Everyone Needs a Rose in Their Lives

The Golden Girls Save Xmas: A Lost Episodes Parody

Chicagoland’s favorite funny female quartet from television’s “The Golden Girls,” returns once again this year to make Christmas especially merry and bright. Audiences familiar with Hell in a Handbag drag productions will know what to expect and, I promise you, theatergoers will not be disappointed. But any adult, liberal-minded newbies to this creative company’s annual, brand new “Lost Episode Parody” will soon be adding Dorothy, Blanche, Rose, Sophia and their friends to their list of must-see annual holiday productions. For me, Christmas simply wouldn’t be Christmas without a visit to the traditional Goodman, American Blues, Joffrey and Hell in a Handbag Christmas confections. And besides the typical tomfoolery of their comedies, this year  David Cerda’s “Lost Episode” also offers a whole lot of heart.

The play revolves around Blanche’s naughty gentleman caller on the night before Christmas. His name is Nick, and it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the identity of this elderly gent. An unexpected back injury, however, sets this rescue caper in motion. It falls into the hands of the four Golden Girls to make sure that every child wakes up on Christmas morning to find their stockings stuffed and presents beneath the tree.

Making his debut as the director of this year’s holiday production, talented Handbag actor Frankie Leo Bennett (and acclaimed star of “The SpongeBob Musical”) guides his large, talented cast, helping them bring out all the bawdy humor of the play, as well as the heart and humanity of the story. With the sharp, sassy and sexy barbs being tossed back and forth, Cerda’s script offers a great deal of inspiration, love and warmth. Defending the ditzy blonde from St. Olaf, Sophia wisely reminds everybody that with all the turmoil and unrest in today’s world, everyone needs a Rose in their lives.

Back again are many of Hell in a Handbag’s favorite performers. Multitalented artistic director, actor and playwright, David Cerda, returns as sassy and sarcastic Dorothy; Grant Drager sashays through all the hoopla and hilarity as sexy Blanche; Ed Jones is, as always, funny and flawless in his air-headed portrayal of St. Olaf’s favorite storyteller, Rose; and Ryan Oates, forever clutching that iconic pocketbook, is whimsical and wise as senior citizen Sophia.

In addition to the Golden Girls, Scott Sawa is very funny as Dorothy’s ex-husband, Stan Zbornak; handsome Michael Rashid returns in the role of Sophia’s bigger-than-life buddy, Esther; and another Handbag favorite, the brilliant Danne W. Taylor returns to portray the amusing and acerbic octogenarian and former teen sleuth, Nancy Drew. Other Handbag stars returning to this production are the always risque Robert Williams, this year playing the tantalizing Talulah, or Mrs. Claus. While Handbag regular Terry McCarthy appears again as no-nonsense Nurse Ursula, from Shady Pines, he also gets to play the pivotal role of Nick, Blanche’s new romance. Known for his many diverting drag roles with Hell in a Handbag, talented Tyler Anthony Smith, last seen as Christina Crayfish in “Murder Rewrote,” is terrific as tech savvy Elf, Kyle.

Kelly Bolton, who has previously understudied several roles in many Handbag productions, finally gets to take to the stage in two supporting roles. She plays Doreen, a single mother trying to make ends meet at the holidays as a temp gift-wrapper. She’s been hired by Mrs. Claus to help prepare the gifts for the Christmas Eve delivery. Together with Tyler, Kelly also plays one of Doreen’s children. Making his Handbag debut on the main stage, and seen last year at the holidays as Dame Clapp in PrideArts’ hilarious Christmas pantomime production, “Jack Off the Beanstalk,” Eustace Allen is delightful as the misnamed Happy, the Elf.

In addition, the production succeeds through Jonathan Berg-Einhorn’s colorful and versatile scenic design. Evy Burch’s appropriate properties accentuate the production, as well, and Liz Cooper returns to design lighting that makes this production dazzling. Madeline Felauer employs the kind of audacious talent she employed in her work with “Six,” along with other many other shows, in her Handbag debut as costume designer. Her apparel is simply resplendent and as colorful and glitzy as the cast. Working with artistic makeup designer Sydney Genco and wig master and designer extraordinaire, Keith Ryan, the cast looks fantastic.

Hell in a Handbag’s latest world premiere is yet another, much-welcome installment of their Golden Girls Lost Episode parodies. The show is funny, festive and filled with wonderfully whacky characters offering plenty of wisecracks, with just a modicum of wisdom. At this time of year, it’s always nice when a play not only entertains and makes us laugh, but also offers a heartwarming, meaningful message. And so while it’s easy to chuckle and poke fun at the innocence and gullibility of Ed Jones’ naive character, Sophia smartly reminds us that, with all the unpleasantness in our world today, “Everyone needs a Rose in their lives.”                         

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented November 25-December 30 by Hell in a Handbag Productions at the Hoover-Leppen Theatre at the Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted, Chicago.

Tickets are available at the door or by going to www.handbagproductions.org or www.buytickets.at/hellinahandbagproductions/1024359

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