Displaying items by tag: Madison Smith
"The Facts of Life – Satan’s School for Girls" is a Rollicking Good Way to Get Your Halloween On!
Here comes Halloween, one of my favorite holidays of all and, of course, the incomparable Artistic Director David Cerda of Hell in a Handbag Productions along with composer Andrew Milliken have created a Halloween camp extravaganza that is sure to satisfy even the blood/laugh thirstiest of Handbag's extensive loyal fan base.
This time the much beloved TV show The Facts of Life has been crossbred with the TV movie Satan's School for Girls to create a colorful, musical, and hilarious, spot-on spoof!! As always Ed Jones steals most of his scenes this time as school headmaster, Edna Garrett. Jones is a superbly talented character actor and never fails to capture and mimic the juiciest and funniest quirks of the character in such a way that the audience can see and hear the original he is seemingly channeling throughout. Jones never drops the voice or tics for even a second and it sheer pleasure to watch and re-experience the humor of that time period revamped with sexy humor for today.
Madison Smith (whose acting work I also love) does a smash up job as director of this large, multi-talented cast. Stevie Love (who looked especially beautiful opening night BTW) did an amazing job on the super fun choreography.
David Cerda also slays the room with his dry delivery and long legs in a lush auburn trussed wig with every entrance as Claudia, "a young boarding school student" going undercover to discover the mysteries of Satan worship that is lurking behind closed doors at Eastland.
The lovely and gifted Graham Heacock makes a beautiful, and scary Blair come to life while Alexa Castelvecchi totally rocks the part of deadpan, butch "Jo" and gets to display her amazing singing voice.
The whole cast is a delight as Handbag regular, Robert Williams, plays an adorable, goofy Tootie, while newcomer to Handbag - Brenna L. Watkins boldly brings back the character of Natalie.
I won't go too deep into the plotline because that's half the fun of a NEW Hell in a Handbag spoof! I like to just let the twists and turns unfold and surprise you as they wash over your brain with unexpected humor and joy. Highly recommended for old and NEW fans of Hell in a Handbag's productions at Mary’s Attic where you can relax in an intimate yet lively and rowdy theater environment, have dinner or drinks and just let the comedic memories of the shows they revive and also make fun of - energize your heart with laughter for the future!
The Facts of Life: Satan’s School for Girls is being performed at Mary’s Attic in Andersonville through November 2nd.
Holiday Hilarity! Paramount presents The Second City’s Nut-Cracking Holiday Revue at downtown Aurora’s Copley Theatre, Nov. 20-Dec. 23
21 October 2026 in Upcoming TheatreNeed something better than old reruns of Hallmark Movies this holiday season? Want to see some real nut-crackers? Then dash…
Mary, A Holiday Dansical Returns for one performance only at Logan Center December 13th
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The Gift Theatre's Hayward: A Floridian-Style Shiva
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Chicago Shakespeare Makes Winter’s Tale a Story Worth Telling
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Steppenwolf Theatre Presents JESSIE MUELLER WITH SETH RUDETSKY – December 18 & 19, 2026
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Remy Bumppo’s Mud Row: A Family Haunted by the Past
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A Joe & Melanie Thing Theatre Company announces The Hanukkah Humbug at Greenhouse Theater Center - December 3-6
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Identity Performing Arts' Fifth Anniversary Gala: Movement That Keeps Becoming
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Overshadowed Theatrical Productions Brings Beloved Holiday Classic It’s a Wonderful Life to the Stage
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Dance Theatre of Harlem fills Auditorium Theatre with fire and funk
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“A Strange Loop” Lets the Intrusive Thoughts Win at Raven Theatre in partnership with About Face Theatre
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BTE Opens New Season with Gunderson's "Louisa May Alcott's Little Women" Nov. 12-Dec. 13
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Court Theatre announces America@250 - Now is the Time: Artists Go to Work
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JK Entertainment presents WHEN WE WERE YOUNG AND UNAFRAID at Greenhouse Theater Center November 12 – 29, 2026
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Trap Door Theatre Presents the World Premiere of OH, BUDDY, by Hal Cosentino. Opening November 12th, 2026
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NOVA ENTERTAINMENT CURRENT AND UPCOMING 2026 CIRCA PINTIG UPDATES
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'Sanctuary Stories' Ventures Into Emotional Drama Behind the News on Immigration
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Inside Six Strange Worlds: Exquisite Corpse VI: LULLABIES
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BrightSide’s Addams Family Musical Revives the Wonderfully Weird World of the Addams Clan
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Chicago City Opera Delivers a Rare Operatic Haunting with Der Vampyr
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Avalanche Theatre stages the world premiere of They Broke Up by Skyler Tarnas November 6–22, 2026
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08 October 2026 in Upcoming TheatreOil Lamp Theater is proud to announce the cast and creative team for its next production and the final production…
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Holiday Hilarity! Paramount presents The Second City’s Nut-Cracking Holiday Revue at downtown Aurora’s Copley Theatre, Nov. 20-Dec. 23
Written by Buzz Center StageNeed something better than old reruns of Hallmark Movies this holiday season? Want to see some real nut-crackers? Then dash on through the snow to catch The Second City’s Nut-Cracking Holiday Revue, November 20-December 23 at Paramount’s Copley Theatre, 8… -
Mary, A Holiday Dansical Returns for one performance only at Logan Center December 13th
Written by Buzz Center StageBlack Girls Dance®, which centers Black and Brown girls in joyful community, presents its sixth annual production of Mary, A Holiday Dansical, choreographed, written, and directed by Founder Erin Barnett. This fundraiser returns for one night only Sunday, December 13…
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The Gift Theatre's Hayward: A Floridian-Style Shiva
Written by Wesley DavidThere are funerals where grief brings a family together, and then there are funerals where grief opens the door to everything a family has spent years trying to keep buried. In Hayward, playwright Netta Walker turns a father’s funeral into… -
JK Entertainment presents WHEN WE WERE YOUNG AND UNAFRAID at Greenhouse Theater Center November 12 – 29, 2026
Written by Buzz Center StageJK Entertainment has released first look rehearsal photos for WHEN WE WERE YOUNG AND UNAFRAID, the first production of the company's second season. JK Entertainment's production brings this story to Chicago audiences November 12–29, inviting audiences to consider how far…
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