Hand to God Makes its Atlanta Debut at Dad’s Garage

Robert Askins’ Hand to God will make its Atlanta debut at Dad’s Garage theater in its converted Old Fourth Ward church space on October 20. The offbeat comedy first premiered off Broadway in 2011, starring Full House alum Bob Saget, and went on to be nominated for five Tony awards. It’s the most-produced play in American regional theater this season, now with a uniquely Atlantan twist. “Most of the creative team for the Alliance production didn’t see the New York production, so we won’t be copying it,” says director Marc Masterson. “Instead, we will trust the hilarious script and our own creative instincts and make a version that is specifically Atlanta. This is a Southern play and most of us are Southerners with a wicked sense of humor. We will make it as we know it.” The raucous puppet comedy tells of meek teenager Jason dealing with the death of his father through the Christian Puppet Ministry at the urging of his mother, Margery. His relationships with the people around him in a small Texas town are at the center of the story, but his puppet, Tyrone, has a personality of his own. It appears that the puppet is possessed by the Devil and violently attacks people while on Jason’s arm. Former Alliance Theatre Associate Artistic Director Kent Gash directs this production in partnership with Dad’s Garage. Since 1995, the nonprofit comedy theater has brought in nationally known improv actors, Broadway productions and performances by company members. If you’re a fan of the puppet humor of Avenue Q and the mocking religious themes of Book of Mormon, this laugh-out-loud show is for you. It runs around two hours and has some adult language.

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STORY: Caroline Eubanks