Theatre News Wire

Hell in a Handbag Productions will return to the stage, marking its 20th Anniversary Season with new and familiar works that embrace Handbag's mission of the preservation and celebration of camp and parody - exactly what we need right now!

Handbag's 2021-22 season kicks off this fall with the return of Chicago's favorite drag seniors in the long-running parody The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes, Vol. 5 - SEX! Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, Sophia and their whacky friends and relatives explore their naughty side at the Leather Archives & Museum's 160-seat auditorium in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood (must be 18+ for entry). Written by Artistic Director David Cerda* and directed by Madison Smith, The Golden Girls stars original cast members David Cerda*, Grant Drager*, Ed Jones* and Ryan Oates as the Geriatric Fab Four, joined by Lori Lee*, Max McKune, Michael Rashid* and Danne W. Taylor*. Please note: Handbag will require proof of COVID vaccination for The Golden Girls and adhere to all local and state health guidelines. The entire cast and crew are vaccinated.

Give the winter holidays a kick in the snowballs with the return of Joan Crawford (David Cerda*) in Handbag's very own version of A Christmas Carol. Christmas Dearest is the tale of the Queen of Hollywood who's lost sight of what really matters until she's visited by three ghosts who try to set her straight! Ensemble members Caitlin Jackson* and Ed Jones* also star in one of Handbag's most popular musical holiday shows, featuring book and lyrics by Artistic Director David Cerda*, music by Cerda and Scott Lamberty and direction by Derek Van Barham. The dates and venue will be announced shortly.

Handbag starts 2022, its 20th anniversary year, with the return of another company classic: The Drag Seed, an unauthorized parody of the 1956 psychological horror-thriller film The Bad Seed presented at The Chopin Downstairs Theatre in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood. Meet Carson (Patrick O'Keefe), the perfect little boy who loves to pretend they're the perfect little girl - but all the make-up and wigs in the world can't hide little Carson's dark side.

Written by Artistic Director David Cerda and directed by Cheryl Snodgrass, the revival will also feature many of the show's original cast members including Kelly Anchors, David Cerda*, Sydney Genco*, Ed Jones* and Tyler Anthony Smith*.

What better way to celebrate Hell in a Handbag's 20th year than to share some very exciting news: following its Chicago run, The Drag Seed will play a limited run at La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club in New York City, the birthplace of theater of the ridiculous, featuring the full Chicago cast.

Handbag tops off its 2021-22 season next spring with the world premiere of A Fine Feathered Murder: A Miss Marbled Mystery, also presented at The Chopin Downstairs Theatre. This wild whodunit written by Artistic Director David Cerda* and directed by Cheryl Snodgrass, is inspired by everybody's favorite female British mystery writer and the delicious BBC adaptations they inspired. Handbag goes posh with Ed Jones* as Miss Jane Marbled, an unassuming spinster with a knack for solving murders. It's a good thing because people drop dead wherever she goes. Join Miss Marbled as she visits her dear friend, the wickedly and ridiculously chic, Lady Violetta Fowler (David Cerda*) for the annual Fine Feathered Ball at the Fowler Estate, England's largest poultry farm. All is well until murder shows up, unannounced in the most brutal fashion. Poor Miss Marbled is left to contend with a rogues' gallery of suspects sure to delight audiences in the tastefully intriguing manner they've come to expect from Hell in a Handbag Productions.

Comments Artistic Director David Cerda, "We are thrilled to finally welcome audiences back this fall, however safety always remains a top priority for our cast, crew and audiences. Our entire Golden Girls team is vaccinated, and we are also requiring our audiences to show proof of vaccination. Additionally, Handbag will adhere to all local and state health mandates throughout the run and continue to assess and implement safety measures on a show-by-show basis throughout the rest of our season."

Tickets for The Golden Girls are currently available at goldengirls5sex.eventbrite.com (includes 30-day membership to Leather Archives & Museum). Season subscriptions will go on sale shortly at handbagproductions.org.

*Denotes Handbag Ensemble Member

Hell in a Handbag's 20th Anniversary Season includes:

September 16 - October 23, 2021
The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes, Vol. 5
By Artistic Director David Cerda*
Directed by Madison Smith
Leather Archives and Museum Auditorium, 6418 N. Greenview Ave. in Chicago
Featuring: David Cerda*, Grant Drager*, Ed Jones*, Lori Lee*, Max McKune, Ryan Oates, Michael Rashid* and Danne W. Taylor*

November 2021 - January 2022
Christmas Dearest
Book and lyrics by Artistic Director David Cerda*
Music by David Cerda and Scott Lamberty
Directed by Derek Van Barham
Featuring: David Cerda*, Caitlin Jackson* and Ed Jones*. Additional casting TBA.
Venue TBD

February 12 - March 19, 2022
The Drag Seed (Chicago)
Written by Artistic Director David Cerda*
Directed by Cheryl Snodgrass
The Chopin Downstairs Theatre, 1543 W. Division St., Chicago
Featuring: Kelly Anchors, David Cerda*, Sydney Genco*, Ed Jones*, Patrick O'Keefe and Tyler Anthony Smith*,

March 31 - April 10, 2022
The Drag Seed (New York)
La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club, 66 E. 4th St., New York, NY

May 28 - July 3, 2022
A Fine Feathered Murder: A Miss Marbled Mystery
Written by Artistic Director David Cerda*
Directed by Cheryl Snodgrass
The Chopin Downstairs Theatre, 1543 W. Division St., Chicago
Featuring: David Cerda*, Sydney Genco*, Caitlin Jackson*, Ed Jones*, Nicky Mendelsohn*, Tyler Anthony Smith* and Danne W. Taylor*. Additional casting TBA.