Hell in a Handbag Productions Announces 2022-23 Season Featuring FRANKENSTREISAND World Premiere & More

Hell in a Handbag Productions is approaching 21 years and the new season will reflect that with a mature line-up of plays that take an unflinching gaze at social institution programs and their impact on environmental health. JUST KIDDING! Handbag plans on continuing what it does best: presenting Chicago audiences with the best camp and parody - thus insuring the preservation of celebration of a this unequivocally Queer art form.

Handbag's 21st season kicks off with the world premiere of FRANKENSTREISAND, conceived and written by ensemble member Tyler Anthony Smith* and directed by Stephanie Shaw, playing September 29 - October 31, 2022 at Redline VR, 4702 N. Ravenswood Ave. in Chicago

FRANKENSTREISAND goes deep, deep, and even deeper into Bab's inner sanctum, into her very own laboratory beneath her private shopping mall! Dr. Frankenstreisand (Tyler Anthony Smith*) is bereft after after her precious dog Samantha suddenly died, but The Greatest Star always gets what she wants and is determined to clone her perished pooch live on stage. She's brought all of her tools, but because of those fingernails, she's going to need a little help from her loyal assistant, The Hunchback (Dakota Hughes) and a tired but vampy German stage manager (Brian Shaw). The cast also includes Elizabeth Lesinski*, Nicky Mendelsohn*, Ryan Oates* and Robert Williams*.

What holiday season would be complete without a Handbag holiday show? This year, Handbag is thrilled to announce the return of its favorite seniors in The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes, The Obligatory Holiday Special. Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, Sophia and their whacky friends and relatives return November 26 - December 30, 2022 at The Hoover-Leppen Theatre at The Center on Halsted. Written by Artistic Director David Cerda*, the show stars original cast members David Cerda*, Grant Drager*, Ed Jones* and Ryan Oates as the Geriatric Fab Four, joined by Lori Lee*, Michael Miller*, Michael Rashid*, Jamie Smith and Danne W. Taylor*.

The holidays take an unexpected turn for the gal's when they find out that the infamous Shady Pines Retirement Community is on the verge of closing leaving most of Sophia's friends homeless for the holidays. Can the girls' step in and save the day in time for Christmas? Will Rose be able to make it to St. Olaf in time for the ever-popular Herring Bowl Parade? These questions, and many more you never asked will be answered this newest installment of The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes.

Handbag is excited to kick-off 2023 with the Chicago premiere of I Promised Myself to Live Faster, created and conceived by Pig Iron Theatre Company, an intergalactic queer extravaganza featuring closeted extraterrestrials, high stakes pursuits and nuns from outer space.

Directed by JD Caudill*, this space epic tells the tale of our reluctant hero Tim (Robert Williams*) who's been put through an emotional ringer these past few months. Tim life takes a radical turn when an order of intergalactic nuns charge him with a quest: retrieve the Holy Gay Flame from the clutches of the evil emperor to save the race of Homosexuals and restore the balance of power in the universe. Once Tim is captured by the fabulously androgynous Ah-Ni (David Cerda*), Tim goes places he never dreamed in this ridiculous and delirious allegorical adventure.

Handbag tops off its 2022-23 season next summer with yet another world premiere - Murder, ReWrote, co-written by Ed Rutherford (Mary Rose and Nightmares and Nightcaps for Black Button Eyes Productions) and George Howe (Northanger Abby, and many other musicals with Lifeline Theatre), with Hell in a Handbag in mind.

In this affectionate musical parody of a certain well-known syndicated TV show, a widowed Maine mystery writer becomes embroiled in murder and mayhem when she visits a faded movie star's mansion in the Hamptons along with her nephew, Grady. The show is stuffed with humor for both the casual viewer and the deep-cut Fletcher fanatic

Comments Artistic Director David Cerda, "We hope our audiences are as excited as we are about our 2022-23 season, featuring works from the within our ensemble and from outside the Handbag universe."

2022-23 season subscriptions are currently available at buytickets.at/hellinahandbagproductions/759156 and handbagproductions.org. Single tickets for FRANKENSTREISAND are available at buytickets.at/hellinahandbagproductions/749389 and handbagproductions.org.

*Denotes Handbag Ensemble Member

Hell in a Handbag's 2022-23 Season includes:

September 29 - October 31, 2022

FRANKENSTREISAND - World Premiere!

By Tyler Anthony Smith*

Directed by Stephanie Shaw

Featuring: Dakota Hughes, Elizabeth Lesinski*, Nicky Mendelsohn*, Ryan Oates*, Brian Shaw, Tyler Anthony Smith* and Robert Williams*

The Raven Room at the Red Line VR, 4702 N. Ravenswood Ave.

Press opening: Saturday, October 1, 2022 at 9:15 pm

November 26 - December 30, 2022

The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes, The Obligatory Holiday Special - World Premiere!

By Artistic Director David Cerda*

Featuring: David Cerda*, Grant Drager*, Ed Jones*, Lori Lee*, Terry McCarthy*, Ryan Oates, Michael Rashid* Jamie Smith and Danne W. Taylor*. Additional casting to be announced.

The Hoover Leppen Theater at the Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted St.

Press opening: Friday, December 2, 2022 at 7:30 pm

Spring 2023

I Promised Myself to Live Faster - Chicago Premiere!

Created and Conceived by Pig Iron Theatre Company

Text by Greg Moss and Pig Iron

Directed by JD Caudill*

Featuring: David Cerda* and Robert Williams*. Additional casting and venue to be announced.

Summer 2023

Murder, ReWrote - World Premiere!

Book and Lyrics by Ed Rutherford, Music and Lyrics by George Howe

Featuring: Ed Jones*, David Cerda* Additional casting and venue and to be announced.

About Hell in a Handbag Productions

Hell in a Handbag is dedicated to the preservation, exploration, and celebration of works ingrained in the realm of popular culture via theatrical productions through parody, music and homage. Handbag is a 501(c)(3) Not for Profit. For additional information, visit handbagproductions.org.

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