The Drag Seed Hell in a Handbag Productions

Feb 24 - March 20

(730p Thu-Sat; 4p Sun. 2/28 @ 7pm)

 

Highly recommended - "perfect diversion to drive away the winter blues .. bawdy, over-the-top black comedy ..an abundance of adult humor - ChicagoTheatreReview.com
"a boldly, gloriously asinine parody" - Chicago Reader
"enjoyable and often incredibly funny performance ..delivers the big laughs" - NewCity

 

Tickets $24 (groups 10+); $27 (online); $32 (walk-up); $50 (VIP)

More info:info@handbagproductions.org

 

NOTE:  Handbag will require proof of full vaccination and masking at all performances. The entire cast and crew is fully vaccinated and tested regularly.


2/24/22 - 3/19/22


Highly Recommended Crowns and Pronouns - ChicagoTheatreReview.com - "David Cerda, the gifted performer, prolific playwright and one of the treasures of Chicago Theatre, is known for mining every ounce of humor from his LGBTQ parodies of well-known TV and film classics. They include dozens of original productions, like "The Golden Girls" and "The Poseidon Adventure." This time around, Chicago's Countess of Camp brings back one of his most popular, vintage productions. Loosely adapted from the film classic,"The Bad Seed," this is a gay version of the famous, b&w psychological horror-thriller film from the 1950's. It tells the story of a seemingly perfect little girl who will stop at nothing-not even murder-to get what she wants. But the big news is two-fold. Not only has the play been joyously revived, but following a run at Chicago's Chopin Theatre, the production is Big Apple bound. The show will transfer, from March 31-April 10, to LaMaMa Experimental Theatre Club, in New York City!


In Cerda's gender-bending mannered melodrama, Rhoda, the perfect little girl has become Carson, a perfect little boy. This child is different in that Carson aspires to eventually become the future star of "RuPaul's Drag Race." Carson enjoys performing while wearing wild wigs and sexy women's clothing. And, since it's now au courant and cool, Carson prefers to use non-binary pronouns (they, their, them). Connie Lingus, the little boy's adoring mother, absolutely worships her child and accommodates his every wish. She smothers Carson with so much love and adoration, she practically smothers him. She diffuses tense situations by asking variations of "What would you give me for a basket of kisses?" And Carson always answers, with mock innocence, "Why, I'd give you a basketful of hugs." But while Ms Lingus is proud of her perfect child's many talents and accomplishments, she's blind to Carson's secret desires for which the child will lie, cheat, steal, bully and much, much worse.


In a nod to RuPaul's "Drag Race," Mr. Cerda has changed the movie's penmanship competition to a drag show contest, an event more in keeping with what Hell in a Handbag audiences come to expect. Carson aspires to stardom by securing the rhinestone-encrusted tiara that will proclaim them as the school winner. The pageant is held at the Josephine Baker Rainbow Academy for Gifted Children, an institution that's one of the most revolutionary, broad-minded schools in America. Carson's progressive teacher, Miss Ficus, supports all her students equally, but when young Summer Breeze is awarded the crown, she heaps mountains of praise upon the talented redheaded child. Naturally, Carson's murderous jealousy grows out of control. It eventually ignites the community around the child and burns everyone with the kid's revenge.


Returning to Hell in a Handbag, where she originally directed this play at Mary's Attic, along with such other hits as "Scarrie the Musical," "The Birds" and "Die! Mommie, Die!" Cheryl Snodgrass expertly guides her talented cast in another bravado production. Costume Designer Gregory Graham returns to this production, once again going wild with the sequins, spangles and pink, lacy frills. Keith Ryan and Sydney Genco (who also plays a supporting role in the show) lend their respective talents to creating appropriately awesome wigs and makeup designs.


But, as always with David Cerda's camp creations, it's his brilliant cast of actors who make this production shine. Ed Jones, the reigning queen of comedy at this company, returns as Connie Lingus. Jones gets better and funnier with every role he undertakes. Loved as Lana Turner in "L'Imitation of Life," Estelle in "Lady X" and Rose Nylund in all the installments of "The Golden Girls: Lost Episodes," Ed Jones is hilarious here as a whipped cream addicted lesbian mother who only wants the best for her child. No one conveys an expression of "What the hell is happening?" better, and he's the absolute master of the double-take, always guaranteed to evoke belly laughs from the entire audience. Bravo, once again, to the exquisite, incomparable Ed Jones!


Making his HIAH debut, Patrick O'Keefe" is magnificent. He's strong, full of energy and very funny as Carson, the driven, non-binary, 11-year-old, who'll stop at nothing to get what they want and achieve greatness. Although a young actor, O'Keefe comes with plenty of theatrical experience. He'll be remembered from Theo Ubique's recent production of "8-Track: The Sounds of the 70's," Music Theater Works' "Mamma Mia!" and PrideArts's wonderful "A Man of No Importance." Here he adds one more outstanding role to an already distinguished resume.


The supporting cast is terrific, as always. Danne W. Taylor is PC perfection as New Age educator, Miss Ficus. Wonderful Sydney Genco recreates her role as Jennifer Frittata, the sexy next-door neighbor who suspects there's something foul going on in the Lingus household. Kelly Anchors humorously plays Lee, the grungy apartment caretaker, who could easily put a stop to Carson's aspirations. The mistress of runny mascara, Elizabeth Lesinski again portrays weeping Wendy Breeze, the anguished, alcoholic mother of Carson's competition. And Tyler Anthony Smith gets a real workout once again by playing no less than four roles in this production! He's especially delightful, however, as Summer Breeze, Carter's competition for the school crown. And not to be forgotten, of course, is the master himself. David Cerda comically portrays Miss Charles, the gay landlord and champion of Carson's aspirations, complete with his signature eye rolls and dry delivery that always brings down the house.


