number or two?

Until Tuesday when I get back from my day off shenanigans, I continue to be...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Back in the Saddle

Although my show is not quite open yet, I am finally through the vast majority of rehearsals as well as my traipsing back and forth to New York for extra work on my days off.  So it seems that I can get back to my duties as IMS President and resume my normal posting schedule of Mondays and Fridays.  Today I went shopping with one of my fellow cast members, and while she was trying on some dresses, I happened to catch a glimpse of the Ellen DeGeneres Show which just happened to have Joe Mangiello on as a guest today.  Many IMS members have written to me with enthusiasm about Mr. Mangiello, and I can't say I blame them.  As you see in the above picture, the man has muscles that I didn't know existed.  He certainly lives up to all the nicknames that I have heard him called.  If you don't know what they are, I suggest you say his name three times fast, and you'll get at least one.  Most of them refer to a type of dessert.  In any case, it seems that Mr. Mangiello is a classically trained actor which obviously prepared him for his work on "True Blood" and "Magic Mike."  I like a man who can recite Shakespeare shirtless.

Until this Friday, gentle readers, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS