Hand to God, Puppet & Costume Design
Studio Theatre DC, Director Joanie Schultz, Scenic Design Daniel Conway, Puppet & Costume Design Chelsea M. Warren, Lighting Design Keith Parham, Sound Design Matthew Nielson
CRITICAL RESPONSE BELOW, include feature IN NY TIMES ARTICLE BY DIEP TRAN
NY Times, Diep Tran, Feature Article: “Studio Theater, Washington (closed Oct. 9, Puppet designer Chelsea M. Warren, 35, Total Tyrones 4 (with 4 backups, plus extra arms), Inspiration Kermit, Ernie, Cookie Monster. Evolution “We had him originally in a baby onesie T-shirt that we actually got at Walmart. And he tears it up to become a muscle shirt showing off his muscles. He gets a little bigger.”
Washington Post, Peter Marks: “You say you hate puppets? That’s okay. They hate you right back. One puppet, a nasty piece of cotton and metal work that goes by the name of Tyrone, has it in with particular venom for humankind. This manipulative mini-beast is holding toxic court in the penthouse space in Studio Theatre, where his wildly profane truth-telling is the featured attraction of “Hand to God,” a maliciously delicious black comedy about an anxious boy who gives vent to all the anarchic demons of adolescence. Attached to the hand of the fine, supple-voiced comic actor Liam Forde, Tyrone is offering the breakout inanimate-object performance of the summer.”
MD Theatre Guide, Stephanie House: “Pivotal to the show, Chelsea M Warren designs the outrageous puppets and the perfectly detailed costumes.”
DC Metro Theatre Arts, David Siegal: “The show provides audience members with opportunity galore to brood over the plight of the human characters occupying the production with a devilish sock puppet named Tyrone. Tyrone is a natural-born course ham, grabbing the spotlight every moment he can. So, how does Tyrone come to life? Well, he lives on the hand of one of the troubled human characters in the production with him. How best to describe Tyrone? He is a bully “alter-ego” puppet with a hormone-laden, hyper-masculine attitude. (Chelsea M. Warren is credited with the spiffy puppet design).”
Broadway World, Samuel Weber: “The star of the show, Tyrone, is the work of costumer and puppet designer Chelsea M. Warren, and as he would say, really holds the whole show together.”