A WORKING-CLASS ENDURANCE CONTEST TURNS
INTO A MUSICAL OF HOPE AND DESPERATION

A spirited, heartfelt production that balances humor with grit

Victory by attrition is the name of the game in the musical Hands on a Hard Body at the Spreckels Performing Arts Center’s Codding Theatre in Rohnert Par, through March 1.

Mark Bradbury, Shannon Rider, Malik Charles D. Wade I, Serena Elize Flores, Jake Druzgala,
Maick Poroj, Larry Williams, Keith Baker, Katie Kelley, Michelle Pagano, Dave Crone

A three-weekend run does a disservice to this rollicking, poignant, and sometimes outrageously funny working-class soap opera based on the 1997 documentary of the same name. The setup is a promotional contest by a Texas auto dealership called Roy King Nissan in which a couple dozen competitors hope to win a new Nissan Hard Body truck by staying awake and keeping at least one hand in contact with the object of their desire as long as possible.

Michelle Pagano & Dave Crone

The competitors are all down-on-their-luck and willing to endure sleep deprivation, hallucinations, humiliation, pain, and suffering to win the gleaming little red truck—detailed by prop master Andrew Patton and on display center stage throughout the performance. The truck’s four wheels are on casters to make it easy for the cast to move; they do so several times, using it as a sort of analog clock to convey the length of the contest—approximately four days, not counting bathroom breaks.

Maick Poroj and the Ensemble

The book by Doug Wright, music by Trey Anastasio, and lyrics by Amanda Green cover plenty of territory, including songs about individual misfortunes and hopes for the future—in rock, pop, country, and gospel styles sung with gusto and conviction, backed by a superb five-piece onstage band led by Lucas Sherman. It also includes an attempt to fix the contest by the dealership’s manager Mike Ferris (Mark Bradbury) with contestant Heather Stovall (Katie Kelley), an under-the-table deal by conspiring rivals, and, here and there, some serious disagreements.

Larry Williams & Julianne Bretan

First to be eliminated is the contest’s only Black competitor, Ronald McCowan (Malik Charles D. Wade 1), who, after a persuasive discussion of how the new truck will improve his life, lets his enthusiasm get the best of him as he gestures with both hands—losing contact with the vehicle and his opportunity to win it. Jesus Pena (Maick Poroj) wants to sell the truck to pay for veterinary school, a dream that gets dashed halfway through the show.

Mallory Gold & Orion Pudoff

Others have similarly compelling reasons for enduring the ordeal. Norma Valverde (Serena Elize Flores) believes she has God’s personal backing in her quest. Like many of her castmates, Flores is a veteran of the North Bay stage but stretches here to embody a Bible-clutching, desperate Texan. Hers is an amazing performance, as is Jake Druzgala’s as Army veteran Chris Alvaro, whose song “Stronger” is a real heartbreaker. Religion is never far away—this is Texas—and late in the show, “God Answered My Prayers” becomes a full-scale tent revival, with the entire cast pouring forth heart and soul.

Clark Miller & Shannon Rider

Shannon Rider has a great bit part as Cindy Barnes, part of the dealership’s management team, though she has no singing duties—a shame, given that she is a tremendous vocalist who fronts two of her own bands, one rock and one country. Keith Baker nearly steals the show as the deeply troubled Benny Perkins, though the contest ultimately goes to J.D. Crew (Larry Williams), the last one standing after 91 hours on his feet.

Keith Baker & Clark Miller

The capacious Codding Theatre is an ideal venue for this large-scale production. Choreography by Karen Miles, set and lighting design by Eddy Hansen, and projections by Nick Lovato create an immersive and compelling depiction of desperation and triumph. Director Sheri Lee Miller has done an exquisite job bringing this wonderful show to life—a feat requiring patience and endurance matched only by the truck’s eventual owner.

Serena Elize Flores, Jake Druzgala & Maick Poroj (photo by Lauren Heney)

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unless noted, photos by Jeff Thomas

Hands on a Hard Body
Spreckels Performing Arts Center, Nellie W. Codding Theater
5409 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park, CA
ends on March 1, 2026
for tickets ($16-$44), call 707.588.3400 or visit Spreckels

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Barry Willis is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and president of the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle.

 Serena Elize Flores & Malik Charles D. Wade I (photo by Lauren Heney)