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Hell in a Handbag Productions is proud to present the Chicago premiere of Die! Mommie, Die!, Charles Busch’s homage to thriller films of the 60’s starring “women of a certain age.” This production not only marks the Chicago premiere of Die! Mommie, Die! but also the Midwest premiere of the piece since it was rewritten for it’s Off Broadway run in 2007-2008.
Die! Mommie, Die! tells the tale of Angela Arden; a washed-up singer trapped in a loveless marriage, with a daughter that despises her and a mentally unstable son until she finds happiness in the arms of Tony Parker, ...Read More
Hell in a Handbag Productions is proud to present the Chicago premiere of Die! Mommie, Die!, Charles Busch’s homage to thriller films of the 60’s starring “women of a certain age.” This production not only marks the Chicago premiere of Die! Mommie, Die! but also the Midwest premiere of the piece since it was rewritten for it’s Off Broadway run in 2007-2008.
Die! Mommie, Die! tells the tale of Angela Arden; a washed-up singer trapped in a loveless marriage, with a daughter that despises her and a mentally unstable son until she finds happiness in the arms of Tony Parker, a very “gifted” gigolo. Or does she?
You won’t want to miss the long overdue pairing of Hell in a Handbag Productions, “The Gold Standard of camp in Chicago (Chicago Reader)” and Charles Busch, who is considered by many to be the Grand Dame of camp. Hell in a Handbag generally features the works of Artistic Director David Cerda, but the chance to tackle a Charles Busch piece proved much too tempting for all involved.
“Charles Busch has been an inspiration for me, and to be able to present the Chicago premiere of Die! Mommie, Die! is very exciting and a bit daunting, “says Cerda.
Cerda will be playing the role of Angela Arden, the glamorous, washed-up pop singer trapped in a loveless marriage, modeled after the grande guignol roles popularized in the 60’s by aging stars like Joan Crawford, Lana Turner and Bette Davis.
Handbag favorite Ed Jones* will take on the male role of film producer Sol Sussman, Angela’s uncaring husband. Jones was last seen in Hell in a Handbag’s critically acclaimed, The Birds as Cathy Brenner. The leap from 11 year old girl to a gruff 50 year lout of a man is a challenge Jones is looking forward to. “It’s always fun to play a role in drag but for me, it’s refreshing to play a character that allows the audience to recognize me afterwards.
Ensemble member Merrie Greenfield* (The Birds, SCARRIE-The Musical) plays Bootsie Carp, the bible-quoting, flask- carrying Sussman maid, who’s devotion to Mr. Sussman knows no boundaries.
Rounding off the cast are Veronica Sheaffer, (Steppenwolf, Profiles) as the father-loving, mother-hating, beautiful and oh-so mod daughter. Sheaffer was last seen in Hell in a Handbag’s The Twilight Gallery and SCARRIE-The Musical.
Handbag newcomers include Zack Geoffroy (Bailiwick, Bruised Orange) as the mentally unstable teenage son and Jeffrey Patrick Olsen (Easy Street Players) as Tony Parker, failed TV actor and secret lover of Angela Arden with a secret of his own…
Taking on the task of director is Cheryl Snodgrass. Snodgrass, who is also an actress has appeared in Handbag’s Caged Dames and The Birds, is looking forward to the challenge.
“I have long been a fan of Hell in a Handbag Productions. Their sense of humor and theatrical sensibilities are perfectly balanced with a true love of the craft and a deep respect for their subject matter. As an actress, I got to see their process first hand and was eager to work with them as a director” says Snodgrass.
Cheryl Snodgrass has been focusing on the production of new works for the last 15 years. She has worked extensively with playwright, Jeff Goode, as a director, actor, and producer. She directed the premier productions of Poona the Fuckdog and other plays for children and The Eight: Reindeer Monologues among others. She’s directed and/or produced works by Rebecca Gilman, Brett Nevue and Todd Ristau. Cheryl has been a guest artist at Lawrence University and hosted a new works reading series. She’s a founding member of No Shame Theater, The Unusual Cabaret, Les Enfants du Mais, and C’est Destine. Cheryl has worked with The SPOT, Bailiwick, Trap Door, ARFTCo, I.O., Zebra Crossing, Mill Mountain (Roanoke, VA) and most recently could be seen performing in Hell in a Handbag’s The Birds and Caged Dames.
About Hell in a Handbag Productions- Hell In A Handbag Productions was formed in March 2002. HIAH’s debut production was POSEIDON! An Upside-Down Musical, which had successful consecutive runs at Theatre Building Chicago and Bailiwick Repertory before being produced at the 2003 New York International Fringe Festival where it received a Outstanding Ensemble award. HIAH has also produced Rudolph, the Red-Hosed Reindeer, How ‘What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?’ Happened, Judy’s Scary Little Christmas, SCARRIE-The Musical, The Twilight Gallery, Caged Dames, The Birds and Summer Camp, featuring Reefer Madness-The Musical, the first of an annual series of staged cabaret readings at Mary’s Attic in Andersonville.
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