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Displaying items by tag: Josh Kemper

I look forward to every Hell and a Handbag production - because I know they’re always a great time. The company’s spot-on takes on adored characters, from those in the Golden Girls to Rudolph the Red-Hosed Reindeer, always blend high camp humor with a warm, heartfelt touch. 

In Handbag’s latest offering, the world premiere of The Golden Girls Meet The Skooby Don’t Gang: The Mystery of The Haunted Bush, we get a brilliant mash up of beloved characters from the Golden Girls and Scooby Doo. Does it work? It absolutely does. This new comedy, penned by the immensely talented David Cerda, and directed and choreographed with flair by Frankie Leo Bennett is one of the team’s best yet.

The adventure kicks off when Rose spots a leafy, brush-covered monster—dubbed the “haunted bush”—lurking around the complex where she, Dorothy, Blanche, and Sophia live. "The haunted bush"... you can already imagine the fun to be had with that one. As the monster sightings increase and the girl’s fear escalates, Rose calls in her nephew, Fred, and his Skooby Don't Gang of crime solvers to investigate. And just like that, these two worlds collide in a side-splitting adventure, which only gets wilder when Nancy Drew joins the team. Yes, the famous girl detective, Nancy Drew! As with any Handbag production, the laughs in this comedy-mystery are as outrageous as they are plentiful. Packed with cartoonish chase scenes, snappy one-liners, well-timed slapstick and a hefty dose of innuendo-driven humor, this new production at Chopin Theatre’s mainstage is a hilariously bold comedy with all the right twists and turns.

Tyler Anthony Smith as Fred in The Golden Girls Meet The Skooby Don’t Gang: The Mystery of The Haunted Bush 

This cast is packed with all your favorite Handbag stars. The Golden Girls are back! Yay! Ed Jones shines as the naive but loveable Rose Nyland, while Grant Drager is a tour de force as flirty Blanche Devereaux, delivering one witty remark after another. David Cerda reprises his role as Dorothy Zbornak, commanding the stage with every line and Sophia Petrillo is wonderfully portrayed with grit and sass by Ryan Oates. Dorothy’s ex, Stan is riotously played by Scott Sawa, drawing several big laughs while also interacting with the audience throughout the show for Golden Girls trivia, with the winners (everyone who plays) getting to reach in and choose a prize from the mystery bag. I won a Handbag magnet! Woot!

The Skooby gang is also superbly cast, led by Tyler Anthony Smith as Fred. Smith absolutely crushes the role and delivers one funny scene after another from the moment we are greeted by his ass as Rose opens the door to welcome her nephew. Elizabeth Lesinski is delightful as Daffy while Caitlin Jackson is just perfect as Velva, the two heavily crushing on each other throughout the play. The gang is rounded out well with stellar performances from both Ben Meneses as Skooby and Josh Kemper as Skaggy, cracking voice and all. Michael S. Miller is funny in his dual roles as Miles and Rita Claxton and Danne W. Taylor gets some hearty laughs in taking on the role of Nancy Drew, especially in a love scene that no one could have seen coming. But all is possible in the Handbag multi-verse.

Handbag’s talented cast has perfected the art of camp humor, skillfully addressing and laughing at the subjects of sexuality, while also evoking compassion —all within a familiar, friendly, and entertaining environment.

While the cast is exceptional, the creative team also does a tremendous job in putting together a set that brings the audience into the center of the mystery. Marcus Klein (Scenic Design), Liz Cooper (Lighting Design) and Danny Rockett (Sound Design) team up to deliver a visual and audio experience that uniquely pulls in each and every audience member while Sydney Genco (Make-up Design), Keith Ryan (Wig design) and Madeline Felauer (Costume Design) seamlessly bring the characters to life.

(left to right) Caitlin Jackson as Velva and Elizabeth Lesinksi as Daffy in The Golden Girls Meet The Skooby Don’t Gang: The Mystery of The Haunted Bush

For those Chicagoans lucky enough to have been watching Handbag productions for the last 22 years, going to one of their shows is like being at a party with a bunch of your best old friends. With this show, it’s a place to sing the Golden Girls theme song, laugh at bawdy jokes, and just let your heart breathe free for a while, even though it seems like chaos and unfriendliness are raging all around the globe. 

I highly recommend this final production of Hell in a Handbag’s 22nd season for audiences who want to have a good hard laugh, a nice drink and a solid night of fun, hilarious entertainment.

The Golden Girls Meet The Skooby Don’t Gang: The Mystery of The Haunted Bush is being performed at Chopin Theatre through November 3rd. For tickets and/or more show information, click HERE.

Published in Theatre in Review

Droll, knowing, and surprisingly good, Evil Dead: The Musical, transforms the campy self-aware horror-comedy movie franchise into something wickedly fun.

