Hell in a Handbag Presents SEXY BABY: A Docu-Musical, Now thru 6/16

Hell in a Handbag Productions kicks off their 2012 season with SEXY BABY, the new 'docu-musical,' by Artistic Director and resident playwright David Cerda. SEXY BABY takes audiences behind the scenes of the fascinatingly addictive world of child beauty pageants. This show runs tonight, April 26 through June 16 every day (with some exceptions) at 7:30pm.

Meet Swann Black, the hottest little superstar in the child pageant circuit since Jon Benet Ramsey. Swann has the looks, talent and - most importantly - her drill sergeant mother, Robin. Robin's singular purpose: to make sure her daughter rises to the top of the heap! She's willing to do whatever it takes to give her daughter the life she deserves...even if her daughter doesn't know she wants that life yet. Swann is about to go "National" and the competition is fierce. There's the very excitable Epiphany Jones and her morbidly obese, electric scooter-bound mother Cindy; the tragic Beyansay Riddle (complete with a polyurethane forehead due to an unfortunate incident at the Wal-Mart) and her teen mom, Tiffany-Amber; and glamorous little Larry Castlebury, the pageant circuit's top boy contestant and his mother, Lorraine. Leading the pageant pack is Leslie Ann DuBonnet, the girl with so many crowns that if you lined them up from end-to-end, they would circle a double-wide trailer nearly two and a half times! The secret to Leslie's success is clearly her two daddies, Kelvin and Kyle, the premiere coaches of the pageant circuit.

Tickets are $15-$95 and can be purchased at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/224726.

Ensemble member Derek Czaplewski is directing SEXY BABY. Czaplewski has directed two productions of Rudolph the Red-Hosed Reindeer and the critically-acclaimed Lady X, for Handbag. "Sexy Baby is somewhat of a departure for Handbag because we are not parodying one specific film or TV show. There are a number of influences, most notably, reality." says Czaplewski. "Child beauty pageants are happening right now, all across the country, and have been for many, many years. And who better to take a loving yet delightfully-warped look at these perplexing pageants then David Cerda and Handbag?"

Artistic Director and Handbag co-founder David Cerda is glad to finally get Sexy Baby on its feet. "I have been fascinated with the world of child beauty pageants for years. The fact that child beauty pageants have become pop culture phenomenon due to current reality programs is just icing on the cake," says Cerda. "Ever since I saw Jon Benet Ramsey and the HBO documentary 'Living Dolls', I knew I had to bring this world to the stage...and I knew it had to sing!" adds Cerda.

Cerda has re-teamed with long-time musical collaborator Scott Lamberty for Sexy Baby. Lamberty worked with Cerda on a number of hit shows including POSEIDON! An Upside Down Musical, SCARRIE-The Musical, and Rudolph the Red-Hosed Reindeer.

The cast includes Handbag ensemble members Alex Grelle (Rip Nelson's Halloween Spooktacular, Rudolph the Red-Hosed Reindeer) as Beyansay Riddle; Michael Hampton (Rudolph the Red-Hosed Reindeer) as Mr. Wayne, the pageant's emcee; Elizabeth Lesinski (Lady X), as Leslie Ann DuBonnet, the reigning queen of the pageant circuit; Terry McCarthy (Rudolph the Red-Hosed Reindeer) as Arlene, the achingly plain sister of Candy, the pageant operator and Miss Sexy Baby 1961, played by David Cerda.

Jeremy Myers (Pussy on the House) returns to Handbag as Swann Black, the up-and-comer with a very pushy mother, Robin, played Handbag newcomer Heather Currie.

Also in the cast are Billie Bryant (Rudolph the Red-Hosed Reindeer) and newcomers Lisa Tosti, Edlyn Griffin, Steve Love, Andrea Larson, Sydney Genco and John Cardone & AJ Wright as pageant coaches/dads/couple, Kelvin DuBonnet and Kyle Kennedy.

Formed in 2002, Hell in a Handbag is dedicated to the preservation, exploration, and celebration of art of camp and parody onstage, in the most ridiculous manner possible.

Visit www.handbagproductions.org for more information.

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