In a church basement in suburban Texas, Margery (Jennifer Lines) leads three teens in puppetry rehearsals for Sunday services. Things take a twisted turn when her son, Jason (Oliver Castillo), creates a hand puppet named Tyrone that is possessed with a delightfully dark personality of its own, contrasting its master’s meek demeanor and provoking the group to investigate their own motives and morals. See if Jason can exorcise his demons in this black comedy that’s been hailed as the funniest show on Broadway—hands down.
Director Stephen Drover has previously directed Skydive (2009) and Patron Saint of Stanley Park (2010) for the Arts Club. He says, “Robert Askins wrote this play loosely based on his own life experience. Raised in a very faith-based community, his mom ran a puppetry ministry and his dad died when he was 16, which was when Askins turned away from religion. He wrote Hand to God as a commentary on faith and how we deal with that loss of faith, while provocatively asking audiences: are we good and sometimes slip, or are we bad and sometimes behave?”
Nominated for five Tony Awards in 2015, including Best New Play, Hand to God swept the USA and UK since closing on Broadway in January 2016. This Arts Club production will be its Canadian premiere.
WARNING: This show is not for children. It is intended for adult audiences with a dark sense of humour and a penchant for truth-talking hand puppets.
IN BRIEF Arts Club Theatre Company’s Hand to God at the Arts Club’s Goldcorp Stage at the BMO Theatre Centre (162 West 1st Avenue) from May 25 to June 15, 2017. Tuesday–Thursday at 7:30 pm, Friday & Saturday at 8 pm, Wednesday at 1:30 pm, and Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm. Tickets start at $29, inclusive of taxes and fees. Call the Arts Club Box Office at 604.687.1644 or visit artsclub.com.