You can’t help but root for the likable people on the Brooks Atkinson Theatre’s stage — both the actors and their characters.
It’s harder to muster similar enthusiasm for “Hands on a Hardbody,” the middling musical they’re stuck in. Rarely has so much goodwill been so squandered.
Boasting a score by Phish guitarist-mastermind Trey Anastasio and Amanda Green, the show is based on the 1997 documentary of the same name, about a Texas contest in which hardscrabble no-hopers must keep one hand on a flatbed truck at all times to win it. As in a stationary, Lone Star-fried version of the 1930s marathon-dancing events, the last one left standing gets the reward.
Those simple rules are explained in the opening number, “Human Drama Kind of Thing,” whose title also lays out the show’s M.O.
Indeed, rather than milk the suspenseful possibilities of the elimination process — something the movie did very well — Doug Wright’s book consists of a succession of vignettes giving each contestant a turn in the spotlight.
Surrounding the pickup positioned center stage on Christine Jones’ skimpy set, they all take turns singing about their dreams, disappointments and, of course, endearing quirks.
The endearing, motley crew with a paw on the Nissan includes the underdog older man with knee problems (Keith Carradine), a blustery former winner (Hunter Foster), a cheery guy who just eats Snickers (Jacob Ming-Trent), a crotchety woman cheered by her devoted husband (Dale Soules, William Youmans), and a religious devotee supported by her church’s prayer chain (the show’s breakout, Keala Settle).
Why are they willing to stand for up to 91 sleepless hours? Because “ev’ry Texan needs a ride/And this truck is bona fide,” as Green puts it in one of her many hapless rhymes.
The lyricist (“Bring It On: The Musical”) comes up with so many inane doozies that’s it’s hard to pick the worst, but this is a strong contender: “I can almost feel the ocean breeze,” UPS employee Kelli (Allison Case) sings, “when I read a label labeled overseas.”
Anastasio is better-known for his improvisational picking than for his words, but he couldn’t have done worse than this. At least he brings to the table an array of country- and folk-tinged melodies, gently chugging boogie and the genuinely elegiac finale, “Keep Your Hands on It.”
Like the songs torn between good music and terrible lyrics, Neil Pepe’s production constantly pulls us in then pushes us away.
On the one hand, the appealing cast humanizes characters that could easily have been caricatures. On the other, even the evening’s highlight, “Joy of the Lord,” gets short shrift.
In that inventive set piece, choreographer Sergio Trujillo (“Memphis”) punctuates the pious Norma’s rousing gospel anthem with percussive movement (think “Stomp”).
But there’s no time to bask in the number’s energy, which is abruptly annihilated by a bummer song from the Marine contestant (David Larsen). You’d think a show about endurance would have better timing.