“The Golden Girls Meet the Skooby Don’t Gang: The Mystery of the Haunted Bush.” (Photo: Rick Aguilar Studios)
Columbia College Chicago alum Tyler Anthony Smith ’17, a graduate of the Theatre program’s BA Program in Acting, was praised by WTTW critic Marc Vitali for his “standout performance” in Hell in a Handbag Productions‘ Halloween show The Golden Girls Meet the Skooby Don’t Gang: The Mystery of the Haunted Bush, running through November 3 at the Chopin Theatre, located at 1543 W. Division in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood.
Tyler Anthony Smith (center) in “The Golden Girls Meet the Skooby Don’t Gang: The Mystery of the Haunted Bush.” (Photo: Rick Aguilar Studios)
The WTTW review, published October 18, 2024, on the website of WTTW (Chicago’s PBS affiliate), was headlined “Drag Yourself to the Theater for Cross-Dressing Fun With ‘The Golden Girls’ and the ‘Scooby Doo’ Gang.” The reviewer called the show an “affectionate and campy homage to cultural touchstones from TV land” and “high camp with loads of low humor,” singling out Smith’s portrayal of Fred from the Mystery Gang, “complete with orange ascot.” To read the full review, click here.
Tyler Anthony Smith in “The Golden Girls Meet the Skooby Don’t Gang: The Mystery of the Haunted Bush.” (Photo: Rick Aguilar Studios)
As previously reported in this blog, The Golden Girls Meet the Skooby Don’t Gang: The Mystery of the Haunted Bush is a world premiere mystery-comedy spoof of two beloved TV series – The Golden Girls and Skooby Do. It runs through November 3 at the Chopin Theatre, located at 1543 W. Division in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood. For tickets, click here.
Tyler Anthony Smith
As previously reported in this blog, Tyler Anthony Smith is a Hell in a Handbag Productions ensemble member. He wrote and costarred in the company’s hit shows Poor People! The Parody Musical and Frankenstreisand, and also appeared in the company’s previous hits The Golden Girls Save Xmas and Murder, ReWrote, a spoof of TV’s Murder, She Wrote with satiric elements of the movie Mommie Dearest. Next spring, Hell in a Handbag will present the world premiere of Smith’s new show, Annie Cokeley, described as “a rootin’-tootin’, brand-spankin’ new dark comedy” inspired by famed early-20th-century American sharpshooter Annie Oakley.
In addition to Smith, the cast of The Golden Girls Meet the Skooby Don’t Gang: The Mystery of the Haunted Bush includes Columbia College Theatre alum TJ O’Brien ’95, who is an understudy. The show’s scenic designer is Columbia College alum Marcus Klein ’23, a graduate of the Theatre program’s BA Program in Theatre Design and Technology. The assistant scenic designer is Columbia College alum Morgan Laszlo ’24, also a graduate of the Theatre Design and Technology BA program, and the stage manager is Columbia College alum Veronica Kostka ’24, who graduated with a BA in Environmental and Sustainability Studies.
