Rude Mechs' Stop Hitting Yourself Officially Opens Off-Broadway

Part Pygmalion, part self-help lexicon, part ‘30s musical spectacle, Stop Hitting Yourself opens January 27 at Lincoln Center's Claire Tow Theater. The production is created by ensemble-based theater collective Rude Mechs, directed by Shawn Sides and written by Kirk Lynn.

Stop Hitting Yourself digs deep into the contemporary conservative dilemma—how to honor steely individualism without disavowing the virtue of charity—all while tap-dancing around a queso fountain. In Stop Hitting Yourself, a Socialite discovers a Wildman in the forest and tries to improve him.



The cast, including Thomas Graves, Heather Hanna, Joey Hood, Hannah Kenah, Lana Lesley, E. Jason Liebrecht and Paul Soileau, are all members of Rude Mechs, hailing from Austin, TX. The company has been creating original theater productions since 1995. Previous off-Broadway Rude Mechs shows include Dionysus in 69 and The Method Gun.


Stop Hitting Yourself features sets by Mimi Lien, costumes by Emily Rebholz, lighting by Brian H Scott and original music and sound by Graham Reynolds.