Christmas Dearest presented by Hell in a Handbag Productions at Stage 773

Chicago Tribune - Highly Recommended

"...Much as the show pivots on Cerda's supersized performance (wonderful in its excess), he is surrounded by a crack ensemble of company regulars (including Ed Jones as Crawford's put-upon assistant, essentially the Bob Cratchit role) and new additions such as recent Northwestern graduate Frankie Leo Bennett as Crawford's scarily ticked-off daughter and future "Mommie Dearest" scribe Christina, and Roosevelt University undergrad Alexa Castelvecchi (a major talent) as a young Crawford who morphs from naive small-town nobody to glamorously nasty Hollywood player."

Chicago Reader - Highly Recommended

"...Corrupting A Christmas Carol with vulgar, campy hysterics yields almost nonstop delights-and even bits of wisdom. Director AJ Wright's daring, disciplined cast deliver the goods as Cerda's craft approaches Ludlamesque heights. Rudolph who?"

Around The Town Chicago - Recommended

"...“Christmas Dearest”, the latest campy parody from Hell in a Handbag Productions is hilarious. David Cerda’s Joan Crawford is at her bitchy best! The plot is silly and predictable, but you just can’t help laughing at this show!"

The Fourth Walsh - Highly Recommended

"...I missed out on this show's premiere last year. There wasn't a seat left in Mary's Attic on the night of my performance. This year I was determined to see it. I saw a preview and the Attic was full. I highly recommend seeing CHRISTMAS DEAREST, purchasing tickets soon, and arriving fifteen minutes early to secure seats. Merry Christmas Everyone (Especially Cerda)!"

Chicago Theater Beat - Highly Recommended

"...Back again to put the "Mary" before "Christmas," Hell in a Handbag cooks up a great big ham with a side of gams worthy of any Dickens farce-the third such redux this reviewer has seen this month and qualifying as its own subset of holiday fare on the buffet of Chicago theatre. David Cerda's favorite megalomaniac (or at least, everyone's favorite Faye Dunaway version of her) gets a lesson in humility in the midst of her performance as the woman she was born to play-the mother of God. Christmas Dearest goes a step further than most Handbag production with the inclusion of six original Cerda carols on top of their well-established brand of over-the-top camp."