UMW’s “Hand to God” leaves audiences in unexpected awe

by CLAIRE LEATHEM

Staff Writer

Sex, violence, scandal, religion, grief and vulgar language, all wrapped up into one comedy show that brought the audience into a frenzy. People were laughing and screaming throughout, glued to the edge of their seats. 

“This show was absolutely phenomenal, a real hoot and holler,” said Regan Bailey, a sophomore theatre major.  

Bailey wasn’t the only student to enjoy the production. 

Rayne Hatton, a junior theatre major, had already made plans to see it again. 

“I am absolutely blown away by the humor and I am so incredibly proud of all my classmates in the show. I’m seeing it again tomorrow and I’m so excited,” she said. 

As the curtain drew, most students were left at a loss for words. 

Sophomore theatre major Ben Klein, who played Tim in the show, was very pleased with how everything turned out.

 “I think the cast and the crew for this show were such a wonderful combination of people and we all worked very well together,” he said.

Similar to the fellow audience members I, too, was blown away by the talent of the cast and the advanced sets that changed quickly with each new scene. 

The student cast members handled the intense scenes with a professional manner, creating an incredible performance that showcased their talents. 

I have to admit, however, that this show is not for everyone.

If you don’t know what you’re getting into, then this show will certainly catch you off guard with its R-rated scenes that caused me a bit of discomfort.  

I am an outsider to all things theatre, and after watching this performance, I found myself left with two lingering questions: why and how did the school put on a production that contained extreme adult content? And how did this weird, quirky show end up on the table for UMW productions?

According to Gregg Stull, chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance and producing director of “Hand to God,” this play has been under consideration for around five years now. 

“We needed sort of a smaller cast to show up against Henry the Fifth which has a very large cast,” Stull said, Henry the Fifth being the final show for spring 2026. 

Lots of consideration went into the reasoning for UMW’s “Hand to God” performance.

“When we balance the season based on content, we try to look at periods and styles and comedy versus serious plays and it just seemed like the right time to reconsider it,” Stull said. 

When it comes down to adult content, UMW doesn’t put any sensory limitations on the productions. 

“They trust us to make strong artistic decisions,” said Stull. “We will do a play because we feel like it has amazing opportunities for student growth and learning.” 

The process of choosing productions is not too different from other entertainment platforms.

 “There’s very little on that stage that you don’t see on Netflix,” said Stull. “It just seems more immediate when it’s right in front of you with real human beings.”

Shows at UMW are selected by a committee of staff and students who, according to Stull, meet regularly to discuss options, including student representatives elected by their peers who serve as the student voice in choosing productions. 

“In any given season, we’re looking at a four year span, because our students are here over four years to have an experience in all different kinds of genres, periods and styles,” Stull said. 

Personally, after seeing the immense talent in Hand to God I will definitely be a returning audience member.    

While the adult content was extreme, that didn’t stop this production from being an overall hit.