Plays opening on Tucson stages

Some of us will do just about anything to catch a break.

Including enter a contest requiring us to stand for days keeping at least one hand on a car. The last one standing wins the car.

One of those contests is what “Hands On A Hard Body” is all about. The University of Arizona’s Arizona Repertory Company opens the musical in previews Sunday, Oct. 16.

It is based on a 1997 documentary about one such contest in Texas.

Ten contestants are gathered around a Nissan pickup, standing and touching. Each is determined to spend however many days he or she has to holding on until he or she declared the winner. The play gives us glimpses into their lives.

There’s conflict — one character who has won the contest before tries to intimidate others. There’s humor — how could there not be? And there’s music — from rock to country to gospel.

“Hands on a Hardbody” opened in 2012 at the La Jolla Playhouse and found its way to Broadway by 2013. Though it received a few Tony nominations, it was short lived on the Great White Way. But it has found life in regional productions around the country.

And it has found some good reviews, too:

“… There’s a refreshing emotional simplicity to this story that’s been genially adapted to the stage,” said the Los Angeles Times.

The New York Times was a tad lukewarm about it, but allowed that it was a “scrappy, sincere new musical (which) brings a fresh handmade feeling to Broadway.”

What this production has that others haven’t is the talented Danny Gurwin in the director’s chair. And a cast made up of UA students, many of whom are clearly on their way to careers on stages around the country.

The play previews at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, and 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17. Opening is 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19. It continues through Nov. 6.

Performances are at the Tornabene Theatre in the UA Fine Arts complex, near the North Park Avenue and East Speedway.

Previews are $19, regular performances, $31, with discounts available, at 621-1162 or theatre.arizona.edu.

Barrio story becomes shadow puppet show

Patricia Preciado Martin is kind of revered around here. The Tucson native’s books and oral histories about our part of the country have fascinated and informed.

One of those books, “El Milagro and Other Stories,” has been adapted for the stage by Borderlands Theater’s Milta Ortiz.

Called “Shadowlands,” you can find it Friday, Oct. 14, at Armory Park Bandshell, 220 S. Fifth Ave., and Saturday, Oct. 15, at Oury Recreation Center, 600 W. St. Mary’s Road. The shadow puppet show begins at 6 p.m. each day.

This is another of Borderlands’ Barrio Stories Project, which transformed the Tucson Convention Center earlier this year with stories on the people who once lived in the barrio where the center now sits. It was heartfelt and heartbreaking and a exciting theatrical event. No reason to expect otherwise with this.

Shadow plays have been around for a long, long time. They use shadow puppets — flat, cutout figures — and lighting to create movement and change. Explaining it does not do the form justice.

Marc David Pinate is directing the production and artist Cristina Cárdenas is the art director.

It’s a pay-what-you-can event, and if you can’t pay anything, you won’t be turned away.

Call 882-7406 for more information.

“Harvey” bellies up

to Arizona

Rose stage

Mary Chase’s charming “Harvey” opens this weekend at Zuzi Theater in the Historic Y, 738 N. 5th Ave. The 1944 play snagged the Pulitizer Prize for the drama laced with comedy.

It’s all about a sweet, gentle man, Elwood P. Dowd, whose best friend is a rabbit visible to only him. Naturally, everyone assumes he has lost his marbles and he is sent off to a sanitarium.

Cynthia Howell directs the Arizona Rose Theatre Company production and the cast includes Leah Kari, Scott Berg, Devyn Garret, Michael Howell, Michael Candela, Ron Kari, Eric Everts, Leah Rosthenhausler, Bobbi Whitson, Michael Cook, Stephanie Howell and Mari Caldwell.

Performances are 7 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays through Oct. 23. Tickets are $15 in advance, $17 at the door. You can get them at 888-0509 or arizonarosetheatre.com.