Culture

Get in the Halloween Mood With These Eerie Plays Around the DMV

September 28, 2023 @ 10:00am |

Lean into the dark arts and check out some performances in live theatre this October.

One of the many old superstitions of stagecraft is that each theater is haunted by its own ghost. Whether to appease the spirit or keep it at bay, theaters often keep a “ghost light” burning onstage when the building is otherwise dark. But at several theaters in the District, ghosthunters and ghouls, serial killers and witches, decapitated teens and more are all invited onstage this season.

Through 10.8

“Alceste” at Dupont Underground, Baltimore Theatre Project + GALA Hispanic Theatre
IN Series Opera descends to the Greek underworld this season, staging the ancient tragicomedy “Alceste” at Dupont Underground. Using a score by Handel, a translation of Euripides’ ancient play by Ted Hughes and additional poetry from Sylvia Plath, the work focuses on the heroine who offers her life in place of her husband’s. 

“Last year, our first show was a version of the Orpheus myth, another Hades-set story,” says Timothy Nelson, artistic director of IN Series Opera. “That’s why we chose the Underground: We just love the space aesthetically and acoustically, and audiences love going there.”  

For shows at GALA Hispanic Theatre, audiences are seated onstage. The action takes place in front of the proscenium to recreate the experience of an ancient Greek drama. 

Check the IN Series website for individual performances.

1835 14th St. NW, DC; inseries.org // @inseriesopera 

 

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Through 10.29

“The Brothers Paranormal” at Olney Theater
“We are all haunted — by family, by the past, by a sense of displacement,” says co-director Hallie Gordon about “The Brothers Paranormal” onstage at Olney Theater. 

Written by Prince Gomolvilas and co-directed by Aria Velz, the play follows Thai-American ghost-busting brothers Max and Visarut and their vexed relationship to a ghost haunting the home of a Hurricane Katrina evacuee. 

“Like all good horror stories, ‘The Brothers Paranormal’ operates both on a visceral level — providing scary jolts that quicken the blood — and on a metaphorical level,” Gordon says. “With courage and good humor, these characters must confront the demons of guilt, sorrow and dread common to all of us in this uncertain and unsettled time.” 

During the run of the production, Olney has also organized supernatural-themed community events. 

2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Rd. Olney, MD; olneytheatre.org // @olneytheatre

 

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Through 11.5

“The Tell-Tale Heart” at Synetic Theater
Edgar Allan Poe’s chilling short story is re-envisioned as a live-action nightmare, in which young and old versions of the same character converge. Synetic Theater’s Co-Founder Paata Tsikurishvili returns to the director’s chair for this thought-provoking and time-twisting tale of mania and murder. 

“We also have a chorus of vultures who represent and symbolize the growing madness of the main character, Young Poe,” Tsikurishvili says. “They drive him on toward the murder, encouraging and supporting him along the way. [Old Poe] is not just any old man, as in the story. We’ve turned him into an artist who’s declining and suffering from dementia, with his art being part of what drives Young Poe insane.” 

Told in Synetic’s signature kinetic style, “The Tell-Tale Heart” promises to be harrowing and atmospheric. 

1800 S Bell St. Arlington, VA; synetictheater.org // @synetictheater

 

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10.10-10.29

“Macbeth in Stride” at Shakespeare Theatre Company
“The story of Lady Macbeth, who she was, who she is, who she could be is endlessly fascinating,” explains Whitney White, who wrote and stars in this response to Shakespeare’s classic “Macbeth.” 

“Some of the things she wants are also what many modern women reach for in their lives: marriage, desire and power. Why is the iconography of Lady Macbeth such a sticking point for us culturally, and how does it bring women down?” 

In “Macbeth in Stride,” onstage at Shakespeare Theatre Company, White rewrites her story by centering Lady Macbeth as an ambitious Black woman who challenges the inherent misogyny of a “power-hungry woman” while creating a spellbinding rock musical. The show is complete with a trio of backup singing witches, an onstage band, choreography and a tattooed Macbeth. 

450 7th St. NW, DC; shakespearetheatre.org // @shakespeareindc

10.19-10.29

“Monstress” at Silver Spring Black Box Theatre

Flying V Theatre invites brave souls to view a captured manananggal during her feeding time in a safe, enclosed exhibit. What could go wrong? The manananggal is a vampire-like creature from Philippine mythology, whose winged upper torso flies through the air at night searching for young lovers or happily pregnant women to feast upon. Try to get that nightmarish vision out of your head. 

With “Monstress,” Flying V developed an immersive horror experience for small-batch audiences at Silver Spring Black Box Theatre that combines live and digital performance to engage with a sense of dread and horror, and the lingering question of what we deem as monstrous. Do you dare to look? For a first glance, check out Flying V’s short animated film series about this monster set free on their YouTube channel. 

8641 Colesville Rd. Silver Spring, MD; flyingvtheatre.com // @flyingvtheatre

 

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10.25-11.18

“Kill the Ripper” at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop

“I’m thrilled to be directing the American premiere of ‘Kill the Ripper’ at Capitol Hill Arts Workshop,” shares Director Megan Behm about the feminist revisionist play tackling the topic of infamous Victorian serial killer Jack the Ripper. “This play includes kick-butt action sequences, compelling characters, feminist themes, an awkward but heartwarming love story and some delightfully dark comedy. At its core, this show is about a group of women becoming fed up with feeling powerless and deciding to take matters into their own hands. ‘Kill the Ripper’ celebrates what happens when people who are marginalized manage to wrestle power back from their oppressors — with satisfying (and bloody) results.” 

For the run of “Kill the Ripper,” there are special drinks night performances during International Sherry Week and on Halloween night. 

545 7th St. SE, DC; wehappyfewdc.com // @wehappyfewdc  

 

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10.27-11.26

“Ride the Cyclone” at NextStop Theatre Company

“Your lucky number is seven. You will soar to great heights. Be sure to ride The Cyclone.” 

With that generic prophecy, the fates of six teenagers were sealed. If you missed this cult musical phenomenon at Arena Stage last season, or you want to spend more time with the dead, get in line for this unforgettable rollercoaster ride at NextStop Theatre Company in Herndon, Virginia. 

With book, music and lyrics by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell, “Ride the Cyclone” picks up following the untimely deaths of a group of Canadian choir students after a freak amusement park ride mishap. Now, the teens — all coasting in limbo — have a chance to sing their stories and be granted another chance at life. “Ride the Cyclone” is audacious, macabre and incredibly life-affirming. 

269 Sunset Park Dr. Herndon, VA nextstoptheatre.org // @nextstoptheatre

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Colleen Kennedy writes about art, culture and music for District Fray. She is also the Publicist and Managing Editor at Shakespeare Theatre Company.