HAND TO GOD Comes to TheaterWorks

Rob Ruggiero, Producing Artistic Director announced today that TheaterWorks will present HAND TO GOD by Robert Askins as the fifth and final show of the 2017-2018 Season. Directed by Tracy Brigden, the Broadway smash hit and Tony Award nominated play begins previews July 20 and runs through August 26, 2018.

In a church basement in a little town in Texas, something evil is a foot. Or, well - at hand. The Christian Puppet Ministry seems like the ideal outlet for Jason's anxiety after the death of his father. But his complicated relationships with the town pastor, the school bully, the girl next door, and - most especially - his mother are thrown into upheaval when Jason's puppet, Tyrone, takes on a shocking and dangerously irreverent personality all its own. HAND TO GOD is an unholy comedy about good and evil, sex and sin, grief and loss, faith and the filthy mind of one twisted puppet.

HAND TO GOD premiered on Broadway in March, 2015 where it was nominated for 5 Tony Awards including Best Play. Producing Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero said, "We're excited to have Tracy Brigden back to direct our production of HAND TO GOD. Our audiences loved her work in Midsummer (a play with songs). At a time when many of us need a laugh, HAND TO GOD is terrific fun - a wonderfully blasphemous comedy. But it's more than that too - it's also acutely insightful about the human spirit, the darkness that lives inside us and the forces that carry us through life, love and loss."

Cast members making their TheaterWorks debut include Peter Benson (Pastor Greg), Maggie Carr (Jessica), Miles G. Jackson (Timothy), Nick LaMedica (Jason/Tyrone), and Lisa Velten Smith (Margery). Director Tracy Brigden returns to TheaterWorks after most recently directing audience favorite Midsummer (a play with songs) in the summer of 2016.

The creative team includes Luke Cantarella (Set and Projection Design), Tracy Christiansen (Costume Design), Matthew Richards (Lighting Design), Liz Atkinson (Sound Design), Stephanie Shaw (Puppet Design), and Robert Westley (Fight Choreographer).

Thursday July 26, 2018
July 20 and 25 at 7:30pm
Saturday, July 28 at 2:30pm
July 31, August 7, 14, 21 at 7:30pm

TheaterWorks 233 Pearl Street, Hartford, CT 06103