Judy's Scary Little Christmas: Chicago Tribune Article

THEATER: PREVIEW

Judy Garland fans may find Christmas wishes granted

Jennifer Connelly as Judy Garland in

"Judy's Scary Little Christmas"

By Jenn Q. Goddu
Special to the Tribune
Published December 2, 2005

Most performers welcome an invitation to audition for a show, but Jennifer Connelly "fought it tooth and nail" when Hell in a Handbag Productions asked her to try out for the starring role in "Judy's Scary Little Christmas."

The show at Strawdog Theatre has the premise of Judy Garland hosting a 1959 TV Christmas special.

Connelly "was very, very scared" of taking the part. "It's not like you're doing Joe Schmoe," she said. "It's Judy Garland. A lot of people have a lot of love for her and ... you hope you do it justice."

Garland was a great draw for Hell in a Handbag Productions when they decided to mount this Chicago premiere, said show director Tim Howard. "We deal mostly in spoofs and parodies of pop culture and cult shows, movies and things like that, and Judy is actually one of those celebrities who definitely has a cult following but we had never really done anything that addressed her."

The musical, featuring original music and lyrics by Joe Patrick Ward and a book by James Webber and David Church, sees Garland inviting special guests such as Bing Crosby, Ethel Merman and Joan Crawford to join her in celebrating the season. But things take a sort of "Twilight Zone twist" when unexpected guests arrive and force the celebrities to re-examine their lives. In particular, Judy has to confront the pressure put on her from an early age to be a success.

"It's an odd but very fun show," said Derek Czaplewski, who portrays Crosby. "It's definitely a camp show in that it parodies certain performers and a certain situation, in this case the variety show of the '50s and '60s. And it treats these characters with a lot of fun and also reveals their dark side."

However, it's important that the show has a gentle approach, Howard said. "There are a lot of shows out there that are parodies and spoofs but they kind of take a stab at making fun of these people, whereas this one really does have a lot of care and love for these people. "Connelly wasn't a huge fan of Garland before she began doing her research for the role -- but as she learned more, her admiration increased. "I'm discovering what powerful chords she had. I think she could take down a wall if she wanted to," she said.

To get into his character, Czaplewski read Crosby biographies, watched his movies and listened to the crooner's music. "The nice thing about the characters in this show is that their lives and their careers have been well documented," he said. "As much as or little as the actor wants to get into it they can delve into their [character's] past or simply try to faithfully recreate them or just offer a loving homage to them."

The actor's focus is on imitating Crosby vocally and physically but his recreation of the celebrity persona has been informed by reading about Crosby's personal life and childhood, and the at times cruel things he reportedly did to his own family. "He was very much [of] the `put on the smile, put on the show' [school] but there was a much darker side to this man."

Connelly steered clear of the tragedy in Garland's life and instead watched movies such as "A Star is Born" and listened to songs such as "Swanee."

She's not aiming to impersonate the celebrity so much as pay homage. "To impersonate her I'd be crazy," Connelly said.

She may not yet be convinced of her ability to capture Judy Garland on-stage -- referring to it as a work in progress -- but she is happy to be part of the production. "When I was a kid, every Christmas, you sat around and you watched these shows. That was the big thing ... and this is bringing it back."

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`Judy's Scary Little Christmas'

When: Through Jan. 7

Where: Hell in a Handbag Productions at Strawdog Theatre, 3829 N. Broadway

Price: $15-$20, 312-409-4357 or www.handbagproductions.org