Before scoring a $150 orchestra seat at the intimate Hayes Theater for the Broadway hit “Take Me Out” in March, New York mom of three and die-hard Jesse Williams fanatic Shanelle Acevedo had no clue she’d be fond of buff eyes. Actor in.
But much to his delight, he got what he saw when he saw the baseball play, which was nominated for four Tony Awards.
“I was really stunned. I’ve never seen anything like this on Broadway,” Acevedo, 39, told The Post of Williams about full-frontal nudity in a rough-housing locker room scene. “It’s a phenomenal drama and people can get a lot out of it,” she said with a laugh.
For months, NYC theater insiders have been furious over the 40-year-old “Grey’s Anatomy” heartthrob’s bold performance. Last Monday, footage of the nude shower scene leaked online, turning Williams from the talk of the town into a headline topic far beyond the boundaries of Joe Allen and Sardi. The show’s production company, Second Stage Theater, called the leak “a gross and unacceptable breach of trust between actor and audience” on Instagram, but some say they should be happy for the very effective free advertising. The eye-popping visuals have garnered more than 503,000 views on Twitter alone, igniting a new frenzy of interest in the old ball game-focused show.
“Jesse Williams is naked on Broadway??? And I just saw who she’s working with???? I want tickets,” said one fan on Twitter.
At press time, only the six remaining seats were available online for Friday night’s show. Callers looking to purchase tickets over the phone were faced with a 45-minute timeout and an automatic recording alerting callers: “We are currently experiencing higher than normal call volume.”
“If there isn’t an incredibly skilled publicist – by chance?! Well leaked – then there must be,” an insider in the theater world told The Post.
Another anonymous theater lover agreed, telling The Post: “It would be hard to top this kind of hype.”
Stage II Theatre, which did not respond to requests for comment, has implemented a “phone-free” mandate for the show, confiscating each audience member’s cellphone, placing it in a protective sleeve, and placing it in a 135-minute performance. During this it is turned off.
Acevedo theorized that the leaker may have hooked into another cellphone to record the viral footage. Whoever did this seemed to be in keeping with Williams’ best interests — and angles.
,[The perspective of the video] said digital content creator and founder of New York parenting and lifestyle brand BrooklynActiveMama, noting that she personally didn’t get that kind of eye. “It was not my idea.”
The drama sees Williams playing a gay, persecuted Major League Baseball player in the early 2000s. He stars with an all-male cast that includes Patrick J. Adams and Julian Sihi.
Acevedo said it is a deeply satisfying show on many levels.
“It’s such a great game with so many levels and insights into the LGBTQ community,” she said. “But if you really just want to see [Jesse Williams’ member in person] You must go see the play because you will probably never get a chance to see it again.”