Even those who haven’t seen the Evil Dead movie series in awhile – or ever – will enjoy this show. It's laced with irony, just like the original, and doubling as a send-up of the scary films genre. It's producers Black Button Eyes Productions specializes in obscure works and plays with elements of fantasy, such as 2014’s Coraline and Nightmares and Nightcaps: The Stories of John Collier – a British author along the lines of Ray Bradbury or Neil Gaiman. Evil Dead has bee crisscrossing small theater groups around the country. 

Evil Dead – The Musical parodies Sam Raimi’s classic Evil Dead films – it's an amalgam of Evil Dead I & II – with a nod to Army of Darkness, third in the series. All three starred the square-jawed Bruce Campbell. It’s a prototypical story of teens who vacation at a deserted cabin the woods - only to be dismembered and possessed by evil forces that lie in wait.

In the films and this staged musical, one by one the teens succumb to Kanderean Demons, called from the cellar due to an inadvertent recitation of passages from ancient books written in blood and bound in human flesh, of course. Resisting these forces of evil as the story progresses is Ash (Jordan Dell Harris perfectly captures the swaggering heartthrob played in the films by Bruce Campbell.)

And like the films, Ash transforms into that iconic character we know and love, along the way replacing his left hand with a prosthetic chainsaw, wielding a double-barreled shotgun in his other, battling those Kandereans who inhabit the trees in the woods, the cellar, and even the bodies of his former friends.

All that, and singing and dancing, too – with some infectious tunes by a quartet of writers (Christopher Bond, Frank Cipolla, Melissa Morris and George Reinblatt are credited – and Oliver Townsend gets the credit as musical director.) The book by Reinblatt is funny – he is clearly an Evil Dead Head - though lyrics falter at times. Among the bigger standouts are the opening number as the group of five teens take off on their weekend getaway – and a number with some dancing trees. (Choreography is by Derek Van Barham.) Also charming is a duet by Ash and his girlfriend Linda (Kirby Gibson) about falling in love at S-Mart. 

The cabin itself also becomes possessed before the end, and an animatronic moosehead, squirrel and other figures, join the fun. Set, props and puppetry are by Jeremiah Barr.

Aficionados will recall that the original films Evil Dead and Evil Dead 2 didn’t have much in the way of continuity. Evil Dead 2 was a reboot, the first half retelling and modifying the story of the original and the second half breaking new ground. But the movies were grounded in a sense of horror/humor that has not been lost in translation, and distilled into this amalgam the musical version gives us the true heart of the films. (My resident Evil Dead expert Kyran Esler provided exegisis on the show's film origins.)

Along with Jordan Dell Harris as Ash, the cast is strikingly good: Josh Kemper as the ever randy Scott; Kirby Gibson as Ash’s girlfriend Linda (eventually beheaded), Stevie Love in dual roles as Shelly and Annie. For an over-the-top performance Caitlin Jackson gets a shout-out – she is wonderful and it is a performance not to be missed. Recommended. Evil Dead: The Musical runs through February 16 at Pride Arts Center.

Published in Theatre in Review

Chicago Tap Allstars' Holiday Performance WINTER WONDERLAND Returns for One Performance Only - Saturday, Dec. 14

30 October 2024 in Upcoming Dance

Chicago Tap Allstars, a collective of Tap dance artists and organizations brought together by M.A.D.D. Rhythms and Chicago Tap Theatre, is proud to…

Steppenwolf Theatre's LEROY AND LUCY - October 24 – December 15, 2024 - World Premiere!

30 October 2024 in Upcoming Theatre

Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the nation's premier ensemble theater company, is pleased to continue its 49th season with the world premiere of Ngozi…

Missing the Music: A Disconnected Seven Guitars at City Lit Theater

29 October 2024 in Theatre in Review

August Wilson stipulated only Black directors should direct his plays. It stemmed from his deep commitment to authentic representation and…

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29 October 2024 in Theatre in Review

I’ll admit it: I knew little about “Into the Woods” before seeing the new production at Chicago’s Chopin Theatre. I’m…

Botanical Bedlam: Music Theatre Works' Little Shop of Horrors Thrills with Campy Delight!

29 October 2024 in Theatre in Review

Music Theatre Works’ Little Shop of Horrors, featuring music by Howard Ashman and a book and lyrics by Alan Menken,…

IDENTITY PERFORMING ARTS Presents Fall Concert “Embrace”

28 October 2024 in Upcoming Dance

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American Blues Theater to produce 23rd Annual It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!

