Starring Dick O'Day and the Hell In a Handbag Players

Camp Midnight invites you to a special presentation of Mommie Dearest. The Joan-a-Palooza festivities start at 1:30pm with a pre-show featuring Dick O’Day and the Hell in a Handbag players. Join us for a Mother/Daughter matching outfit contest! Be amazed by a music video for “Joan Crawford Goes to Hell” performed by The Joans, the world’s first band dedicated to “giving Joan Crawford a rock-n-roll voice.” A screening of the over-the-top 1981 camp classic immediately follows. Audience members will receive an interactive audience guide, and members of Camp Midnight will provide hilarious running commentary throughout the film.

With a portion of proceeds to benefit Vital Bridges — at the forefront of helping men, women and children impacted by HIV and AIDS build healthier lives for over twenty years.

Brunch

The Camp Midnight crew has also teamed up with Blue Bayou, Chicago’s terrific Sunday brunch destination to offer an exclusive upgrade for the event. Guests can purchase VIM (Very Important Mother) tickets that include brunch beginning at 11:00am at Blue Bayou (directly across the street from the Music Box at 3734 N. Southport) and preferred, reserved seating at the theatre. A limited number of VIM tickets are available and are just $28.50 each and include brunch and an adult beverage. Tickets for the screening alone are $12 per person.

More info…

Mother’s Day with Mommie Dearest is being hosted by the camptacular emcee Dick O’Day (Emmy award winning “Wild Chicago” correspondent) who has driven by BOTH Faye Dunaway and Joan Crawford’s homes in California. David Cerda, founder and lead singer with The Joans, is playwright and Artistic Director of Hell in a Handbag Productions (the company that the Chicago Reader says, “Represents the gold standard in camp in Chicago”). The Chicago Tribune has dubbed Cerda the “Charles Ludlam of the Midwest.”

The lavish, over-the-top Mommie Dearest is the 1981 screen adaptation of Christina Crawford’s best-selling memoir about growing up as the adopted daughter of iconic movie star Joan Crawford. The infamous book details Crawford’s allegations of years of physical and mental abuse by her movie star mother. Faye Dunaway’s performance in the film brought equal parts hosannas and derision by critics. Though the movie flopped with the mainstream public it was instantly enshrined as a camp classic and is revered by fans. “No wire hangers,” “Don’t f*** with me fellas,” “Tina, hand me the ax,” and several other memorable lines from the film have also entered the camp lexicon and popular culture.

The basics, pure and simple… (well, at least simple)

WHAT: A Mother’s Day Screening of Mommie Dearest with all the camptacular fun you can imagine. It’s like Mystery Science Theatre 3000 meets Joan Crawford and Ricky Gervais.

WHO: Presented by the Music Box Theatre, Dick O’Day, Hell in a Handbag, and Camp Midnight, hosted by Dick O’Day and Hell in a Handbag’s David Cerda.

WHERE: The Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport

WHEN: Sunday, May 8th, 2011. Brunch staring at 11:00am at the Blue Bayou, festivities begin at the Music Box at 1:30pm.

TICKETS: $12 to $28.50 http://www.musicboxtheatre.com/events/ 773.871.6607, Seating is General Admission with a special section of reserved general admission seating devoted to VIM seating.

EXTRA BONUS: The first 300 attendees in their seats will receive their own commemorative wire hanger!

External Links

• Dick O’Day website

Showtimes

Showtimes for this film to be announced soon.

See showtimes for all currently scheduled films.