Displaying items by tag: Helen Stellar
A "Miracle!" on Clark Street Not Be Missed!
Hell in a Handbag Productions tests the boundaries of morality once again as only they can, this time kicking off its 2015-16 season with “Miracle!”, the hilarious lampoon of The Miracle Worker. Instead of Helen Keller, we meet Helen Stellar, a deaf and blind 20-year-old drag queen who is thrust into performing at The Brass Connection, otherwise known as The Ass Infection. Written by Dan Savage, a well-known authority and activist on sexuality and GLBTQ issues, “Miracle!” doesn’t hold any punches, unapologetically injecting its braised humor into its audience with rapid fire speed and pinpoint accuracy.
Artistic Director David Cerda is brilliant (as always) as Helen Stellar’s protective drag queen mother and biological father, Crystal Pain, owner and show coordinator of The Brass Connection. Cerda, a true master of satire, takes the role of Crystal and knocks it out of the park with his deadpan delivery, stark remarks and physical comedy. In “Miracle!” we also get a deluge of tremendously funny performances from Handbag favorites Ed Jones, Elizabeth Lesinski, Sydney Genco and Steve Love as well as newcomer Kristopher Bottrall who is very impressive as Bailey Legal.
Everything is going smoothly at The Brass Connection, or so it seems. Gloria Blaze (Jones), Sissy Jizzmore (Jamie Smith) and the girls perform in the club’s nightly revue while Helen Stellar stumbles her way through an awkward dance routine with the help of a shock collar that “protects” her from falling off the stage. But when Bailey Legal gets jealous of the attention that Helen receives, a call is made to Child Protective Services and an investigation ensues as to the child’s well-being. After assessing the situation, caseworker Annie Sullivan (Lesinski) determines that Helen’s environment is unfit for tapping into her true potential. It is soon agreed that Annie take Helen for a period of three weeks so that she can work with her one on one. This proves more difficult than anticipated as Annie tries to connect with Helen by pressing sign language into her hands in relation to surrounding objects. Of course this process, as done by Handbag is also brutally droll.
Still, Annie’s persistence pays off as we begin to see a transformation occur in Helen. As part of her therapy, Annie takes Helen to a lesbian bar (opening up another world to which Savage is able to find the humor) to work out her performance kinks in an attempt to show a shock collar is not needed. Performing with Helen during the bar’s Bearded Slam event is also therapeutic for Annie as she reaches deep inside herself to conquer her own stage insecurities. Before too long, it is time for Annie to return Helen to Crystal as we, the audience, wonder what the outcome will be.
The humor is offensive, but tasty. It’s campy dialogue gutty and unforgiving yet we relate to it so easily. Perhaps we are looking at something in the neighborhood of Helen Keller meets The Birdcage on crack, and that would be putting it mildly.
As funny as “Miracle!” is, whether a dance and song routine with attitude and pizazz (“Stop in the Name of Love”, for one) or in its multitude of hilarious character interactions, there is actually a heartwarming story taking place with plenty of feel good moments. I’m not going to go as far to say that one might get teary-eyed, but it is certainly not beyond the realm of possibility. The show triumpantly ends with a big finale number that has audience members clapping to the beat and cheering for the show’s wonderfully colorful characters.
As a longtime fan of Cerda, Jones and Lesinski, I am happy to say that this Handbag nucleus of comic wunderkinds have once again hit their stride in what is a fully entertaining story that generates laughs as quickly as its many wig changes.
“Miracle!” is being performed through July 10th at Mary’s Attic, a cozy upstairs theatre located at 5400 N. Clark Street in Andersonville. For tickets and/or more show information, visit www.handbagproductions.org. If you are looking for a night of memorable comedy in a fun atmosphere, this is a summer event that you will not want to miss. Hell in a Handbag Productions – the king, or queen, of parody done right.
