Turner portrayed in drag in a 2013 a Chicago production of Límitation of Life, based on Imitation of Life (1959)
Lana Turner (Ed Jones) get her first modeling job and bowls everybody over in Hell in a Handbag's L'imitation of Life. Photo by Rick Aguilar Studios. Must credit for publication. L'imitation of Life adapted by Ricky Graham w/Running with Scissors Directed by Cheryl Snodgrass Where: Mary's Attic, 5400 N. Clark St. Previews: April 4, 5 Press Opening: Saturday, April 6 Runs: Thurs - Sat through May 10 No Show: April 20, 27 Additional shows: April 8, 15, 29 All Showtimes: 7:30pm Admission: $15-$25 VIP Packages: $35- $100, premium reserved seating, 1st drink Reservations: (800) 838-3006 or Brown Paper Tickets online <a href="http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/346522" rel="nofollow">www.brownpapertickets.com/event/346522</a> Chicago, IL -From the Running with Scissors Theater Company in New Orleans comes a wicked parody of Imitation of Life, the classic Douglas Sirk directed three hankie tearjerker about race, mothers and daughters, and looking FABULOUS. Handbag ensemble member Ed Jones channels post-murder trial Lana Turner in all of her scene chewing glory. Don’t miss as Handbag tackles racism and drag in spiked heels. See Lana Turner claw her way to the top with the help and support of her confidante' and maid, the indomitable Miss Annie Johnson. Lana is a struggling Caucasian widow and single mother with aspirations of becoming a Broadway sensation. When Lana meets Annie Johnson, a struggling single Negro mother, the two team up and take on the world as Lana does 'whatever it takes' to make it in show business- while Annie takes care of the homestead and raises both daughters. The two women face insurmountable challenges led by their daughters. There's the blonde, perky and 'so white it's frightening" Suzie , daughter of Lana Turner, and the raven haired rebellious light-skinned beauty, Sara Jane, daughter of Annie. Sara Jane learns the hard truth about acceptance and the color of your skin- especially when she tries to 'pass' as white. Suzie has problems of her own, struggling with the pain of with an absentee mother and looking for love in all of the wrong places, including the arms of her mother’s lover, Steve Martin. No, not that Steve Martin. Límitation of Life is a dead on parody of the 1959 film, Imitation of Life, that was, at the time a highly controversial movie on race and women in America. While the film may be dated by today’s modern standards, the direction of Douglas Sirk and the grounded, honest performances of two of the films actors, Juanita Moore and Susan Kohner rose above the trappings of standard melodramatic dramas of the 50’s, which led to Academy Award nominations for the two. In the grand Handbag tradition the roles of both mothers and daughters will be played by male actors. Besides Handbag stalwart Ed Jones as Lana Turner, Steve Love (SCARRIE The Musical, SEXY BABY), will play Suzie, Lana’s love starved daughter, played by iconic Sandra Dee in the film. Handbag ensemble member Alex Grelle (SCARRIE The Musical, Rudolph the Red-Hosed Reindeer) plays Sara-Jane, Annie’s troubled mulatto daughter and Handbag newcomer Robert Williams will be playing Annie Johnson, the solid as a rock confidante’s to Lana Turner. Rounding out the cast are John Cardone, Michael S. Miller and special guest star and Chicago cabaret diva Lynne Jordan as the legendary Mahalia Jackson. Join us for the first show of our 2013 season and see why Hell in a Handbag presents the best camp theater in all of Chicago.