Theater buffs at East West

EAST WEST PLAYERS, generally considered the oldest and foremost Asian American theater company, has never presented Asian American actors in full-frontal nudity -- until now, in Peter Shaffer’s “Equus,” opening Wednesday.

This isn’t the first time there have been nudes onstage in an East West offering. A non-Asian American actor appeared in the buff in a 1995 production of the play “Cleveland Raining.” And more recently, “Passion” included a topless scene and “M. Butterfly” offered a glimpse of Alec Mapa’s backside. But “Equus” will include a 10-minute scene in which a young man and a young woman completely disrobe in what East West artistic director Tim Dang describes as “white light.”

Through advisories in the ads, the company is attempting to let playgoers know about the nudity in advance. Dang says there was no question of doing the play without the nudity -- it’s required by Shaffer’s legal representatives.

Shaffer also prefers that productions of “Equus” feature some audience seating on the stage, Dang says, and he has attempted to honor this request by placing eight seats on each side of the stage. He scrapped plans for filling those seats with audience members, however, after he was told that bringing members of the public to the stage would require the presence of a fire marshal at every performance at a cost that would exceed the salary paid to any of the actors.

Cast members will now use the onstage seats, and Dang hopes this will still convey the “in the round” sense that Shaffer wants.