28 October 2024 in Upcoming Theatre

American Blues Theater announces its 23rd Annual Production of It's a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! from Frank Capra's film and directed by Executive Artistic…

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28 October 2024 in Upcoming Dance

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27 October 2024 in Theatre in Review

They do abuse the king that flatter him For flattery is the bellows that blows up sin These days, fireplace…

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25 October 2024 in Upcoming Theatre

Teatro ZinZanni, Chicago's wildly entertaining cabaret and cirque show, will open up their vintage circus tent, the Spiegeltent, to present The LiV…

Matinee added on December 9 for CHRISTMAS WITH THE KING: BRANDON BENNETT SINGS ELVIS PRESLEY

24 October 2024 in Upcoming Theatre

Marriott Theatre has added a second matinee performance of the concert CHRISTMAS WITH THE KING: BRANDON BENNETT SINGS ELVIS PRESLEY…

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24 October 2024 in Theatre in Review

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Lifeline Theatre presents 28th Annual Fillet of Solo Festival two-week festival of storytelling performances November 8 - November 17, 2024

23 October 2024 in Upcoming Theatre

Lifeline Theatre presents the 28th Annual Fillet of Solo Festival, a vibrant celebration of Chicago's premiere storytelling and live lit scene. The…

Puppet shows for private audiences in living room settings: Chicago Puppet Fest's Fall Living Room Tour returns November 14-16

23 October 2024 in Upcoming Theatre

The Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival is pulling strings to raise funds this fall, offering three exclusive sneak peeks of…

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What a treat to have two of Evanston-native Sarah Ruhl’s plays running concurrently at Theatre Wit. Alongside the Shattered Globe…

Deliciously wicked: Evil Perfect at Bramble Theatre Company tells a familiar story in a perfectly wicked way

23 October 2024 in Theatre Reviews

After completing my hundredth fan fiction about the same two characters defying all obstacles and falling in love, I took…

Live immersive horror experience based on INSIDIOUS coming to Chicago

22 October 2024 in Upcoming Theatre

Brace yourself for the scare of a lifetime, as the world of Insidious jumps off the screen and directly into your theater…

Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' at Brightside Theatre is the ultimate Halloween treat with just the right amount of bite!

21 October 2024 in Theatre in Review

Brightside Theatre’s rendition of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, adapted by Stephen Dietz, captivates from the opening scene to its climactic finale.…

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20 October 2024 in Theatre in Review

The early closing of the Conspirators’ 2023 production of “Commedia Divina,” proved useful, giving this …erm … highly original company…

Mandy Patinkin & Kathryn Grody Bring Afternoon of Entertaining Conversation to the MAC Nov. 10

18 October 2024 in Upcoming Theatre

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Royko: The Toughest Man in Chicago to return to The Chopin in November

18 October 2024 in Upcoming Theatre

Toughest Man Productions, Executive Producer Lecy Goranson and producing consultant Beth Kligerman announce a return engagement for the world premiere…

Review: Joffrey Ballet's US Premiere of Cathy Marston's 'Atonement' at Civic Opera House

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What source materials make a great ballet? Can everything be interpreted through dance? It’s a fair question when considering Joffrey…

Hell in a Handbag Productions Announces 2024/25 Season

17 October 2024 in Upcoming Theatre

Hell in a Handbag Productions is thrilled to announce its 2024/25 Season, featuring a fan favorite and two world premieres. Now in…

Casting announced for ANNIE at Chicago Theatre Nov. 12-Dec 1

16 October 2024 in Upcoming Theatre

Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. (MSG Entertainment), Carolyn Rossi Copeland Productions, Inc. and Crossroads Live North America today announced casting…

Handbag's 'The Golden Girls Meet The Skooby Don’t Gang: The Mystery of The Haunted Bush' a hilarious adventure not to be missed!

15 October 2024 in Theatre in Review

I look forward to every Hell and a Handbag production - because I know they’re always a great time. The…

Embracing Vulnerability: Goodman’s Heartfelt 'Primary Trust' Highlights the Power of Not Being Okay

15 October 2024 in Theatre in Review

Eboni Booth’s 2024 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Primary Trust is a deeply introspective and bittersweet exploration of abandonment, routine, and the…

Love Me, Love Me: The Love Object brings back the drama of bubblegum pop at Raven Theatre

14 October 2024 in Theatre in Review

The Y2K era was a wild time to be a girl. Bubblegum pop juxtaposed against futuristic silver-scaled sets, female artists…

Try To See It Their Way: Milo Imagines The World at Chicago Children's Theatre

13 October 2024 in Theatre in Review

Have you ever jumped on a crowded L train and wondered just why there were so many people on it?…

THE HIP HOP NUTCRACKER On Sale

12 October 2024 in Upcoming Theatre

The Hip Hop Nutcracker returns to Broadway In Chicago, playing at the CIBC Theatre from December 10 to December 15, 2024.…

TUTA Theatre to stage Thornton Wilder's THE LONG CHRISTMAS DINNER November 26 - December 29

12 October 2024 in Upcoming Theatre

TUTA Theatre has announced it will stage the infrequently produced Thornton Wilder drama THE LONG CHRISTMAS DINNER for the 2024…

 

 

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