By Kai Bisby

Whoa, Nellie!

As Laura Ingalls once said to her father when Nellie Oleson diabolically tricked her (yet again) in Little House On the Prairie, "That Nellie Oleson is one crazy bitch, Pa!" All right, Laura may have never actually said that, but she was certainly thinking it. And who wouldn't think that of her ringlet-wearing arch nemesis Nellie? Well, the crazy bitch is being let out of the prairie when the hot, hilarious, and certainly tasteless sketch comedy troupe, the Nellie Olesons, take the stage at Casita Del Campo (1920 Hyperion Ave., Silver Lake) Sept. 15-24, with additional performances on Sept. 21 at the Comedy Central Stage at the Hudson Theatre (6539 Santa Monica Blvd., Hlywd.), and Sept. 29-Oct. 1 at the Davidson Valentini Theatre at the Village (1125 N. McCadden Place, W. Hlywd.). The trio of performers has created several critically acclaimed shows, and they have their comedy curls tighter than ever for this new show, appropriately titled Older! Uglier! and Meaner! Founding members Nora Burns and Terrence Michael started the group in 1993 in New York City as an offshoot of the all-gay troupe, Planet Q, with John Cantwell joining the troupe in 1997. With the Nellies in place, they toured the United States and Canada, including Montreal's Just For Laughs Comedy Festival, Toronto's We're Funny That Way Festival, and New York's P.S. 122. The Nellies then headed to Hollywood (as all Nellies eventually do) and made their first film, simply titled The Nellie Olesons, which won the Audience Award for Best Short Video at Outfest. After a five-year hiatus, and nearly 10 years since their L.A. debut, the Nellies are back to take audiences into their wacked-out world with tributes to cult film classics like Psycho, Grey Gardens, and Mommie Dearest, satirical sketches that rip on everyone from office workers and orgasmic newscasters to Ann Coulter and Terri Schiavo. And what would a Nellie show be without a big, queeny dance routine and a flash of a mangina (or two)? Sounds like my kind of show! The Nellie Oleson formula is extreme to say the least, with 23 fast-paced sketches in a little over an hour, equaling 15 characters and costume changes for each Nellie (I need a powder just thinking about it). Recently headlining L.A.'s first gay and lesbian comedy festival, Outlaugh!, the Nellies are back with a vengeance (as crazy bitches are capable of) and, hopefully, here to stay. For tickets and information, call The Cavern Club at (323) 969-2530, The Hudson Theatre at (323) 960-5519, or The Village at (323) 860-7300.