Oh, the Drama of Halloween...
A lot of holidays carry with them an intrinsic dramatic flair, but Halloween is particularly ripe with theatrical opportunities. Besides the fact that, hey, we're dressing up in literal costumes, pretending to be someone else off-stage, getting to try out accents, mannerisms, have license to do some pretty dramatic things--dramatists go to some serious lengths to bring theatre to Halloween. Or Halloween to theatre.
In my local area alone (we're talking tri-state NYC), we've got:
Horseman's Hollow: Yes, the actual town of Sleepy Hollow still exists today, and while it's charming in its own right, why not capitalize on the whole headless horseman fame for Halloween? Washington Irving was a resident here, and his short story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, gets taken to a darned scary (or at least dramatic) degree in their "haunted mayhem", taking place in 300-year-old Phillipsburg Manor. "Visitors begin walking a haunted trail, stumbling upon scary scenes of a town driven mad by the Headless Horseman. The Hollow’s unfortunate inhabitants are all too ready to keep visitors from ever leaving. Creatures, human and otherwise, lurk in the shadows, ready to terrify the unsuspecting while incredible special effects disorient and unsettle. Elaborate costumes and the work of award-wining feature-film makeup artists make it all too real." The drama starts Oct 7 and runs throughout the month. You can get tickets here.
Irving's Legend: If running through a haunted manor is not dramatic enough for you, you can cross the street to the Old Dutch Church, and enjoy a dramatic performance of that same Irving classic, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, complete with spooky organ music and everything. You can get tickets here.
Blood Manor: Okay, so there are a lot of haunted houses, but if you are in the New York City area, know that this is one designed to be the scariest of scary. Like, even if you're 14, you need to be accompanied by an adult (and don't even think of bringing anyone younger. They won't let you in, parent or no.). And don't go when you're pregnant. Or have heart conditions. Or back problems. So basically, leave this one for the healthy young adults who love love love that adrenaline rush of being utterly scared. Ticket info here.
Sleep No More: "A legendary hotel. Shakespeare's fallen hero. A film noir shadow of suspense." Experience this "indoor promenade performance" which ends up in none other than, yup, a bar, because, hey, you'll really need a drink after all that. You can get tickets here.
Rocky Horror Picture Show: Need I say more? See if it's playing in a town near you.
Have I only named five events? Okay, the list could go on and on in my area, and I'm sure there are tons of Halloween shows, events, and experiences in your area too. Point is, Halloween is meant for masks. Hiding. Stories. Drama. Theatre. Look up in your local area and see if you'd like to take in a Halloween treat of a different sort this year. 'Cause candy is over-rated.
Except for Jelly Bellies. I'm keepin' those.
And eating them. At the theatre.
Share your thoughts: What cool experiences or dramatic events are taking place in your area for Halloween? Have you witnessed a Halloween-inspired performance that was unforgettable? What is your favorite Halloween candy (because, um, maybe candy is not actually that over-rated...)?