“The Golden Gals Live!”

[rating=5]Do you remember “The Golden Girls” on television? This was a sit-com that started in 1985 ( this was well before all these streaming networks became part of our world). For 7 years, people watched the antics of four women living in a house in Miami. The four women were Dorothy (Beatrice Arthur), Rose ( Betty White),Blanche (Rue McClanahan and Dorothy’s mother, Sophia (Estelle Getty). Blanche was the over seed one, Rose the yokel, Dorothy the leader and Sophia the wry and dry humor. The show was funny and for 30 minutes, your life was focused on just enjoying the story. These episodes are available on ME-TV and other stations on nights when you are having trouble sleeping.

In Chicago, through our Hell in a Handbag Theatre Company, we have been witness to some hysterical reboots of this series in drag. While we are used to what David Cerda calls “The Lost Episodes” I am not so sure that the rest of the world is so lucky. They will now have the opportunity as there is a new Dorothy and crew in town! Fruit Wine Productions has a new production called “The Golden Gals Live!” now onstage at The Mercury Theater Chicago on Southport.

This is a brand new show written by Joshua Eads and directed by Ginger Minj ( who is also a very sexy Blanche). This is a cast of  5 ( plus a dancer in a talent show scene (Marcus Jackson is dynamite) and is far longer than the 30 minute segments that you are used to. The story is a mixture of shows put into one 2 hour production. It is two acts with an intermission. The set by Bob Silton looks pretty much like the living room on the show, so those who are somewhat fans will feel right at home. The ladies live in a development in the Greater Miami area.

The story has some confusing parts. It involves Rose (Gidget Galore is right on with this character) and Blanche being in a production of “The Sound Of Music” at the community center and Blanche having a “thing” with Bart Reynolds ( Jason Richards, who by the way plays all of the parts other than the four main characters). Another part of the story is that Dorothy( Divine Grace is extraordinary in this role- one might think that Bea Arthur has come back for the night) and her ex-husband, Stan (Richards again) should be celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary so Uncle Angelio ( Richards again) who married them is on his way from Italy to rejoice with them. So Sophia (Mr. Ms. Adrien is hysterical- almost Billy Crystal-like) has paid him to stop by.

If this is not enough, Dorothy’s sister, Gloria ( would you believe, Richards again?) has left her husband and has come to confess that she has discovered that she is a Lesbian. Now that we have all the sub-stories, we then get a  Hurricane that changes the entire plan. We do get a marvelous talent show in the second act where our cast gets to truly show their “stuff”.

This is a show filled with humor and memories of the wonderful cast that made this show the award winner it was. I know that it was another time and we were in a different place, but the humor that was created by Susan Harris over 35 years ago has withstood the years and is still funny. Seeing it in “drag” with some major players is a treat that will make you smile no matter what is happening in your life. Let’s face it; we loved the ladies that made this show a success and these performers pay tribute to them by bringing their characters to the stage LIVE with love and adoration that shows from start to finish.

This production will continue at The Mercury Theater Chicago located at 3745 N. Southport thru February 12th with performances as follows:

Fridays  7:30 p.m.

Saturday 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Sundays  2:30 p.m.

Tickets range from $39-$75 and are available at www.mercurytheaterchicago.com

Stop by early and visit the Venus Cabaret next door for a cocktail. They have some very special drinks to get you in the mood for your trip to Miami,

To see what others are saying, visit www.theatreinchicago.com, go to Review Round-Up and click at “The Golden Gals Live!”