Chicago's Favorite Kids Show Returns This Summer The Second City's No Grown-Ups Allowed Starts June 6
04 May 2026 in Upcoming TheatreYour favorite kids show is back! The Second City is excited to welcome the return of its wildly popular summer…
Asgard Amplified: Loki’s Rock Revolution at Lifeline
04 May 2026 in Theatre in ReviewGet ready for a cosmic comedy of gods, monsters, and mayhem that refuses to play by the old rules. That’s…
Rom‑Com Spark and ’80s Verve Light Up Metropolis’ Wedding Singer
03 May 2026 in Theatre in ReviewThe Wedding Singer is currently onstage at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights, offering a faithful and upbeat interpretation…
E. Faye Butler directs stellar Chicago cast in comedy Nunsense this summer at Drury Lane
01 May 2026 in Upcoming TheatreDrury Lane Theatre continues its 2026/2027 season with the divine extravaganza Nunsense, featuring book, music and lyrics by David Goggin, directed by E. Faye…
Chicago Shakespeare Theater announces North American Premiere production of Brokeback Mountain
01 May 2026 in Theatre in ReviewChicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces the cast and creative team for Brokeback Mountain, the North American premiere production of Ashley Robinson's adaptation of the…
THE NOTEBOOK WILL PLAY BROADWAY IN CHICAGO’S JAMES M. NEDERLANDER THEATRE AUGUST 4 - 16
30 April 2026 in Upcoming TheatreProducers Kevin McCollum and Kurt Deutsch, along with Broadway In Chicago are thrilled to announce that single tickets for THE NOTEBOOK,…
YI Love Jewish and Arts Judaica Announce Chicago Premiere of A PEOPLE at Theater Wit June 18 – July 5
30 April 2026 in Upcoming TheatreThe South Florida based YI Love Jewish and Chicago-based Arts Judaica proudly join forces to present a limited engagement of the Chicago…
BTE marks 40 years with new season: 'Little Women," "Dial M for Murder" and “One Man, Two Guvnors”
30 April 2026 in Upcoming TheatreBuffalo Theatre Ensemble (BTE), the professional Equity theater company in residence at the McAninch Arts Center (MAC), announced it will…
Eclectic Full Contact Theatre's The Red Lion - Bramble Arts Loft - Through May 16th
29 April 2026 in Now PlayingEclectic Full Contact Theatre is proud to announce the cast and crew for their final show of season 14, THE…
Free Metra rides for all Broadway In Chicago Shows all summer
29 April 2026 in Theatre BuzzBroadway In Chicago and Metra are pleased to announce a new promotion featuring nine shows coming to Chicago this summer: CHICAGO THE MUSICAL, LES MISÉRABLES, SPAMALOT, KINKY…
Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater 50th Anniversary Celebration
29 April 2026 in Upcoming DanceThe world‑renowned Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater, in residence at Northeastern Illinois University, brings the passionate, expressive rhythms of Spain…
Alone Together: Three Guys Fishing for Love in Stellar 'Eelpout!'
28 April 2026 in Theatre in ReviewShattered Globe’s world premiere of the delightful comedy “Eelpout!” delivers its punches with deceivingly understated skillfulness. Written by Paul W.…
Steppenwolf Theatre Announces LookOut Series' 10th Anniversary Season
28 April 2026 in Upcoming TheatreSteppenwolf's LookOut Series is proud to unveil its lineup for Summer 2026, marking ten years of steadfast dedication to Chicago performing artists…
Marriott Theatre to present LET'S HANG ON: A ROCK 'N SOUL PARTY June 1 and 2
28 April 2026 in Upcoming TheatreFour favorite singers of past Marriott Theatre concerts will unite on Monday, June 1 and Tuesday, June 2 for LET'S…
Review: The Movement You Need: An Evening with Brendan Hunt at Steppenwolf Theatre
28 April 2026 in Theatre in ReviewA show somewhere between a play, standup act, memoir, and PowerPoint presentation. A show so chaotic you think it could…
GEE'S BEND, playing May 23 – June 7 at Fleetwood-Jourdain Theatre in the Noyes Cultural Arts Center
27 April 2026 in Upcoming TheatreFleetwood-Jourdain Theatre today announced full casting and production team for its season-opening production of GEE'S BEND, the 2008 play by Elyzabeth Gregory Wilder, to…
BrightSide Theatre presents THE PRODUCERS, June 12 – 28, 2026
27 April 2026 in Upcoming TheatreConcluding BrightSide's 14th season will be THE PRODUCERS, the longest running Broadway musical comedy ever and the winner of 12 Tony…
Joffrey Ballet presents Chicago Premiere of Yuri Possokhov's EUGENE ONEGIN, June 4th-14th
27 April 2026 in Upcoming DanceThe Joffrey Ballet concludes its 2025-26 season with the highly anticipated Chicago Premiere of Yuri Possokhov’s Eugene Onegin, a richly layered and deeply human…
