Home

Displaying items by tag: Holiday Edition, Vol 2

There are certain theatrical events that I look forward to attending each season and Hell in a Handbag's Holiday shows are always at the top of my list. ‘The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes – The Holiday Edition, Vol 2’ should be on the top of everyone’s list.  

When I'm sitting in the super cozy Mary's Attic filled with Christmas lights watching one of their wonderful camp parodies, I always feel like I am at home and in the company of great friends and family. This time I love everything about this show, including the opening when host Lori Lee (sidekick Flo) leads the audience in singing the theme song from Golden Girls TV show set in sunny Miami where I grew up. 

Thank you for being a friend.

Travel down the road and back again.

Your heart is true, you're a pal and a confidant

.And if you threw a party,

invited everyone you knew.

You would see the biggest gift would be from me

and the card attached would say,

thank you for being a friend.

This year’s 'Lost Episodes,' written with cheeky humor- as well as great compassion by Artistic Director David Cerda has especially sweet plotlines that remind me again how lucky one is to have friends and family around you... particularly during your golden years. 

Ed Jones as Rose Nylund, who still believes in Santa Claus is a scene stealer, as always delivers his spot on and totally endearing portrayal of the character made famous by the still "golden" Betty White. 

Grant Drager as Blanche delivers the sass and unabashedly sexy spice that shows even golden girls still have sexual needs that they should not be ashamed of! David Cerda as Dorothy and Ryan Oates as her mother Sophia bring home the dry humor that makes me laugh out loud every time. But I am also reminded of the true bond between mother and daughter when Sophia breaks her poker face and gently asks her daughter, "What's wrong pussycat?"  

Directed and choreographed by the very talented Stevie Love, each scene has a huge variety of great physical comedy and lighting surprises that make you wish the play was longer. Lori Lee is the host of the evening and gets acquainted with the audience between episodes with fun Golden Girls trivia that includes prizes for the audience members. Having the house lights up and interacting with Lori and others as they try to guess the answers lets you actually get to mingle with the audience you are sitting in and is a lovely part of the show.

If you've already been to a Hell in a Handbag Production and are addicted to their special brand of camp humor and music like I am, you already know how unique and fun their shows are. If you haven't been to one yet, ‘The Holiday Edition, Vol 2’ of Golden Girls is a PERFECT production to attend. 

Tis the season to curl up on one of the comfy couches at Mary's Attic with a hot toddy in hand and have a long, hard... laugh with your favorite family of friends! 

‘The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes – The Holiday Edition, Vol 2’ is being performed at Mary’s Attic through December 29th. For more information visit www.handbagproductions.org.

Published in Theatre in Review

The 37th annual Rhinoceros Theater Festival Returns September 20 – October 26 at Six Chicago venues

12 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

Curious Theatre Branch, with co-producers Chicago Danztheater Ensemble, Chicago Dramatists and Labyrinth Club, are pleased to announce the 37th annual Rhinoceros Theater…

Collaboraction announces two major productions at its new House of Belonging in Humboldt Park in 2026-27

12 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

Collaboraction Theatre Company announced today two major productions for its 2026-27 season: the world premiere of Chicago writer Willie Round’s…

A Red Orchid Theatre Opens 34th Season with Chicago Premiere of HEROES OF THE FOURTH TURNING October 29 – December 6, 2026

12 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

A Red Orchid Theatre is pleased open its 34th Season, exploring the theme of "world on fire," with the Chicago premiere of Will…

Open Space Arts to present THE SWALLOW, by Spain's Guillem Clua, September 11 - 27

12 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

Open Space Arts has announced it will stage the Chicago Premiere of THE SWALLOW - the internationally acclaimed drama by…

CHICAGO HUMANITIES announces full Fall Festival 2026 programming

11 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

Chicago Humanities proudly announces the full lineup for its Fall Festival 2026, with conversations ranging from social justice, music, politics, literature, food,…

Tin Drum Theatre Company announces Chicago premiere of A Dark Wood by Eric Coble, Oct. 15–Nov. 1 at Greenhouse Theater Center

11 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

Tin Drum Theatre Company is proud to announce the cast and creative team for Chicago premiere for A Dark Wood, October 15 -…

Young dancers and performers invited to audition for Joffrey Ballet's The Nutcracker, September 10 and 13

11 August 2026 in Theatre Buzz

The Joffrey Ballet holds open auditions for the Children's Cast of Christopher Wheeldon's The Nutcracker at its downtown studios in Joffrey Tower, 10 East…

Midsommer Flight to present staged reading of ADELINDA – an irreverent class comedy from 1796, at The Understudy on September 14

11 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

Midsommer Flight will for the third year present a one-night-only staged reading of a play from the EXPAND THE CANON list,…

Oil Lamp Theater Presents DIAL M FOR MURDER, October 2 - November 1

11 August 2026 in Theatre Buzz

Oil Lamp Theater, presenting I Love You Because, August 14 - September 13, is proud to announce the cast and creative team…

Music Director/Conductor James Moore To Receive Sarah Siddons Society's "Leading Artist Award"

10 August 2026 in Theatre Buzz

The Sarah Siddons Society is honored to present its 2026 Leading Artist Award to James Moore, Music Director and Conductor of Lincoln Center Theatre's…

