It’s the Last Night to See ‘Hands on a Hardbody’ – One Actor’s Reflections

This summer, I decided to take a chance with the support of my family and audition for a show that I really did not know much about. I had the basic idea- there was going to be a truck on stage and it was going to be about one of those contests where people had to keep their hands on the truck or else they were out. It was simple enough to get and an easy enough show to slowly get back into the acting business. I prepared my audition, had a minor panic attack, and then finally auditioned with a favorite karaoke song since the director asked for us to prepare a country/pop song.

I made the show and suddenly I was back where I was almost 10 years ago, before life and family took over- feeling awkward and shy, wanting to make friends but also wanting to focus on my part. There were times when I questioned why I was doing this, why I was leaving my family for this. For so long I had felt something that made me who I was missing and it was ever so swiftly back in my life.

Every rehearsal, I have to fight back the tears when I hear my peers sing. I laugh hysterically at the funny parts and still feel sad and angry with the not so funny parts. I admired the other actors as I see how much they invested their self in their characters, and I –in turn- drank the Kool-Aid and found myself wanting to do everything I could for this beautifully tragic simple storyline.

Hands on a Hardbody may have seemed simple. The main part of the set was a big red truck in the middle of it and some minor props here and there. We don’t have someone come in and design our costumes, but shop closets and Goodwill to find our characters.

The characters are what make the show shine. It begins with Benny, played by Brandon Eck, who is a challenging part as he is a very broken man who lives his life so angry and pushes the show in a negative direction that forces us to discover our own dark sides. Eck took on the role and made it his from day one and pushed himself through having his own family, a job, and even a horrible allergy season to bring his part to life. JD, played by John Crosser, has also been broken by life- but this time it is more literal. A once complete provider for his family has lost his job mere a handful of years before retirement due to breaking his leg at work. So many demons are discovered as he pushes his neurotically devoted wife, Virginia, (played by me, Katelyn Farmer) away. Crosser does such a wonderful job playing the role of a man who is desperate to recover his strength and find the right place for him in the ever changing world he lives in.

The truck is also filled with some other very interesting contestants played by zealous and dedicated actors. Ronald, played by Zach Bryant, is always the first to win over the audience with his hilarious punch lines and confidence, as well as an incredible voice. Norma, played by Melissa “Moe” Brown, has the capability to see the good in everyone and brings so much joy to the other characters through her love of music and faith in “I feel the Joy”. Jared Brosmer plays Jesus, the Texan born Mexican kid who has endured the racist comments a little too long, but nothing is going to stop him from that truck. I always am in awe of Brosmer’s intensity as he shows through his character how much he loves and needs that truck. Jilllian Weinsapfel beautifully portrays a very misunderstood character. Heather comes off very vapid at times, but we are also able to see that there is so much more to this desperate character and she has a much stronger and softer side than she puts on. Kelly and Greg, the newfound lovers, are played by Alex Wilkison and Chad Ferriell, two young budding actors who are powerful with their singing and convincingly desperate to get out of town and find a new life as they share a moment together in “I’m Gone”. It is hard to not want to watch both of the actors on stage because they naturally shine and bring their characters to life. Nicole Lambert, a beauty in real life, transforms herself successful each night into the very worn and broken Janis. She may need this truck more than anybody and, as her supportive husband, Don (played by Randy Scott) who watches from the sideline suggests, there is nothing she will not finish and he will be right there with her. Their nontraditional love story allows the audience to see something fresh and new, and not just the standard cliché. Jeremiah Kenoyer plays my personal favorite character. It is perhaps because his character surprises us. A quiet, strange looking man shows us that not everything is what it seems and Kenoyer does not disappoint when he brings the house down with his gut wrenching song, “Stronger”.

There are other characters who drive the show, like the dynamic duo in Cindy Barnes, a desperate single mom who needs this contest to be a success as she works for the dealership and has her own demons and passions to tend to, played by the awesome Mari Lynn Clark; and Mike Ferris , who is a continues to show us how much he has the eloquent capability of messing almost everything up. Nolan Spinks does a great job playing a character who the audience wants to hate but also can understand at the same time. Kurt McWilliams plays a standalone character in Frank Nugent, a cocky DJ covering this show who seems more interested in himself then what is actually going on in the contest. McWilliams shines the most with his hilarious delivery of punch lines and his performance of the “Hands on a Hardbody”, which is flooded with puns and innuendos. The best part about McWilliams portrayal is that in real life, he is actually one of the most genuine people that I have ever met.

Most importantly, there are the people who have taken on each of us and molded us into these characters who have been challenging for all of us to find. Kensington Blaylock Eck is the founder of Think Pink productions and is very fervent about bringing new material to the Evansville area. She wants to show another side of theater that is not the traditional style we have almost become numb to. She spends hour on every inch of her shows perfecting it for the public to enjoy. Her partner, Summer Bennent, adds the element of music to the show and has dedicated herself to helping each voice blend and meet every note with power and splendor. Ashley Riester manages the stage and takes care of the needs of all of the actors and actresses while supporting the directors. She is joined by her fiancé, Jenny Smith , and Daniel Kopp, the sound designer. If there would be any reason to support this theater, it would be for these people. Each day, they go to work and a couple even have their own families, then pour their self into creating a show for pennies. It takes so much dedication and adoration for a show to make this commitment.

Thanks to the support of Kenny and Ellen Harpole, Kensington and the rest of Think Pink Productions has been able to take what was once a room for warehousing and create a parking lot in Texas.

This is not a review of a show. I could tell you a million wonderful things about the show but I may be biased. This is about dedication, passion, and the need for support from a community who needs this in their lives.

Tonight at 6 is our last performance of this show. It will be at Studio 321 Behind Eastland Mall and tickets are $15. There is also a bar with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to sip as you soak in the remarkable story.

The next show will be Silence, a parody of Silence of the Lambs that caters to audiences that are 21 and older, Followed by the beautiful, nontraditional love story in Falsettos, and finally Titanic.