A Comic Catharsis

Scary Town

Richard Scarry is known the world over as one of the best-beloved author/illustrators ever! The late creator of kiddy lit is recognized for his legacy of more than 300 large, colorful and minutely detailed picture books about daily life, expressly written for young children. Most of his books are set in a fictional place called Busytown, a sweet little metropolis populated by an assortment of anthropomorphic animals, all living together in harmony. He filled his stories with humanity, a strong sense of community, kindness and cooperation.

But David Cerda, Hell in a Handbag’s brilliant and multitalented founding member and Artistic Director, is, as many know, also a gifted playwright. He’s responsible for many of the company’s past plays and musicals. While they’re popular and fun for everyone, his adult-themed parodies are a particular hit with LGBTQ+ audiences. However, while over the years we’ve been treated to dozens of satires of cult TV classics and B movies, often portrayed through several drag roles, Mr. Cerda’s latest play is a little bit different. 

While it parodies the works of Richard Scarry, this play is actually autobiographical. As David writes, “I’ve wanted to tell my childhood story for what seems like forever.” He goes on to say that “I know people expect to laugh at my shows, and I hope they do—but I also wanted to tell my truth, which isn’t always pleasant.” But don’t be worried: this new offering by Chicago’s Renaissance Man is both entertaining and exhilarating. Although sometimes dark, it’s also a cleverly-written satire and comic catharsis for the playwright, presented in a polished production that theatergoers are guaranteed to love.

Instead of Busytown, Cerda’s story is set in Scary Town, a riff on Richard Scarry’s name, but also an apt description of how frightening and confusing it was for David during his adolescent years. Deven Bunny is about to celebrate his 13th birthday. Like most teenagers, he constantly quarrels with his mother, Betty Bunny, even though she’s planning a party for her rebellious son. Deven’s best friends are fellow rebel, punky Penelope Porcupine, and his geeky good buddy, Willie Worm. While Deven constantly quarrels and argues with his mother, he feels much love and support from his dear Granny Bunny. 

This play, which offers lots of laughs and bawdy bits, is an allegory laced with meaningful messages. SCARY TOWN is about taking chances, exploring and discovering who you are. It also says so much about how we all eventually search for our true place in the world. The writing here is smart and realistic, despite its fictional fantasy characters. The production is dynamically Directed by alumni ensemble member, Cheryl Snodgrass. Additionally, Marcus Klein’s simple Scenic Design works well. It’s basically a giant storybook of illustrations that provide the various settings for the story. The artwork is a salute to Richard Scarry’s style of drawings. Jabberwocky Marionettes have created some delightful pint-size characters, who fill out the cast. And Rachel Sypniewski’s clever, colorful Costumes, accented by Keith Ryan’s stylish Wigs, remind theatergoers of the cute anthropomorphic animals who populate Scarry’s Busytown.

The cast sports several familiar faces from Hell in a Handbag’s past productions, while also welcoming some exciting new talent, as well. Leading the cast, and making his HIAH debut, is handsome newcomer Colin Callahan portraying doleful Deven Bunny. He’s excellent in this role, creating a believably, multilayered, perplexed and piqued young man, who just wants some answers about his past. There are also a few hints that a sequel to this play might be coming down the pike. It might go on to explore the adolescent rabbit’s continued search for his place in the LGBTQ+ world. Hopefully, if this does come to fruition, the talented Mr. Callahan will return to recreate the role of Deven Bunny.

A familiar face in David Cerda’s plays, but one we haven’t seen in quite a while, is that winsome, wonderful and terrifically talented Stevie Love. Returning, after her sensational portrayal of Helen in MIRACLE (Jeff and Broadway World Award nods), and Nonnie in POSEIDON, Stevie is the fierce, funny and such a complex Mrs. Betty Bunny. This could be another Jeff Award-winning performance, in my book, so strong is Stevie Love’s portrayal. The character gives Love the opportunity to play every nuance and emotion imaginable, and drives this play throughout the 1-hour-and-50-minutes of melodrama. Stevie also ably serves as the Choreographer for this production.

Three more standout actors in this play portray Deven’s closest friends. Al Duffy is another newcomer who we’d enjoy seeing more of, playing the role of Goth goddess, Penelope Porcupine. And Jerod Turner, seen in plays all over Chicago, is funny and touching in his Handbag debut as the nerdy Willie Worm. These two bosom buddies support Deven in his search for adventure and enlightenment. Another cast standout, who was a swing in HIAH’s RUDOLPH …A MUSICAL PARODY, is lovely Sophia Dennis. She does a great job playing several characters, including Deven’s little sister and friend, Betsy Bunny, as well as Trixie, the I’ll-do-anything-for-a-tip waitress at the Bad Bunny Bar. 

Much welcomed familiar Hell in a Handbag performers include the always wonderful Ed Jones, as Mrs. Wanda Water Buffalo (but forever adored as wide-eyed Rose Nylund from the many “Golden Girls” parodies); Grant Drager, is sexy Mrs. Fox and Benny Bunny (but who’s always charmed us as saucy Blanche Devereaux in “The Golden Girls”); talented Danne W. Taylor, is a loving and slyly sassy Granny Bunny (but whose droll repartee draws laughs as Nancy Drew in Handbag’s “Golden Girls” satires); and Scott Sawa, playing both Officer Aardvark and kindly Uncle Bruce (has been seen in several Handbag productions, including “The Golden Girls” and I PROMISED MYSELF TO LIVE FASTER).

In this new play, David Cerda has explored his craft while navigating through some slightly new waters. SCARY TOWN isn’t the broad, bawdy burlesque that we’ve come to expect from Hell in a Handbag, but the result here is just as successful and entertaining. Mr. Cerda has effectively told his story in a clever, often funny and occasionally poignant adult children’s play. The creative guru and driving force behind this theatre company serves his audiences a comic catharsis with which to share his roots. In the end, theatergoers will learn a little about how this multitalented artist eventually came one to be of the true treasures of the Chicago Theatre scene.

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented April 9-May 11 by Hell in a Handbag Productions at The Clutch, 4335 N. Western Avenue, Chicago.

Tickets are available at the door, at handbagproductions.org or buytickets.at/hellinahandbagproductions/1618086.

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