It is hard to imagine that the pipeline from Broadway flows so easily to West Michigan, but if you have been following this trend then it is not hard to see why “Hand to God” is having its Michigan debut at
Actors’ Theatre.
Just a year ago, one of Broadway’s most shocking successes drew its final curtain, and almost as swiftly our local Actors’ Theatre bid for the rights to stage this play.
Unlike most dramatic productions, this play defies all expectations with its edgy, laugh-out-loud humor mixed with poignancy. As a result of this winning combination, this little play that could ended up with four impressive Tony Award nominations, including the competitive Best Play category.
The story revolves around Jason, a student from a Christian Puppet Ministry who has found the best path to a saintly life is to adhere to the teachings of the Bible.
But the play suddenly careens on another path when his foul-mouthed puppet named Tyrone begins to hand out eyebrow-raising advice on how to satisfy urges and deal with desires. This sets in motion a story where Jason must not just confront Tyrone’s words but will go on to question everything he knows.
The
New York Times reviewer writes, “You can enjoy ‘Hand to God’ merely as a festival of filthy hilarity, like ‘The Book of Mormon.’ But as I watched the play this year, for the third time, I found myself peering more closely into its psychological depth, and finding in it a weird mirror of our unsettling times…Maybe if more of the world’s troubled youth discharged their demons with the help of sock puppets, things might not look so grim.”
“Hand to God” is part of Actors’ Theatre impressive 36th season and represents (yet again) why it is one of the most exciting theatrical outlets in our city.
Tickets: $28-Adults, $22-Student/Seniors, $10-Student Rush (available one hour prior to each performance) Tickets can be purchased at
www.atgr.org or by calling the box office at 616-234-3946.