Truth is often stranger than fiction, and some people will go to great lengths for a free truck.
These are two takeaways of a one-act play being rehearsed by Gilmer High School Theatre.
The GHS players will present “Hands on a Hardbody” at the GHS Linda Miller Theater Nov. 4-6. Showtimes are Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturday, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sunday, 3 p.m.
The comedic musical is based on a 1997 documentary film with the same name, which covers an actual truck giveaway contest in Longview, Texas. Contestants attempt to win a free Nissan hardbody pickup truck by keeping their hands on the vehicle till there’s just one left standing.
The unforgiving Texas heat, the contest’s “no leaning” rules and loss of sleep all take their toll on the participants, and the truck becomes somewhat of a holy grail as the contest wears on.
The shoestring-budget film garnered so much of a cult following that a stage musical based on the movie was eventually developed, said James Fuller, GHS Theatre director.
“It’s basically a musical version of the movie with the same zany characters. The opening of the show says, ‘Keep your eyes on the truck. Try not to lose your mind,’” he added.
The stage version of “Hands on a Hardbody” enjoyed a 2013 run on Broadway with Keith Carradine playing the role of J.D. Drew, one of the contestants vying for the coveted pickup.
“It had a small Broadway run and got a couple of Tony nominations, but it was kind of under the radar,” Fuller said.
The GHS production will feature a small ensemble cast with a core group of 10 actors and actresses, Fuller noted.
“There’s a few seniors in the show, as well as some underclassmen. It’s a complete mix (of grade levels),” he added.
“In the movie, they get a break every few minutes, and that’s kind of worked into the show. They take breaks, in which they talk to each other, and each contestant gets their own song.”
The one act’s set will also a include a movable prop truck built by students.
“It was a team effort. We had a couple of dads come in, but it was mostly the kids who built the truck,” Fuller said.
The GHS Theatre crew took the play and the truck to a Region AAA one-act competition in Dawson County last week. They placed third out of six schools in the competition.
Tickets for the play are $8 at the door, and the show is OK for all ages, Fuller noted.
“It’s for sure a comedy, and it’s fairly clean,” he said.