Now there's a second musical in town based on a popular movie.

Diamond Head Theatre opens its new season with "The Full Monty," based on the British film of out-of-work steelworkers who put on a male strip show, while "Footloose" continues to play at Manoa Valley Theatre.

The stage version, with music and lyrics by David Yazbek and book by Terrence McNally, moves the setting to Buffalo, N.Y., but the basic plot line and characters remain intact. Although the plot continues to focus on whether the guys will reach full frontal nudity, "The Full Monty," the musical wonderfully demonstrates how to create character through music.

While the story line centers on Jerry Lukowski's desperate efforts to raise money and stay in touch with his son, the underlying theme stresses the resiliency of the human spirit.

The early numbers link male self-respect with the ability to bring home the bacon. "Scrap" sets up the indignity of being out of work, while "Man" establishes the predominant male behavior code: "When the beef arrives, you do the carvin', / You hate Tom Cruise, but you love Lee Marvin."

The numbers also set up Jerry's persona, and in them Matthew Pennaz hits the right character notes but is a bit raw vocally on the harsh and driving lyrics. Pennaz' voice is much better displayed on "Breeze Off the River," a tender ballad sung to his sleeping son.

As Jerry picks up his cast of six strippers, there is no doubt that "The Full Monty" is also a saga of male bonding. "Big-Ass Rock" is a delightful comic turn illustrating that an isolated suicide is unnecessary when a guy has friends to do it for him. "Michael Jordan's Ball" is an energized dance number that shows how synchronized jazz relates to basketball moves.

One of the show's charms is that so many in the supporting cast get featured numbers, allowing several performers to shine. Stefanie Smart does a bright and matronly Latin hustle for "Life With Harold." Malcolm Rolsal builds an excellent dance routine on "Big Black Man," and Christopher Obenchain and Brent Yoshikami blend on a beautifully plaintive tenor duet, "You Walk With Me."

R. Andrew Doan and Howard Bishop also explore the soft side of masculinity with "You Rule My World," and Judy Yoshioka opens the second act with "Jeanette's Showbiz Number." ("Things could be better 'round here.")

The production also offers a helping of gender sensitivity with "The Goods," a comic role-reversal number in which the women dissect the men as physical sex objects.

The entire production package is expertly done up by director and choreographer Timothy Albrecht and musical director Melina Lillios.

So while "The Full Monty" offers an ample share of carnal titillation, it is also consistently positive and vastly upbeat. As to whether the men bare their all for the cause in the final scene, let's just say that you won't leave the theater feeling disappointed.