Puppets and demons in My Cold Dead Fingers.Bobbindoctrin

Puppet Theatre founder Joel Orr always wanted to try something different.

“What if I was a very Christian, right-wing puppeteer? What kind of show would I write?” he says.

The answer is My Cold Dead Fingers, a show that plays with the view that demons are behind all things not Christian.

“The idea is there are people among us who are demon possessed, but don’t know it. They just think they have firm beliefs and stuff, but actually they’ve lost their path to God and the demons have led them astray.”

The play’s protagonist, Josh, is a lapsed Jew who has been chosen by devout Christian warriors to battle these demons threatening the (Christian) human existence. Who are the demons?

“You know, the things that frighten the Right – or that they absolutely loathe such as abortion [doctors], which is like the greatest evil in that realm,” explains Orr.

Orr says he was inspired by the news coverage of Rick Perry’s recent Jesus rally – particularly the apostolic attendees.

“That seemed perfect for my mission to write this show,” he says. “They try to remove demons from large swathes of the population and different organizations and businesses that they believe are controlling multiple people.”

Corrupt corporations? Demons. Dishonest bankers? Demons. People who don’t believe in Christianity? Oh, you can bet that’s demons.

“In a way, it’s compassionate,” says Orr. “It’s like, ‘Oh, it’s not their fault. They’re controlled by these demons and if we can get these demons out of them, well, they’ll become healthy, whole Christians.’ But of course, it’s more nuanced than that.”

Orr uses this idea and stages a play set in the “End Times,” the term used by apostolic followers to describe the post-apocalyptic times when the demons will emerge and the war to save the human race will officially begin.

The story is illustrated with the medium most appropriate for the subject matter: hand puppets. Or, as Orr says, "the Christian puppet of choice." Any bible school veteran can relate to the warm, fuzziness created by a half-torso darting back-and-forth behind a wooden, booth-stage with its thumb-and-pinky-finger-controlled-arms waving frantically.

This feeling is recreated thanks to the puppet artistry of Katie Jackson who says the script wasn’t the only thing to be given a right-wing spin.

“One of the ideas that Joel [Orr] kept bringing up was ‘All right, you’re a right wing Christian. You’re making a puppet. What do you? Go!,’” Jackson says.

She imagined what it would be like to think as (she believes) Apostolic Christians would if they were tasked with designing hand puppets that represent the human race’s biggest threat.

“Well, I don’t like Arabs, so I’m going to make a scary Arab. I think they’re bad. Muslims are bad. Gay people are bad. They’re sinful,” she says as she picks up hand puppets with exaggerated facial features a la World War II Germany.

“This is just a guy who is gay, but he looks like a transvestite – Tinkerbell,” she says as she plays with a rouged-cheeked, Harlequin-esque puppet head.

Orr says he’s not out to offend either right or left-wingers, but he’s bound to hit some bumps along the way.

“I don’t necessarily enjoy that, but it doesn’t stop me. That’s kind of their thing. My policy is: There are absolutely no refunds,” he says and laughs.

My Cold Dead Fingers
9 p.m. November 11
Other dates include November 12, 14, 18, 19.
14 Pews
800 Aurora
Tickets can be purchased by calling 713-259-1304.
For more information, visit www.bobbindoctrin.org.