A Final Bow: Chicago Theatre Mourns Matt DeCaro
25 April 2026 in Theatre BuzzThe Chicago theater community is grappling with the sudden loss of Matt DeCaro, whose death early Saturday came as a…
Fault Shakes Up Chicago Shakespeare Theater with Fierce, Funny Chaos
25 April 2026 in Theatre in ReviewDark comedies built around relationship dynamics have always drawn me in because they reveal conflict with a kind of honesty…
At Writers Theatre, a Tech “Job” Too Toxic Shatters an Employee
24 April 2026 in Theatre in ReviewA psychotherapist is held hostage by a gun-toting patient demanding he certify her as stable enough to return to work.…
Curious Theatre Branch Announces Beau O'Reilly's TALKING ABOUT GODARD, May 29 - June 28
24 April 2026 in Upcoming TheatreCurious Theatre Branch, launches its 38th Season, with the revival of Talking About Godard, written by Beau O’Reilly and directed by Beau O’Reilly with Briavael O’Reilly, May…
Announcing the 2026 Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards Nominees and Show Sponsor
24 April 2026 in Theatre BuzzBroadway In Chicago is delighted to announce the 24 student nominees for Best Performer in an Actor and Actress role,…
Midsommer Flight to stage Shakespeare’s comedy AS YOU LIKE IT free in six Chicago parks June 27 – August 2
24 April 2026 in Upcoming TheatreFor its 13th free summer production, Midsommer Flight will present one of Shakespeare's most highly regarded and popular comedies. AS YOU…
Physical Theater Festival Chicago Announces Chicago Talent in this Year's Festival, June 1 - 7
23 April 2026 in Upcoming TheatrePhysical Theater Festival Chicago, the city’s annual celebration of contemporary, movement-based performance, announces a bold lineup spotlighting local creativity. Each…
Intuit’s New Exhibits Spark Verve Through Art
23 April 2026 in BCS SpotlightGatecrashers. That’s the term newspapers nearly 100 years ago called the works of self-taught artists when they began “crashing the…
safronia soars at Lyric Opera
22 April 2026 in Theatre in Reviewsafronia at Lyric Opera of Chicago emerges as a deeply personal story of the Great Migration - one that resists…
At Steppenwolf, Windfall Doesn’t Cash In on Its Promise
21 April 2026 in Theatre in ReviewSteppenwolf Theatre Company’s, Windfall arrives with all the promise its pedigree suggests. Written by Academy Award–winning ensemble member Tarell Alvin…
Redtwist’s Sobering ‘night Mother Asks Us to Look for the Unseen
21 April 2026 in Theatre in ReviewMother-daughter relationships are somehow deemed different. More seminal than the bond between a father and son. More instinctive than between…
Latest Articles
-
Chicago's Favorite Kids Show Returns This Summer The Second City's No Grown-Ups Allowed Starts June 6
Written by Buzz Center StageYour favorite kids show is back! The Second City is excited to welcome the return of its wildly popular summer hit for young audiences. No Grown-Ups Allowed is a high-energy, fast-paced sketch and improv comedy show delivering 60 minutes of non-stop laughter… -
Asgard Amplified: Loki’s Rock Revolution at Lifeline
Written by Ken PayneGet ready for a cosmic comedy of gods, monsters, and mayhem that refuses to play by the old rules. That’s right - the universe is ending, and apparently it booked a headliner. In Lifeline’s world premiere Loki: The End of… -
Rom‑Com Spark and ’80s Verve Light Up Metropolis’ Wedding Singer
Written by Ken PayneThe Wedding Singer is currently onstage at Metropolis Performing Arts Centre in Arlington Heights, offering a faithful and upbeat interpretation of the Adam Sandler–Drew Barrymore film. The production leans into the story’s rom‑com roots while making effective use of the…
-
E. Faye Butler directs stellar Chicago cast in comedy Nunsense this summer at Drury Lane
Written by Buzz Center StageDrury Lane Theatre continues its 2026/2027 season with the divine extravaganza Nunsense, featuring book, music and lyrics by David Goggin, directed by E. Faye Butler. Enjoy some holy hilarity with the Little Sisters of Hoboken in Nunsense, running June 10 – August 2, at Drury Lane…
Does your theatre company want to connect with Buzz Center Stage or would you like to reach out and say "hello"? Message us through facebook or shoot us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
*This disclaimer informs readers that the views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to Buzz Center Stage. Buzz Center Stage is a non-profit, volunteer-based platform that enables, and encourages, staff members to post their own honest thoughts on a particular production.