A night out with Carla Hall (but sadly no biscuits for the audience)

I admittedly only really know Carla Hall from her appearances on some of the Food Network's baking competitions (their Holiday & Halloween Baking Championships, mostly); I've never watched Top Chef. But I knew she had some interest in theater from her involvement with the musical Grace at Ford's Theatre back in 2022. But I was intrigued when I saw that she'd be doing a one-woman show at Olney Theatre: Please Underestimate Me. (The title, too, caught my attention.)

The show is framed around a segment about making biscuits on a fictional talk show, though as the performance progresses, it's not even really trying to hide that it's The Chew, which she co-hosted. (Also, sadly, the audience does not get to eat the biscuits, which was upsetting for me. I adore biscuits.)

Carla Hall in Please Underestimate Me. Photo by Teresa Castracane Photography.

It's a show that manages to be a lot of fun while also being moving and frustrating as you watch Carla's journey. I loved Carla's depiction of her time at theater camp as a child and her life pre-chef is unexpected--accounting! Modeling! Going to Howard with Kamala Harris!

She discovers cooking and winds up on Top Chef and The Chew, where the audience groans as the producers give her notes about how to behave and look and tamp down her personality. But we also get to see Carla grow and learn to stand up for herself in a way that empowers the audience (with whom she has some fun interactions--and she definitely has thoughts about how much audience members, even ones pulled from the crowd, should be able to improvise with her). It's an intimate show and you really feel like you get to know Carla. She tells her story in a way that makes it both incredibly personal but also universal. Most people will be able to relate to at least some of what she's gone through.

The set designed by Lauren M. Nichols is truly a delight, and Kelly Colburn's projections help flesh out the look, as well as delight the audience with pictures of Carla through the years. Young Carla wanted to be Carol Burnett, and you can see the influence in her performance. It's a very fun night out, and it does make one wish we all had Auntie Carla to call to give things to us straight. She's earned her wisdom.