BWW Previews: The Quirky, Obscure HANDS ON A HARDBODY Premieres at Wasatch Theatre Company

In its pre-Broadway tryout at the La Jolla Playhouse, the Los Angeles Times called HANDS ON A HARDBOY "a fun ride."

The musical, based on S.R. Bindler's 1997 documentary film about a nutty endurance contest at a Texas auto dealership, "pulls off something most pundits would have considered impossible today: This is a Red State musical that Blue State audiences won't hate themselves for enjoying."

But the Broadway run was only for 28 performances, notable only for its Tony nominations for Best Score and two Featured Actors: veteran Keith Carradine and a newcomer, Keala Settle -- who skyrocketed to stardom in "The Greatest Showman."

The book writer is Doug Wright (Pulitzer Prize winner for I AM MY OWN WIFE and book writer GREY GARDENS). And the score by Trey Anastasio (founding member of the band Phish) and Amanda Green (the HIGH FIDELITY lyricist and co-lyricist for BRING IT ON -- and daughter of legends Adolph Green and Phyllis Newman) that blends rock, gospel, folk and country music, "all of which is immediately accessible without sounding canned," wrote one reviewer.

A retooled version of the marathon dance battles of the Depression, the competition required entrants to stand with a hand affixed to a truck for hours, ultimately days at a stretch. The hardy survivor staggered off with the keys.

Continuing its 21st season, Wasatch Theatre Company takes on HANDS ON A HARDBODY for its regional premiere, directed by company Founder Jim Martin with Music Direction by Anne Puzey. BroadwayWorld interviewed Martin about the musical and the contestants' handling the American Dream -- in the form of a hardbody truck.

Why was HANDS ON A HARDBODY selected for production?

Honestly, it seemed like the perfect piece based on the current political climate. There are themes of immigration, racism, sexism, xenophobia and health care, just to name a few. Basically, all of these people come together in the spirit of wanting a better life. This is the thread that binds them and really the thread that binds is all. If we could see one another through that lens, it might create greater empathy in the world today.

What excites you most about staging the show?

It has never been produced in Utah before. The music and characters are powerful. It will move audiences.

Were there unique challenges, considering a full ensemble cast and -- more significant -- bringing life to a largely inanimate story, with individuals standing immobile with hands affixed to a car?

Yes, sight lines have been a challenge throughout. We have experimented with where to best place the audience and that changed throughout the process. We also chose the show prior to being in our new space. It turns out that having a band and 15 actors on stage is a little too cozy. However, we have made the best of it, and I think this coziness brings an awesome dynamic energy that audiences will be infected by. The truck has been another challenge. We wanted to represent it in a way that allowed people to focus less on the fact that these people want a truck and more on the fact that they all want a better life. The structure designed by Madeline Ashton is suggestive of a truck while placing the focus more on the characters and their dimensions.

How do you explain the show's obscurity, with a Tony Best Musical nomination and only 28 Broadway performances?

I think there are some shows that become classics later in their lifespan. I think this is one that will gain in its appreciation. It is written by Doug Wright, a Tony- and Pulitzer-winning author of I AM MY OWN WIFE. So the piece has real depth. I actually think that people will love it more as it is performed on smaller stages where audiences can truly get to know and relate to the characters. That is the advantage of a small space like ours: You are right there in the thick of it all and walk away feeling more moved than if the show were produced on a large stage in a big theater. HANDS ON A HARDBODY rests on the ability to empathize with the characters and experiences, something we think will be more possible in our intimate space.

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