Hand to God: Now Even Handsier!

Hand to God by Mr. Robert Askins is a bona-fide hit! And we here at the Youngblog are proud to say: we told you so. We are even prouder to say that the production has been extended through December 18th! Is there any better way to celebrate the holiday season than to see a play about a devilish hand puppet? No. There isn't. Please don't argue with me. I know from whence I speak. Also this time I have backup. Dig this:

"Satan, the great tempter of men’s souls, takes deceptively innocuous form in the frisky new comedy 'Hand to God,' by Robert Askins, at the Ensemble Studio Theater.... Mr. Askins possesses a perfect ear for teenage voices and the aggressive jostling for position among troubled or misfit adolescents. He is just as good at the characterizations of Margery and Pastor Greg, whose earnest professions of love for Margery cause her to wince in pity and fear. [Geneva] Carr captures with a piercing poignancy the discomfort Margery feels at these unwanted advances.... Under the direction of Moritz von Stuelpnagel, the cast is wonderful across the board, although first honors must go to [Steven] Boyer, who truly gives two distinct performances — one all bewildered innocence, the other pure beastly vulgarity — as Jason and Tyrone."
--Charles Isherwood, The New York Times

Yeah, that's right. The New York Times. Heard of it?

So the show now runs through December 18th, like this:
Wednesday - Monday @ 7pm, Saturdays @ 2pm & Sundays @ 5pm
Sunday December 18 @ 2pm & 7pm

Tickets: $35
Youngblood Special: $25 for anyone under 30, at the door with ID
Student Tickets: $15 at the door with ID, the box office opens one hour before showtime.

Get to it. Get back to it. Whatever you've got to do.

Raise a Hand to God

Late spring, 2010. No. Actually, early summer, 2010. The playwrights of Youngblood were elbows-deep in their annual end-of-the-season reading series, Bloodworks. The final reading of the series was a little number called Hand to God, by Robert Askins. And friends, it was a good reading. It was a very, very, very good reading. Eyewitness reports used phrases like "doubled over laughing" and "!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"; experts predicted the play would permanently change the face of American theater. "Yes," said the experts. "The face of American theater is definitely changing." The experts took a deep breath. "It is becoming the face of a hand puppet."

EST/Youngblood presents
Hand to God

by Robert Askins*
Directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel*

“The funniest play about faith, hands down,
on the contemporary stage.”
- Solange on Theater

Christian Puppet Ministries are a great way to teach children about the Bible. Each child gets a puppet, and each puppet gets his own personality. But children can be fooled by Satan’s tricks. For even within the sanctuary of the Christian Puppet Ministry, the devil lurks. The people of Cypress, Texas were good Christians. Until one day at Puppet Ministry, a boy named Jason, and his puppet Tyrone, let the devil in. This is their story.

Jason / Tyrone – Steven Boyer*†
Margery – Geneva Carr*†
Timothy – Bobby Moreno*†
Jessica – Megan Hill†
Pastor Greg – Scott Sowers*†

Assistant Stage Manager - Joshua Hernandez
Sound Design – Chris Barlow
Lighting Design -Matthew Richards
Costume Design – Sydney Maresca
Set Design – Rebecca Lord-Surratt
Puppet Design – Marte Johanne Ekhougen
Fight Choreographer – Robert Westley
Props Manager – Deb Gaouette

*denotes EST member
†denotes Equity Member

Dates: October 27 - November 20
Thursday - Monday @ 7pm, Sunday @ 3pm
Sunday, November 6 @ 5pm

Tickets: $25
Pick Your Price Previews: October 27 - 30
Opening Night Performance & Halloween Party Reception: October 31 (come in costume and get a free bottle of Robert Askins' home-brewed beer!)

Do not sleep on this one.

Also you can watch some exclusive video interviews with the cast! Here! Do it!