John Hauser as Romeo in DCPA Education’s ‘Shakespeare in the Parking Lot’

MEET JOHN HAUSER

The DCPA Teaching Artist is now starring as both Jason (a boy) and Tyrone (a puppet) in Curious Theatre Company’s regional premiere of the deliciously devilish comedy ‘Hand to God.’

• Hometown: Cocoa, Fla.
• Home now: Denver
• High school: The Classical Academy in Colorado Springs
  
• College: Adams State University in Alamosa
• What have you done for us lately? I played Eugene in Neil Simon’s Biloxi Blues at Miners Alley Playhouse, and I was an understudy in the DCPA Theatre Company’s Frankenstein.
• What is Hand to God all about? It’s a ridiculously raunchy dark comedy set in a small town in Cypress, Texas. I play Jason, a God-fearing but troubled teen who is coping with his father’s recent death and is forced to join his mother’s church-led puppet group. When he discovers that his foul-mouthed sock puppet, Tyrone, has a satanic life all its own, Jason comes face-to-face with his own demons … literally. Hand to God is a blasphemous exploration of faith, grief and humanity.
  
• Tell us about the challenge of playing these two particular characters: Well, I’ve never done any puppetry or had any real puppet training, so that was a little difficult at first, from a technical standpoint. But the real challenge is making a clear distinction between Jason and Tyrone. Tyrone interrupts Jason throughout the play, so learning how to cut yourself off can be a little awkward at first.
• What do you love most about performing at Curious? I saw Curious’ production of Red in 2011, and it completely changed my opinion of what theatre was and could be. From that day forward, I have wanted to work on that stage.
• What’s one thing most people don’t know about you? I love to cook. I mean, I really love it. I’m just doing this acting thing until my cooking career takes off. Just kidding, but if I weren’t acting I’d probably be cooking … or eating.
• What’s one thing you want to get off your chest? It’s really incredible to be in a cast made up entirely of local actors. As much as I love meeting new people from all over, it’s great to see that Denver can bring a lot to the table and put on a kick-butt show.

Hand to God: Ticket information

• By Robert Askins
• Directed by Dee Covington
• Nov. 5-Dec. 17
• Presented by Curious Theatre Company at 1080 Acoma St.
• Performances: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays; 2 p.m. Sundays beginning Nov. 13. No performance on Thanksgiving Day.
• Tickets $34-$44
• Info: 303-623-0524, or go to curioustheatre.org

Cast List:

• John Hauser as Jason/Tyrone
• Tara Falk as Margery
• Michael McNeill as Pastor Greg
• Jenna Moll Reyes as Jessica
• John Jurcheck as Timothy

More Colorado theatre coverage on the DCPA NewsCenter

John Hauser and Chloe McLeod in ‘Biloxi Blues’ at Miners Alley Playhouse earlier this year. Photo by Sarah Roshan.