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Comedy Mon Mar 28 2011
Believe It or Not, Dixie's Tupperware Party Is For Real
Dixie Longate wants to make one thing clear: she's throwing a REAL Tupperware party. It's the gimmick that makes her show, the aptly named Dixie's Tupperware Party, unique, bold...and a little odd. Is it a comedy show where you can buy the props, or a Tupperware party where the host is in drag and loaded with jokes?
It's both.
Part salty satire, part comic infomercial, Tupperware Party started off-Broadway and comes to Chicago as part of a national tour. Tapping into the spirit of party-shows like Tony n' Tina's Wedding, Flanegan's Wake, or Late Nite Catechism, Dixie (an alter ego of performer Kris Andersson) spends the minutes before the show passing mints around and meeting her guests. She can greet them all by name, because everyone is asked to don a nametag immediately after walking into the theater. There are no programs, just Tupperware catalogs, complete with order form. Once the show begins, Dixie wastes no time before showing us her true colors. She demonstrate how her sheet cake caddy can double as a tote for jello shots. We learn the benefits of drinking Jack Daniel's from a sippy cup. And we hear the story of Brownie Wise, the inventor of the Tupperware party -- an uplifting story that contrasts with the raucous, raunchy humor that dominates the show-- returned to each time things start to get a little too silly.
If you're not looking to be brought up on stage or addressed by Dixie during her 90 minutes on stage, consider hanging toward the back of the theater -- the show features a lot of audience participation, and shy types might feel uncomfortable up front. While you don't need to be familiar with the Tupperware party format to enjoy the show, any Tupperware fans (and especially any Tupperware ladies) will eat up the jokey product references and the saleslady satire. For everyone else, there are plenty of jokes about sex, drinking, and domestic failure to go around.
If you're looking for a breezy evening of comedy, Dixie's Tupperware Party fits the bill. It might not be the most fun you'll ever have at the theater, but it will definitely be the most fun you'll find at a Tupperware Party.
Dixie's Tupperware Party shows through May 15 at the Royal George Theater, 1641 N. Halsted. Call 312-988-9000 for tickets or visit the box office.
LaShawn Williams / March 29, 2011 10:08 AM
Nice, Marissa!