This hilarious revival is the perfect diversion to drive away the winter blues. It's a bawdy, over-the-top black comedy that's filled with broadly-drawn characters and an abundance of adult humor. Despite still having to be vaccinated and masked, the audience will enjoy David Cerda's parody, as it slays with its outrageous comedy and bizarre situations. And this production marks a real milestone for David Cerda, who'll be taking his show on the road and leaving them dead in the Big Apple. Hell in a Handbag Productions, with their hilarious satires and over-the-top performances, will soon be known beyond Chicago in America's Theatre Capital, as they spread their much-loved satire and schtick to a whole new audience. "


Killer Queen: A child pageant star runs amok in The Drag Seed - Chicago Reader 4/2/22 - "For lo these past 20 years, Hell in a Handbag has been camping it up under the indefatigable leadership of founding artistic director David Cerda, whose encyclopedic knowledge of drag, pop culture, and their endless intersections serves him well in his latest parodic endeavor, The Drag Seed (first produced by Hell in a Handbag in 2019). Directed by Cheryl Snodgrass, this is a boldly, gloriously asinine parody of The Bad Seed, that classic 1956 evil-child thriller that laid the foundation for everything from The Omen franchise to Netflix's The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window. That parody is filtered through an aesthetic inspired by the Charles Quartet, aka drag gurus Charles Busch, Charles Ludlam, Charles Pierce, and RuPaul Charles.


The plot involves 11-year-old Carson (Patrick O'Keefe, more twinkly than Tinker Bell), a budding kiddie pageant queen and a full-on sociopath. When their best friend (and pageant competition) Summer Breeze (Tyler Anthony Smith) mysteriously drowns, Carson's mom Connie Lingus (Ed Jones, a winning mix of Joan Crawford in Mommy Dearest and Marion Ross in Happy Days) and her kimono-collecting landady Miss Charles (Cerda) are pulled into a vortex of sequins, suspicion, and sexual intrigue. Snodgrass has the cast going so far over the top they're practically on the moon, which is what you want with this level of fuckery-tuckery. Throughout, Cerda peppers the script with an esoteric blend of pop culture references-Laganja Estranga to Esther Williams are among the verbal Easter eggs. After its run here, The Drag Seed goes to La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club in New York. Hopefully those east coasters will appreciate a uniquely Chicago institution"


 

Will Likely Be Banned Someday in Texas: A Review of The Drag Seed at Hell in a Handbag Productions at The Chopin Theatre - NewCity Chicago 3/2/22 - "It is easier to recommend "The Drag Seed" than it is to place it within a specific genre. Billed as a parody of the 1956 psychological horror-thriller "The Bad Seed," the plot follows eleven-year-old Carson, who will do whatever it takes in order to become the reigning Drag Queen of his private school. This includes his literal interpretation (in heels no less!) of the classic "death drop" move made popular by "RuPaul's Drag Race." Carson's mother Connie, actually Connie Lingus (it's that kind of play) grows suspicious of her adopted son's behavior as well as his origin story. Meanwhile, Carson's favorite auntie, a fierce older drag queen named Miss Charles, offers comfort both to Charles and his mom, all the while a lurking custodian uncovers a trove of disturbing secrets.


Director Cheryl Snodgrass' deliberate pacing and well executed cutaways perfectly captures the plodding lunacy inherent to a noir classic. The production leans heavily into the drag, so much so that it sometimes feels more like a send-up of "RuPaul's Drag Race" than a parody of an actual movie. As if that was not enough, the play serves up some surprisingly biting commentary related to appropriate pronoun use and other similar tidbits. With so much to offer it is a credit to artistic director David Cerda's witty script that all the elements come together nicely at the end.


The acting is also impeccable. Ed Jones as Connie anchors the play with a performance just campy enough to be fun. Cerda (Miss Charles) and an often-twerking Patrick O'Keefe (Carson) are on point every moment. Also delivering noteworthy performances are Elizabeth Lesinski (whose smeared mascara deserves its own credit) and Kelly Anchors as the menacing custodian with dark secrets of her own. Under Snodgrass' direction the cast gels better than Carson's press-on nails. The effect is an enjoyable and often incredibly funny performance that takes itself just seriously enough to deliver the big laughs"



FROM THE PRODUCER - Hell in a Handbag starts its 20th anniversary year with the return of another company classic. "The Drag Seed" is an unauthorized parody of the 1956 psychological horror-thriller film The Bad Seed.  Carson (Patrick O'Keefe) is a perfect little boy who likes to dress like the perfect little girl and they're deadly serious about crowns and pronouns. Carson's mother, Connie (Ed Jones), loves and accepts Carson but wishes Carson wasn't so competitive. Carson always gets what they want, and they really want to win the drag pageant at their very progressive school - The Josephine Baker Rainbow Academy for Gifted Students. When Carson loses to Summer Breeze, they vow to get that crown - one way or another...

 

Author
David Cerda

Director
Cheryl Snodgrass

Performers
The revival features ensemble members David Cerda*, Sydney Genco*, Ed Jones*, Elizabeth Lesinski*, Tyler Anthony Smith* and Danne W. Taylor* with Kelly Anchors and Patrick O?Keefe. Understudy: Nicky Mendelsohn*.

Production
The production team includes Lauren Nichols (scenic design), Gregory Graham (costume design), Liz Cooper (lighting design), DJ Douglass (sound design), Pamela Parker* (props design), Keith Ryan* (wig design), Sydney Genco* (make-up design), R & D Fight Choreography (fight choreography), Abby Teel (production manager) and Drew Donnelly* (stage manager).

Tags: Theater, American, 2022