RICH LOPEZ | Staff writer
Rich@DallasVoice.com
With October fully underway and the chill of fall settling in (we think?), may we suggest some spine-tingling stage productions? Across North Texas, some performing arts companies are embracing the eerie atmosphere with a lineup of drama to comedy and horror-comedy classics to psychological thrillers — with some cool stage tricks that’ll make for some great treats.
- Sleepy Hollow: Enter the shadows of 18th-century New York as Ballet North Texas launches this world premiere for two nights only. This new ballet by Carrie Ruth Trumbo is inspired by Washington Irving’s tale but told through Katrina Van Tassel’s perspective for a ballet filled with romance and suspense as the Headless Horseman terrorizes the village. Oct. 24 and 25. BalletNorthTexas.org.
- The Addams Family: Bass Hall’s Broadway series gets creepy and kooky this weekend with America’s favorite family of freaks. Wednesday Addams meets a boy, and the next thing the family knows is they are hosting his family for a dinner of introductions and macabre surprises. Oct. 24-26. BassHall.com.
- Creepy Cabaret: Theatre Arlington gets in the mood on Halloween night with its Club Cabaret series. Oct. 31. TheatreArlington.com.
- Dial M for Murder: Hitchcock vibes are clearly in the air. Directed by Karen McDowell this murder mystery centers on one man’s jealousy which begins a game of deception and danger. Oct. 31-Nov. 9. TheatreDenton.com.
- The Rocky Horror Show: This is the 50th anniversary of the cult classic, and area theaters have brought the stage version to life across North Texas. Get your cosplay on, buy a prop bag and partake in this perennial romp of sexy revelry. Lyric Stage (LyricStage.org) closes Sunday, Oct. 26. North Texas Performing Arts Repertory (NTPARep.org) opens Friday, Oct. 24 and runs through Nov. 2, and Art Centre Theatre (ArtCentreTheatre.com) opens Friday and runs through Nov. 15.
- Incarnate: Second Thought Theatre’s final show of the season centers on two characters trapped in a cell. Rosamund is hellbent on escaping her fate, while the man who kidnapped her struggles with obsession and grief. Is she his father reincarnated? He’s determined to find out. She’s determined to survive. The world premiere was written by North Texas actor and Second Thought Executive Director Parker Gray. Through Nov. 1. SecondThoughtTheatre.com.
- Young Frankenstein: It’s double the monster as both The Firehouse Theatre in Farmers Branch and Upright Theatre Company in Euless are in the middle of their respective runs of this Mel Brooks’ musical based on the movie. The grandson of Victor Frankenstein, inherits his family’s estate in Transylvania and finds himself in the mad scientist shoes of his ancestors. Both through Nov. 2. TheFirehouseTheatre.com. UprightTheatre.org.
- The Birds: Killer birds start attacking which causes three strangers to seek shelter. This play is based on Daphne du Maurier’s and adapted by Conor McPherson. Directed by Jay Duffer, the four-person drama examines if the horror is outside or in. Through Nov. 9. AmphibianStage.com.
- The Phantom of the Opera: For a little levity, head to Pocket Sandwich Theatre’s current popcorn-throwing melodrama. This over-the-top comedy version isn’t your Broadway musical. In fact, PST describes it as “a lot less lavish, much funnier, a whole lot cheaper.” But also, popcorn throwing. Through Nov. 15. PocketSandwich.com.