I would like, if I may, to take you on a strange journey. This is going to be a weird Halloween – and not for the usual ghoulish and fun reasons. We’re going to have to find different ways of finding that something wicked that this way comes.
Thankfully a number of people have created new programming to keep us in the spirit – or to let the spirits move us. The programming ranges from fun for the entire family to idiosyncratic entertainment for adults seeking more adventurous offerings.
Tim Burton said, “Every day is Halloween isn’t it? For some of us.” At least every day this week will be for all of us. So which one of these shows do you want in your trick or treat bag? Whatever you do, don’t fall asleep.
Bob Baker’s HaLLoWe’eN SpoOkTaCuLar – PlayhouseLive – Now – November 18th
Pasadena Playhouse’s PlayhouseLive has added another Bob Baker Marionette Theater show to their line-up: the classic HaLLoWe’eN SpoOkTaCuLar. This annual Halloween tradition has been filmed and is perfect entertainment for the entire family.
There will be some classic characters including Dracula, The Invisible Man and the Purple People Eater. Think of this as a Monster Mash with strings.
Renting the show, which runs 48 minutes, costs $14.99
Attention Deficit Disorder *COBWEB* Cabaret – Club Cumming – October 27th – 8:00 PM EDT/5:00 PM PDT
This is not your typical cabaret. Nor should it be for Halloween. Angela Di Carlo, a comedic cabaret singer, is the hostess for this special Halloween edition of her recurring Attention Deficit Disorder Cabaret shows. This live show will emanate from Alan Cumming’s Club Cumming in New York City.
What to expect? Let me use their own description: Join us as we take a virtual stroll thru the Dead Baby Graveyard in a slutty nurse costume while eating Pumpkin Spice potato chips. In these troubled and uncertain times there’s nothing better than curing your raging ADD with all your favorite spooky songs and laffs galore with ADD *COBWEB* Cabaret.
Joining Di Carlo for this show will be David Ilku of Unitard Comedy and Kyle “Special K” Forester on piano. Other guests might be added.
ADD Cabaret has been running for over five years and has attracted great reviews and celebrity fans like Parker Posey and Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters. This won’t be a traditional show at all. That’s why I like it!
Tickets are $20.
Lena Hall Virtually Halloween Edition – October 29th – 7:30 PM EDT/4:30 PM PDT
Not only will you get Lena Hall rocking out some great Halloween tunes, you are encouraged to dress in costume for this week’s Lena Hall Virtually concert. VIP tickets that include a song request are sold out, but there are still general admission tickets available as are charitable donation tickets. The Ali Forney Center receives all money raised with donation tickets.
What will she sing? Depends on the requests. But I wouldn’t be surprised to see at least one or two songs from The Rocky Horror Show, Monster Mash and I Put a Spell On You to be part of the repertoire. Whatever it is, it’s going to be (psycho) killer, Qu’est-ce que c’est, Fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-fa-far better.
I Put a Spell On You: The Sanderson Sisters Break the Internet – October 29th – 8:00 PM EDT/5:00 PM PDT
The 1993 film Hocus Pocus is the focus of a couple shows this week. I Put a Spell On You is an annual concert and party. For obvious reasons, this year’s party is going online.
It is free, but donations to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS are encouraged.
Jay Armstrong Johnson, Allison Robinson and Amanda Williams Ware take on the roles of Winifired, Sarah and Mary Sanderson played by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy in the film.
This online party, which takes the form of a filmed adventure, will find the Sanderson Sisters recruiting as many iconic villains as they can to carry out a fiendish plot.
Joining in the fun will be Broadway’s Nick Rashad Burroughs (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical), Drew Gehling (Waitress), J. Harrison Ghee (Mrs. Doubtfire), Todrick Hall (Kinky Boots), Robyn Hurder (Moulin Rouge! The Musical), Julia Mattison (Godspell), Eva Noblezada (Hadestown), Ahmad Simmons (West Side Story) and Will Swenson (Waitress).
There will also be some popular drag queens including Bob The Drag Queen (TV’s RuPaul’s Drag Race), Kizha Carr, Marti Gould Cummings, Peachez and Alexis Michelle (TV’s RuPaul’s Drag Race).
Rounding out the show are cast members from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, West Side Story, The Cher Show, The Real Housewives of New York City, On Your Feet! and several other shows.
Sharon Needles: Mask It Or Casket! – Club Cumming – October 29th – 9:00 PM EDT/6:00 PM PDT
If you are familiar with the drag queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race, you know there is one queen who screams Halloween: Sharon Needles. She won Season 4 and has put together a show that will undoubtedly be like no other. Mask It or Casket! will run four times: 3 performances on October 29th and one late show on Halloween.
