Hell in a Handbag to Premiere CHRISTMAS DEAREST

Hell in a Handbag will premiere a new show that is sure to be a camp holiday classic for those who prefer a little something spicier in their stocking at Christmas.

Christmas Dearest tells the tale of Hollywood superstar, Joan Crawford, and the important lessons she learns one Christmas Eve. The show runs Nov. 29-Dec. 29.

T'was the night before Christmas and MGM's biggest star, Miss Joan Crawford, is playing the title role in "Oh Mary", a splashy new musical biopic about The Virgin Mary, Mother of God.

Poor Joan (David Cerda) needs a drink. And a REWRITE! Jesus has all the best lines, the costumes aren't sexy at all, and the guy playing Joseph is a big clumsy oaf! If they will just do it Joan's way, maybe she can salvage the picture.

Life away from the camera lens is just as exasperating. Joan's trusty assistant, Carol Ann (Ed Jones), has the nerve to want Christmas day off to be with her 'family', and everywhere Joan turns somebody is looking for a handout for one charity or another. Then there's Christina, the daughter from hell who loves to make Joan miserable and succeeds in spades.

Christmas Dearest is Hell in a Handbag's take on Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol as told by Handbag's Artistic Director, David Cerda, author of Rudolph the Red-Hosed Reindeer, Handbag's long running-holiday (15 years) classic. "I love doing 'Rudolph' and although we update it every year, it was just time to do something different, 'says Cerda. "I think people are going to really love Joan Crawford as Ebenezer Scrooge" adds Cerda.

Other Handbag ensemble member in the cast include Alex Grelle, Steve Love, Michael J. Hampton and Sydney Genco. Returning to Handbag our Katherine Glavin (Rudolph) , Jamie Smith (The Birds), and Michael John Lea (The Birds).

Newcomers to Hell in a Handbag include Chicago theater veteran Jeremy Trager, Christopher Lewis, Grant Drager and Caitlin Jackson.

Photo by Rick Aguilar Studios