MOMMIE DEAREST

It’s summertime in Chicago and our favorite four-letter word is CAMP. Yes, the kids are away so pour yourself a vodka and settle in for MOMMIE DEAREST, a film about an aging Hollywood actress trying to stay relevant while smacking around her adopted kids and screaming iconic lines like: NO WIRE HANGERS! EVER! To help us dig into why CAMP and QUEER go hand in hand, we brought in an expert. David Cerda is the co-founder and artistic director of Hell in a Handbag Productions, a Chicago-based theatrical group formed to celebrate and preserve the art of high camp. David helps us unpack all the ways childhood trauma can turn you into a bitchy queen and what to do when, well, that’s not working for you anymore.  CW: alcoholism, emotional abuse, generational trauma