Happy First Day of Autumn! Fall makes us think of many things, with the most predominant being Halloween. We get easily excited about seasonal themes and events, so we made this list as much for our benefit as for yours, dear Readers. We might actually go to … all of these.
The Brides of Ghost Hunter Richard Crowe
Local professional ghost hunter Richard Crowe has been a collector of unusual folklore and ghostlore since 1973. This play is a tribute to the best of Chicago’s strange and supernatural; a conglomeration of stories from a decades-long collection, presented by Crowe himself.
Liar’s Club, 1665 W Fullerton Ave., 9/19-10/25, running Friday and Saturday nights at 8:15 p.m., doors open at 8. No reservations accepted – first come first serve.
The Kirov presents Giselle
The story of this classical ballet centers on a young woman named Giselle who dies of grief after her lover’s deceit, thus becoming one of the wilis, ghosts of betrayed girls who have died before their wedding days. The entire second act takes place in a graveyard, complete with drifting fall leaves, where Giselle must prevent the Queen of the Wilis from cursing her lover to dance to his death.
Auditorium Theater at Roosevelt University, 50 E Congress Pkwy., 10/2-10/5, Thurs. and Fri. at 7:30 p.m., Sat. at 2 and 8 p.m., Sun. at 2 p.m., $30-$125
In the Curious Hold of the Demeter: Count Orlock at Sea
Based on the 1922 silent film Nosferatu, this “darkly comic” puppetry-based performance combines masks, live actors, shadow play, and projection to tell the tale of Count Orlock, a stowaway on a Russian schooner. The visual storytelling approach should work great here – the play’s themes include claustrophobia and debilitating insomnia.
78 E. Washington St., Studio Theater, 10/2-10/25, $15 or $10 for students and seniors
Music Box Massacre 4
A costume contest, an appearance by Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter director Joseph Zito accompanying the film’s screening, a twelve-movie lineup including The Exorcist and silent classic Dr. Jekkyl and Mr. Hyde (with live music), oooh – and a showing of a sure-to-be-delightfully-campy Dead Alive, directed by Peter Jackson? No trick to this one, Music Box, and thanks for the treat.
Music Box Theater, 3733 N Southport Ave., 10/25 noon through 10/26 noon, tickets $24 in advance, $30 at the door
Honorable Mentions:
Shakespeare Theater’s Macbeth – Described as “one of Shakespeare’s most enduring and haunting plays, …infused with superstition, ghosts and madness”, the play’s showings don’t begin until December 31, well after the year’s spooky season has ended.
Wicked – If you haven’t seen this yet, please do. The show’s Chicago run is up as of January 2009.
Emily Tamblyn as Mutter Orlock and Young Count in The Incurable Theater’s production of “In the Curious Hold of the Demeter: Count Orlock at Sea.” Photo by Jennifer Friedrich.
