The award-winning production of “Hand to God” will return to the stage at Lone Star College-North Harris for a limited run this month. This production was recently selected as one of four productions to perform at the 2018 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Regional Festival in San Angelo, Texas, Feb. 27 through March 4. The winner of the regional festival will advance to the national festival held at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.
The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Regional Festival honors excellence of overall production and offers student artists’ individual recognition through awards and scholarships in playwriting, acting, criticism, directing and design.
According to Cash Carpenter, artistic director for LSC-North Harris Theatre Department, “This is quite an honor for our theatre department. If we advance, we will be the first theatre program in the history of Lone Star College to receive this national recognition.”
Broadwayworld.com/Houston also recognized “Hand to God” with several awards including the Irene Ryan Acting Award, given to Nick Vitela for his role as Jason/Tyrone; Jose Moreno for his role as Timothy; and Tatyana Ramirez for her role as Jessica; the Ensemble Acting Award; Excellence in Directing Award, given to Cash Carpenter; and Excellence in Scenic Design Award given to Cash Carpenter and Brandi Hargrove.
Tickets are currently on sale for three additional, evening performances of “Hand to God.” The evening performances are scheduled on Feb. 15, 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m. in the LSC-North Harris Performing Arts Theatre, 2700 W.W. Thorne Drive, Houston, TX 77073. Tickets cost $10 for faculty, staff, students and senior citizens and $15 for general admission and can be purchased online at LoneStar.edu/drama-dept-nharris or by calling 281.765.7963. Reservations are recommended.
This dark comedy is intended for mature audiences only due to its adult context, language and themes.
In “Hand to God” by Robert Asloms and directed by Carpenter, meek Jason, after the death of his father, finds an outlet for his anxiety at the Christian Puppet Ministry, in the devoutly religious, relatively quiet small town of Cypress, Texas. Jason’s complicated relationships with the town pastor, the school bully, the girl next door, and—most especially—his mother are thrown into upheaval when Jason’s puppet, Tyrone, takes on a shocking and dangerously irreverent personality all its own. This dark comedy explores the startlingly fragile nature of faith, morality, and the ties that bind us.
Carpenter graduated from University of New Orleans with a MFA in Directing. He has been the artistic director at Lone Star College-North Harris for fifteen years, and has been honored three times by the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C. for playwriting, directing, and technical design. He has been performing magic since he was six years old and has been a member of the Society of American Magicians.
Visit LoneStar.edu/arts-nharris for more information and a complete listing of the college’s upcoming fine arts events. The LSC-North Harris Division of Fine Arts offers a variety of concerts, theatrical productions, art exhibitions and lectures, workshops and more throughout the year, many of which are free and open to the public.
Lone Star College-North Harris is located at 2700 W.W. Thorne Drive, one-half mile south of FM 1960 East, between Aldine-Westfield and Hardy Roads. For more information about the college, call 281.618.5400 or visit LoneStar.edu/NorthHarris.
Lone Star College offers high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education to 99,000 students each semester. LSC is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to support student success. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., serves as chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area with an annual economic impact of $3.1 billion. LSC consists of six colleges, eight centers, two university centers, Lone Star Corporate College and LSC-Online. To learn more, visit LoneStar.edu.
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