The production elements were stripped down to the bare essentials to reflect this year’s theme, “Less is More”—a truism presented in more than just the obvious way throughout the show. So in the "Barbershop" number, the guys wore nothing but shaving cream, while other routines explored more serious themes of love and monogamy. The overall message of “Less is More” promoted safe sex, perhaps in answer to the question of how do you explore your sexuality in the age of AIDS, or how do you do an AIDS bene?t centered around stripping. This was presented with lots of humor such as that provided by celebrity host Nathan Lane. Safe. Smart. Sassy. These qualities became hallmarks of Broadway Bares.