It is said in press materials that this show will be a contemporary spin on camp classics like the Paul Lynde Halloween Special. And here’s a reminder of what that show was like:
Joining Sharon Needles will be Amanda Lepore, RuPaul’s Drag Race stars Alaska 5000 (Season 5) and Aja (Season 9), Michael Musto, Jada Valenciaga, illusionist Michael Carbonaro and special appearances by Countess Luann from Real Housewives of New York and Tony Award-winner (and club owner) Alan Cumming.
Tickets are $25 with showtimes on October 29th at 5:00 PM EDT/2:00 PM PDT, 9:00 PM EDT/6:00 PM PDT and a midnight show that will air at 9:00 PM PDT on the West Coast. The Halloween showtime is midnight on the East Coast and 9:00 PM PDT on the West Coast.
The Brett Loudermilk Halloween Special – October 29th – October 30th
America’s Got Talent 2020 semi-finalist Brett Loudermilk is putting on his own Halloween special and he’s enlisted Elvira, Gilbert Gottfried and Puddles Pity Party to join him.
Loudermilk earned his spot on AGT by not just swallowing swords – his specialty along with a quick wit – but in making the judges wholly uncomfortable, particularly Sofia Vergara.
Elvira we all know and certainly Halloween is the perfect occasion to revisit the Mistress of the Dark. Puddles Pity Party, who was a quarter-finalist on the 2012 season of America’s Got Talent, is also joining the show. He is one of the most unique and talented performers I’ve ever seen. The less you know, the better the surprise is of what Puddles Pity Party does.
There will be two performances of The Brett Loudermilk Halloween Special. One on October 29th at 8:00 PM EDT/5:00 PM PDT and one on October 30th at 10 PM EDT/7:00 PM PDT. Tickets are $25.
In Search of the Sanderson Sisters: A Hocus Pocus Hulaween Takeover – October 30th – 8:00 PM EDT/5:00 PM PDT
This is our second Hocus Pocus-related event for Halloween. In Search of the Sanderson Sisters: A Hocus Pocus Hualween Takeover finds Bette Midler reunited with co-stars Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy. This is a fundraiser for The New York Restoration Project.
NYRP started as a grass roots project by Midler to clean up parks in New York City.
One of their biggest events each year is Hulaween – a masquerade ball with a Hawaiian twist (Midler was born in Honolulu). Circumstances being what they are, this year’s event is online.
In Search of the Sanderson Sisters takes the form of a “documentary” program in which Elvira (she’s back) explores with all three Sisters their background. Mysterious secrets will be revealed about their ancestry, education and loves found and lost.
Joining Midler, Parker and Najimy will be co-stars Thora Birch, Omri Katz and Doug Jones. But they also have a few special guests lined-up: Glenn Close, Billy Crystal, Jamie Lee Curtis, John Debney, Samantha Diaz, Todrick Hall, Jennifer Hudson, Anjelah Johnson-Reyes, Michael Kors, Adam Lambert, George Lopez, Alex Moffat, Vinessa Shaw, Martin Short, Sarah Silverman, John Stamos, Meryl Streep, Kenan Thompson, Sophie von Haselberg and other surprise guests.
Tickets to watch the show are $10 plus a $3 service charge. Proceeds benefit the New York Restoration Project. It is important to be aware that there will be only this one showing of In Search of the Sanderson Sisters.
The Nightmare Before Christmas Concert – October 31 – 7:00 PM EDT/4:00 PM PDT
“Just because I cannot see it, doesn’t mean I can’t believe it.” Well Jack Skellington, believe it.
The Actors Fund and the Lymphoma Research Foundation are teaming up for a one-night-only benefit concert of the music and songs from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. The event takes place on Halloween and will be a one-time-only presentation.
The concert was the idea of Tony Award-winner James Monroe Iglehart (Aladdin). He has invited many of his friends from Broadway to perform the classic Danny Elfman songs from their homes. The stars joining him are Danny Burstein (Moulin Rouge!), Rafael Casal (Blindspotting), Lesli Margherita (Matilda), Rob McClure (Mrs. Doubtfire), Nik Walker (Ain’t Too Proud) and Adrienne Warren (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical).
Each of the cast members was tasked with coming up with costumes and props using things they already had in their homes.
This show is not only family-friendly, but also has a family-friendly price of $4.99.
In Hocus Pocus, Winifred Sanderson says, “Oh look, another glorious morning. Makes me sick.” I believe with all this Halloween programming available to you this week, you’ll start November in a much brighter place than Winifred ever did.
Photo: Sharon Needles (Courtesy Club Cumming)