House of the Exquisite Corpse, Chicago’s only puppet haunted house, returns with the nightmare-inducing new theme LULLABIES, October 8-November 1 at Steppenwolf’s The Merle

10 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

House of the Exquisite Corpse, Chicago’s one and only puppet haunted house, returns for its sixth Halloween season with a…

Red Clay Dance Company announces Season 18 programming

10 August 2026 in Upcoming Dance

Red Clay Dance Company, Chicago's premier Afro-contemporary dance company, proudly announces its exciting Season 18: Spectrum programming, including Founding Artistic Director and…

Mean Girls, the hit Broadway musical getting a fierce Chicago premiere at Aurora’s Paramount Theatre, August 26-October 11

09 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

Break out your Burn Book and mark these dates: Aurora’s Paramount Theatre is launching its 15th Broadway Series with the…

American Blues Theater names Nia Akilah Robinson the recipient of the 2026 Blue Ink Award for her play Overnight at the Museum and announces featured finalists Benjamin Benne and Claire Crowley

07 August 2026 in Theatre Buzz

American Blues Theater, under the continued leadership of Executive Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside, announces the recipient of the 2026 Blue Ink Award is Nia Akilah…

Love and Time On Our Side: The Notebook: The Musical at Broadway in Chicago

06 August 2026 in Theatre in Review

In times of stress, we often turn to familiar and comforting things: a favorite song, a dog-eared book, a movie…

9th NEXUS Chamber Music Festival - Guarneri Hall - Through August 14

06 August 2026 in Now Playing

Chamber music may be one of music’s most misunderstood children.  An early form of classical music, it has always been…

Otherworld Theatre's Starship Edsel - Second City’s De Maat Theatre - Through September 13

05 August 2026 in Now Playing

This summer, the Starship Edsel boldly goes where they maybe shouldn’t go as Otherworld Theatre, Chicago’s premier destination for Science…

Remy Bumppo Theatre Company Announces Mud Row October 15 - November 15 at Theater Wit

05 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

Remy Bumppo Theatre Company is pleased to announce the cast, creative and production teams for the first production in its 2026…

Victory Gardens Theater presents the World Premiere of Zayd Ayers Dohrn's The Humanities beginning September 10th

05 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

Victory Gardens Theater (2433 N. Lincoln Avenue), an historic incubator for new play development, proudly announces the World Premiere staging of The…

Goodman Theatre Presents Dead Girl's Quinceañera September 26th Through November 1st

05 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

Secrets, sisterhood and solving crime take center stage this fall in the world premiere co-production of Dead Girl's Quinceañera by Miami native…

Steppenwolf Theatre Presents ADIRONDACK CHAIR CIRCLE – October 22 – December 6, 2026 – World Premiere!

04 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

Steppenwolf Theatre Company, the nation's premier ensemble theater company, is pleased to continue its 51st Season with the world premiere of Chicago playwright Stephanie…

Writers Theatre celebrates record-breaking 2025/26 Season with artistic growth and unprecedented ticket sales

04 August 2026 in Theatre Buzz

Writers Theatre, under the leadership of Executive Director Kathryn M. Lipuma and Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Artistic Director Braden Abraham, concluded its 2025/26…

Chicago City Opera presents a Mozart double feature of The Impresario and Bastien and Bastienne August 15th & 16th

04 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

Chicago City Opera (CCO) presents an evening of two one act Mozart operas The Impresario and Bastien and Bastienne combined…

The Notebook - James M. Nederlander Theatre - Through August 16th

04 August 2026 in Now Playing

Producers Kevin McCollum and Kurt Deutsch, along with Broadway In Chicago are thrilled to announce THE NOTEBOOK, a new musical based…

Harris Theater Presents return of Chicago Black Dance Legacy Project, Aug. 28

04 August 2026 in Upcoming Dance

Following last year’s smashing sold-out engagement, the Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance proudly presents the return…

Chicago Magic Lounge Welcomes Back David Parr as Fall Artist in Residence with Time Traveler October 7 – December 16

04 August 2026 in Upcoming Theatre

Chicago Magic Lounge welcomes back acclaimed magician David Parr as its Fall Artist in Residence with David Parr: Time Traveler, a new theatrical experience…

ETA’s for colored girls Honors the Enduring Power of Ntozake Shange

04 August 2026 in Theatre in Review

Nearly fifty years after its groundbreaking premiere, Ntozake Shange's for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow…

yo ho. Delivers Queer Pirate Chaos, Big Laughs, and Fierce Swordplay

03 August 2026 in Theatre in Review

A quick history lesson: Anne Bonny and Mary Read are two of history’s most famous female pirates. Both women disguised…

PrideArts' WINDOWS - Hoover-Leppen Theatre in Center on Halsted - Through August 23rd

03 August 2026 in Now Playing

PrideArts' 2026-27 season will open in August with the world premiere of Chicago-based playwright Matt Schutz's WINDOWS, a comedy of LGBT…

The Outsiders - Cadillac Palace - Through August 16th

03 August 2026 in Now Playing

The Tony Award® winning Best Musical, THE OUTSIDERS, based on the seminal novel by S.E. Hinton and Francis Ford Coppola’s landmark motion picture, returns to Chicago…

 

         20 Years and counting!

Register

     

Latest Articles

Guests Online

We have 1153 guests and no members online

Buzz Chicago on Facebook Buzz Chicago on Twitter 

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.