Another Blast From Christmas Past

The Rip Nelson Holiday Quarantine Special – Hell in a Handbag

For those of us who’ve looked forward to the Fat Man in the Red Suit since the 1950’s, the Christmas season has always meant a myriad of televised holiday variety shows. Each TV special always starred some has-been comedian or washed-up movie star, ably supported by an array of popular, talented  entertainers of the day. Playwright and iconic actor David Cerda has revived his fictional funnyman from a few years back. Rip Nelson, beautifully portrayed again by the luminous Ed Jones, returns  for his third holiday TV special. This one, because of the pandemic, feels absolutely authentic because it’s being streamed to our television, tablet or computer screen. And the way Cerda has incorporated Covid-19 as part of the plot is clever and spot-on. The result is a professional and highly entertaining adult Christmas musical that’s another blast from the past.

Rip Nelson, as written by David Cerda, directed by Stevie Love and embodied by Ed Jones, is a combination of Paul Lynde, Dom DeLuise, with just a sprinkling of Richard Simmons thrown in, for good measure. In this episode, the year is 2020 and everyone is either quarantined, hospitalized with the virus or no longer with us. 

As Rip lies in a hospital, connected to tubes and machines, he realizes he should’ve thought twice about performing on a recent Gay Pride Cruise. Rumor has it that, because he’s down with Covid, Rip is being replaced by Ryan Seacrest as the host of his annual holiday TV special. Determined to leave his hospital bed and return to work, Rip pilfers a few extra “happy pills” from obnoxious Nurse Ursula (a feisty Terry McCarthy) so that he will feel more like himself. Aided by makeup specialist and close friend, Gladys (played with dry humor and dyed-in-the-wool devotion by the wonderful Lori Lee), and with an added boost from famed, hippy-dippy 70’s magician, Doug Henning, a highly-medicated Rip Nelson escapes from the hospital and joins his co-stars at the TV studio.

There he rendezvous with a wide array of talented show business icons from the past, with whom the befuddled Rip will sing, dance and banter his way through his “Holiday Quarantine Special.” The performers include Shari Lewis and Lambchop (played with wicked enthusiasm by the incomparable Caitlin Jackson); Bing Crosby and Lucie Arnaz (both portrayed by accomplished, talented actor/singers, the terrific Grant Drager and Alexa Castelvecchi); a self-absorbed Bernadette Peters (blowsy Tyler Anthony Smith); and David Cassidy (a swinging, boyishly handsome Nicky Mendelsohn). The cast also includes  a cantankerous, slightly tipsy Lucille Ball (played with style and flair by the always excellent David Cerda); Vampira (sexy Sydney Genco, a film noir vision in black-in-white); Ella Fitzgerald (the vibrantly scintillating Robert Williams); Charlton Heston (Michael Rashid, at his strongest and suavest); and Quentin Crisp (the incomparable Danne W. Taylor, in yet another perfectly cast role). Tony, Mr. Nelson’s adoring, young stage manager, is played with eager innocence by Michael S. Miller.David Cerda both wrote the script and cowrote the music and lyrics with Scott Lamberty. Stevie Love not only expertly directed this hilarious, two-act parody but also choreographed. It took three weeks for Peter Neville/Image Control Unit to film and edit the show, largely performed in front of a green screen, for the safety of the cast. This enabled more sophisticated backgrounds and special effects to be incorporated. Pamela Parker is credited with the lovely scenic and property design, while Liz Cooper made sure the entire production was well-lighted. The show’s fabulous costumes, makeup and stylish wig designs were by Beth Laske Miller, Sydney Genco and Keith Ryan, respectively. And Jabberwocky Productions contributed all the puppets used in the production.

David Cerda’s latest creation is, as they say, all that and a bag of chips. It’s fun, sexy, sophisticated, professionally polished and full of holiday humor. The show will bring back memories of past Christmases, as it showcases and parodies so many familiar popular entertainers. Mr. Cerda has brought back a cast and creative crew of Chicago’s top talent, many of whom are Hell in a Handbag ensemble members. For an entertaining adult Christmas variety show, filled with funny, familiar characters and accomplished, toe-tapping musical numbers, look no further than “The Rip Nelson Holiday Quarantine Special.”

Presented December 4-January 8 by Hell in a Handbag.

Tickets are available for the live streamed virtual performance by going to www.handbagproductions.org. or www.stage773.com.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.