On June 13-22 the Marietta Theatre Company will present its second show of the 2024 season, “Hands on a Hardbody.”
The show, based on a real contest in Longview, Texas, features “10 contestants, 1 truck and the quest for the American dream.”
The book (script) for this musical is by Doug Wright, the music is by Trey Anastasio (who is the frontman for Phish) with lyrics by Amanda Green, who also contributed to the musical composition.
According to the news release posted on the City of Marietta website,
… the musical’s competitors must stand in the sun for days on end with their hands on the truck—and the last person standing is the winner. We’re introduced to Kelli Mangrum, a dreamer who wants to sell the truck to move to L.A.; J.D. Drew, the oldest contestant; Norma Valverde, who relies on her faith in God to make it through the competition; and Benny Perkins, who has already won the contest once before, and many more.
Director Zac Phelps said “We’re thrilled to bring Marietta audiences the authentic experience of ‘Hands on a Hardbody,’ a grounded musical inspired by a real event and real people.”
“As the stories intertwine, a compelling portrayal of a community tackling real-world issues takes shape, all centered around the iconic presence of a truck,” he said. “We can’t wait for the audience to witness the power and resonance of this show.”
The cast includes Brian Brooks White, Camille Fairbanks, Shane Murphy, Luke Kasner, Isabella Engberg, Nicholas Rodrigues, John Jenkins, Sydney White, Chandler Harrelson, Margaret Anne Vowel, Andrew Maxwell, Jalyn Bentley, Jamorad Keith, Montana Ludlow and Zachary Grizzle.
The Marietta Theatre Company performs at Marietta’s New Theatre in the Square, 11 Whitlock Avenue.
Tickets range from $23.75 – $45.00 and can be purchased at https://mariettatheatre.tix.com.
For more information on Marietta Theatre Company and upcoming events, visit mariettatheatre.com or follow it on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok using the hashtag #mariettatheatre.
“Hand on a Hardbody” is rated PG-13.
The Marietta Theatre Company is funded in part by a grant from the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta.
About the City of Marietta
The City of Marietta is the county seat of Cobb County. The latest estimate from the U.S. Census Bureau puts the population of the city at 60,867 which makes it the second largest city in Cobb County by population, smaller only than the newly incorporated City of Mableton.
Here are a few quick facts from the Census Bureau
| Marietta city, Georgia | |
| Population, Census, April 1, 2020 | 60972 |
| Population, Census, April 1, 2010 | 56579 |
| Age and Sex | |
| Persons under 5 years, percent | 6.7% |
| Persons under 18 years, percent | 21.8% |
| Persons 65 years and over, percent | 13.2% |
| Female persons, percent | 49.9% |
| Race and Hispanic Origin | |
| White alone, percent | 53.4% |
| Black or African American alone, percent(a) | 32.3% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent(a) | 0.6% |
| Asian alone, percent(a) | 1.9% |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent(a) | 0.0% |
| Two or More Races, percent | 4.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino, percent(b) | 15.7% |
| White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent | 46.4% |
| Population Characteristics | |
| Veterans, 2016-2020 | 2678 |
| Foreign born persons, percent, 2016-2020 | 16.6% |
| Housing | |
| Owner-occupied housing unit rate, 2016-2020 | 44.0% |
| Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2016-2020 | $310,100 |
| Median selected monthly owner costs -with a mortgage, 2016-2020 | $1,856 |
| Median selected monthly owner costs -without a mortgage, 2016-2020 | $526 |
| Median gross rent, 2016-2020 | $1,145 |
| Families & Living Arrangements | |
| Households, 2016-2020 | 24148 |
| Persons per household, 2016-2020 | 2.39 |
| Living in same house 1 year ago, percent of persons age 1 year+, 2016-2020 | 77.9% |
| Language other than English spoken at home, percent of persons age 5 years+, 2016-2020 | 23.7% |
| Computer and Internet Use | |
| Households with a computer, percent, 2016-2020 | 95.1% |
| Households with a broadband Internet subscription, percent, 2016-2020 | 86.6% |
| Education | |
| High school graduate or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2016-2020 | 88.6% |
| Bachelor’s degree or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2016-2020 | 44.0% |
| Health | |
| With a disability, under age 65 years, percent, 2016-2020 | 6.3% |
| Persons without health insurance, under age 65 years, percent | 20.2% |
| Economy | |
| In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2016-2020 | 67.2% |
| In civilian labor force, female, percent of population age 16 years+, 2016-2020 | 61.2% |
| Total accommodation and food services sales, 2012 ($1,000)(c) | 264544 |
| Total health care and social assistance receipts/revenue, 2012 ($1,000)(c) | 1584232 |
| Total manufacturers shipments, 2012 ($1,000)(c) | 1129407 |
| Total retail sales, 2012 ($1,000)(c) | 1976915 |
| Total retail sales per capita, 2012(c) | $33,875 |
| Transportation | |
| Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16 years+, 2016-2020 | 28.5 |
| Income & Poverty | |
| Median household income (in 2020 dollars), 2016-2020 | $59,594 |
| Per capita income in past 12 months (in 2020 dollars), 2016-2020 | $36,112 |
| Persons in poverty, percent | 14.1% |
| Businesses | |
| All firms, 2012 | 10501 |
| Men-owned firms, 2012 | 4934 |
| Women-owned firms, 2012 | 4186 |
| Minority-owned firms, 2012 | 4286 |
| Nonminority-owned firms, 2012 | 5502 |
| Veteran-owned firms, 2012 | 1015 |
| Nonveteran-owned firms, 2012 | 8663 |
| Geography | |
| Population per square mile, 2010 | 2451.4 |
| Land area in square miles, 2010 | 23.08 |
