Screw Streisand. I prefer Cher. The woman can do it all.

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Tickets for Mommie Dearest at the Music Box Theatre are selling rather briskly so don’t be left out in the cold. Go to Ticketweb to purchase your tickets! Join Dick O’ Day, Hell in a Handbag and The Joans to help celebrate the Mother of all Mothers on Mothers Day.

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Yesterday was a fun show but I have to say the attendance was low. Is it the late start time or the economy or competing with Looptopia? Just kiddingabout Looptopia… Anyway, Brooke Allen house managed and funny always follows Brooke. Apparently a gentleman who looked to be in his 80’s came to the theater with Bailiwick vouchers in hand and wanted to see Hunchback- the Musical.

Brooke: That show isn’t open yet.

Old Man: Okay, then, I want to see that other show, Mamma Mia!

Brooke:That’s Die! Mommie, Die!

Old Man: Oh, forget it. I’ll wait for Hunchback to open.

Brooke: Why aren’t you wearing pants?*

* Okay, I added that part

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The non-equity Jeff nominations were announced today. Congratulations to the Handbag ensemble members Tim Howard, Adrienne Smith and Brigitte Ditmars for being involved in 3 of the Best Musical nominees.

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Be careful what you ask for…

So I was running around the house getting ready for the show last night when I checked my e-mail and did something I should never do before a show- read a new review. It was a rather not good review of DMD in the Chicago Tribune by Miss Nina Metz and I was the one thing that was not good, according to her. Of course she’s wrong, but I was mad at myself for letting it piss me off so much before a show. When I started out in this biz, I was told never to believe what was written about you in reviews- except when it says your brilliant. Okay, I added that last part, but it’s funny how much power we give negative things. Face it- sometimes it’s fun to read a nasty review. Some theater critics or publications (aimed at 20-30 something MAC using faux hipsters), seem to thrive on it. I’ve never met Nina and I don’t recall her reviewing us before. She did end it stating that the show was running 2 more months, and she was sure I would improve by then. Huh? So I went to the theatre in my shitty mood and we ended up having a house of 16, which for Handbag is a LOW number. The audience was on the ‘quiet’ side. The fun just never stops.

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Tonight begins the second week of Die! Mommie, Die! and the reviews are finally in, and they are pretty damn good-even the head scratching one. We got a ‘Highly Recommended’ in The Reader today, which is nice for people who don’t care to spend 90 seconds of their lives to read a review-  the majority of the American public. We’re still waiting on Gay Chicago and the Chicago Tribune.  Gay Chicago comes out once a week and they are backed up but the Tribune? 10 days and nothing. They consider us ‘fringe’. You have no idea the indignity we have to go through to get a critic to come to see a show, so I guess I’ll stop while I’m sort of ahead. I have a new link category, Press/Reviews, where you can see all the dirt, good and not so good. I’d better take a look at my script.

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I wonder if skag sluts get the idea that they don’t really have to work at an early age. At just what point in their life do they realize that they are going to officially be skag sluts and not accountable for any of their actions? This lawsuit puzzles me.

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We completed our first weekend of Die! Mommie, Die! and things are going well. We’re still waiting for reviews as not a one has come out yet. Favorable reviews always mean bigger houses, which means a better chance of at least breaking even.  There is a feature in NewCity Magazine with myself and Charles Busch. Yesterday I flung the scissors at Edith so hard that I lost my balance and fell in my heels. It was pretty funny. Saturday night I went to Trista Smith’s birthday party and the cops were called. It was sort of like high school… I was worried for Brigitte since she was holding a huge mason jar full of moonshine.

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Day of Silence.

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Our very own blonde bombshell Trista Smith is featured in the current issue of TimeOut Chicago in a feature about surviving as a Chicago actor. Looking good, Trista!

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