What Are You Holding On For?

Earlier this week I saw the new musical Hands on Hardbody over at the Brooks Atkinson theatre. I’m going to be the blunt person with no filter for the moment as I tell you that I was surprisingly very impressed. I’ll be honest I really was not expecting a lot from this musical. They have some great names in the cast and word of mouth has been pretty good but I always like to see a show and form my own opinion and now after seeing it I cannot agree more! The show is funny and heartwarming with truly wonderful characters that I fell in love with.

The show revolves around a contest in which ten contestants try to see who can hold on the longest to a truck without removing their hands from the vehicle and the person who holds on the longest well, they walk away with the truck. Each well-developed character is holding on for something. They want a fresh start, a chance to get back on their feet and they all believe that winning this truck will do just that for them. The theme explored throughout the show was if you want something hold on to it. It’s like the old adage, “If you love someone set them free” in the sense that if we really love someone we will let them go and as explored throughout the show if there is something that we really want, a goal to attain, a degree to earn we will hold on and not let go until we have achieved what we set out to do.

So what am I holding on for? When I first moved to New York I was looking for a fresh start and the chance to start over away from my small town that I love. I didn’t come to New York to find fame, money or prestige. I came to this concrete jungle to achieve the goals I set for myself and the aspirations that I had in life, including sharing my love of theatre with others in whatever which way possible. In a way I feel like Greg (Jay Armstrong Johnson) and Kelli (Allison Case) in the show who just want to get out of their small town in Texas and go someplace different to have a new start and feel that winning the truck would get them what the needed and were holding on for. In my story, I felt that relocating to Manhattan would help get me what I was so desperately holding on for a new life, a fresh start, the chance to go somewhere without perceptions of you that have followed you since childhood.

In the show most, if not all of the characters are also holding on for someone else as well. They want to not only improve their lives but their loved ones as well. They want to prove something to them that they can win this truck no matter what anyone says, especially the older JD Drew (Keith Carradine) who wants to show his wife Virginia (Mary Gordon Murray) that he can do what he sets his mind to and not care about what a doctor says. That is what I wanted to do when I moved, to prove to people that I could do it. When I was younger I was told no and often felt out of place in school as no one else really shared my intense love of theatre. They were listening to Lady Gaga while I was listening to Sondheim and were crushing on Justin Bieber when I was (and still am) crushing on Aaron Tveit. I felt like I owed this to myself and to my parents to show them that I am not going to let what people say get in the way, I am going to take a chance and go out there and be like contestant Janis Curtis (Dale Soules) is in the show who makes it clear that she finishes what she starts. I wanted to finish what I started and in my mind I did. I don’t want to say that I defied the odds because it makes it sound like I really overcame a huge obstacle that is much more important and venerable to my small feat but rather achieved what I wanted and more. My family claims that I truly surprised them by how I grew and changed as well as the fact that I thrived in New York and did not return home like they have admitted was their biggest fear. I’m still here in New York today spreading the word and my love of theatre around to you all and striving to achieve goals that I have set for myself. We are all like the contestants, we all have something we want so as I end this I ask you-what are you holding on for?