Have you ever wanted a chance at a new life? That possibility is the driving force of Hands on a Hardbody, playing August 14-24 at the Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts in Warsaw.

Hands on a Hardbody explores the world of “what if,” slowly revealing the individual stories of a handful of diverse participants in a small town Texas endurance contest. Each character has their own vision for the realization of their American Dream and each tell their story, all while participating in the very same contest that can help them realize that dream, a contest where the last person with their hands on a truck, the hardbody, gets to keep the truck.

This non-traditional musical offers tuneful country rock melodies from Phish’s Amanda Green and Trey Anastasio rather than the glossy, extravagant numbers most musicals are built upon. Hands on a Hardbody delivers with its thought-provoking messages and life lessons by giving a voice to the story of average people fighting to hold onto hope in the face of economic troubles, a few bad breaks, and an unpredictable world.

Don’t expect the usual night at the theater when experiencing this show, since Hands on a Hardbody will fill you with suspense as you feel for its characters, knowing only one will get to go home a “winner.”

Variety called the show “offbeat, but totally endearing” while The New York Times calls it “fresh” and “unconventional.”