EDGE New York City

Thankfully, Peter Gregus has a very understanding boyfriend. "He said he’s OK with it as long as he can be in on the casting," Gregus laughs about his partner’s willingness to let him direct this year’s edition of Broadway Bares.

Well, what gay man wouldn’t want to be in on choosing the Great White Way’s hottest male and female talent for the city’s (and probably the world’s) largest half-naked fundraiser!

Gregus, a veteran dancer and actor whose credits include Contact and is currently doing eight shows a week as Bob Crewe in Jersey Boys, performed in Broadway Bares 4 years ago to show that he still had it at age 40. Since then he’s served as associate director under Denis Jones. When Jones was too busy with other commitments, Bares founder Jerry Mitchell asked Gregus to take on the job, which facilitated the discussion with his oh-so-patient boyfriend.

"Peter is doing a great job, and it’s no small feat," says Mitchell, who has watched Bares grow from a few scantily-clad Broadway boys on the bar at Spalsh into what is basically a full scale Broadway show with a cast of about 200 in full costume (though they’re very tiny) and makeup shaking their money makers for Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS. All told, the show has raised more than $5 million for charity.

This year, all the numbers are based on things you can find on the internet. "I wanted every number to be a 180 degree turn from the next. That lead me to the internet because you can go anywhere at any time," Gregus says. "We finalized all the music and it’s astonishing how all over the place it is. I can’t even tell you, it’s Dixieland and stuff from the ’60s to hard rock and biker bitches and ’70s porn music."

But it’s not at all impersonal as some internet interactions can be.

"The message of the show is, guess what folks, you have to get connected," Mitchell says. "Human to human contact is always better."

Speaking of human contact versus the internet, Gregus says his Facebook page has been bombarded by people trying to get cast. "My facebook page his lit up with pictures of hot shirtless boys who want to be in the show," Gregus laughs and jokingly adds. "Damn, why am I not single!"

Yes, a very understanding boyfriend indeed.

Broadway Bares 19 takes it all off on Sunday, June 21, at 8pm and midnight at Roseland Ballroom (239 W 52nd St, 212-840-0770). Visit BroadwayCares.org for more info.