Halloween Guide 2012




Don’t let the Halloween season pass you by without seeing one… or two… of these spooky and fun thrillers!




500 CLOWN FRANKENSTEIN
500 Clown at the Viaduct Theater
3111 N. Western Ave., Chicago
October 31 - November 18, 2012
The script frame follows three clowns, who embark on a madcap journey to construct Frankenstein’s lab. Stymied by elaborate and exaggerated costumes, the trio is propelled into acrobatic feats by an extended battle with an unruly table. Comic mayhem takes a sharp turn to a devastating climax when one clown is forced to play the role of the "monster" and suffer abuse. 









BIRTH OF EVIL
Chemically Imbalanced Theater
1422 W. Irving Park Rd., Chicago
Through October 31, 2012
A group of strangers stranded in a bed & breakfast battle evil incarnate in this original horror-comedy.








BOOBS OF THE DEAD: A WALKING DEAD BURLESQUE
Gorilla Tango Theatre
1919 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago
Through October 31, 2012
The Sheriff awakes to find that a virus has taken over the world and has transformed the majority of Chicago into undead zombie burlesque dancers. Undeterred by this gruesome turn of events, Sheriff suits up, snags a sexy mount, and rides off in search of other survivors. Will Sheriff find Wife Lady before she bags Best Friend? Will Old Dude's Winnebago run out of gas at the exact. wrong. moment? The answers to all these questions and more await you in this parody of the popular Walking Dead television series.






DEATH TOLL: A DRINKING GAME PERFORMANCE
Corn Productions at the Cornservatory
4210 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago
October 18 - 31, 2012
The leaves are turning, the days are shorter, there's a nip in the air, and the folks at Corn Productions are breaking out the ole body bags and shovels for the fourth incarnation of the smash-ed hit, DeathToll - A Drinking Game Performance. After all, what's better than gruesome sketch hor-omedy and terrifying improv? How about all of that PLUS drinking every time someone dies on stage? And as always, DeathToll is BYOB. Boo-ray!







DRACULA
Theatre of Western Springs
4384 Hampton Ave., Western Springs
October 18 - 28, 2012
Wicked and seductive, the original bloodsucker is back in a fresh, faithful adaptation of Bram Stoker’s horrific tale. The Count has taken residence in London, and only Professor Van Helsing understands the extent of the terror that is about to be unleashed. Transported back to a time where legend and science contend for supremacy, this story will keep your heart beating and blood pumping. Rich with both humor and horror, this play paints a wickedly theatrical picture of Stoker's famous vampire just in time for Halloween.






FRANKENSTEIN
City Lit Theater
1020 W. Bryn Mawr, Chicago
Through November 4, 2012
Frankenstein, an instant best seller and an important ancestor of both the terror and science fiction genres, not only tells a terrifying story, but also raises profound, disturbing questions about the very nature of life: What does it mean to be human? What responsibilities do we have to each other? How far can we go in tampering with nature? In our age, filled with news of organ donation, genetic engineering, and bio-terrorism, these questions are more relevant than ever.







FUNERAL WEDDING: THE ALVIN PLAY
The Strange Tree Group at Signal Ensemble Theatre
1802 W. Berenice Ave., Chicago
October 16 - November 17, 2012
Funeral Wedding: The Alvin Play, follows the story Alvin Fisher, a man haunted by the memory of a horrible crime he witnessed one year before. This macabre visual feast employs bright bursts of magical realism, thrusting the story of Alvin’s strange and unhappy childhood raucously between past and present while unraveling the secrets behind the Fisher family mystery through music, memories, and murder.







KILL VIKTOR: VOL 1&2
New Millennium Theatre at Theater Wit
1229 W. Belmont, Chicago
Through October 28, 2012
Kill Viktor: Vol. 1&2: Join The Bride (of Frankenstein) as she roars and rampages, in this tribute to one of Quentin Tarantino's most ambitious shows to date, through a quest of righteous revenge against the mad man who gave her life and the monster mash of enemies in between. Action packed with arts that are martial, Kill Viktor proves that revenge is a dish best served…pieced together from the very best in classic horror lore. 







THE LIFE OF DEATH
WildClaw Theatre at the DCASE Storefront Theatre
66 E. Randolph Ave.
Through November 4, 2012
It’s Christmastime in London, but mortality, not merriment, is on everyone’s minds. Leaving a trail of victims in his wake, a serial killer is terrorizing the British capital. Elaine, however, has been dealing with life and death matters on a more personal scale. While going through the healing process from a life-saving hysterectomy, she becomes fascinated with death. Elaine’s morbid obsession leads her to an old church being demolished and a mysterious man who shares her dark curiosity. In this adaptation of Clive Barker’s short story, The Life of Death is a journey of transformation and restoration from beyond the grave.






THE LYNDSAY HAILEY VARIETY HOUR SPOOKTACULAR
UP Comedy Club
230 W. North Ave.
October 25, 2012 at 9:30PM
What is scarier than ghosts? Oh. You are right. Macabre music being played on a saw by Becky Poole is scarier than ghosts. Hummm, well what could be scarier than that? Yup. Got me again...commitment issues. Well nothing is scarier than commitment issues...OH. YUP. You win again. Racisim is scarier. Join The Lyndsay Hailey Variety Hour for The Halloween Variety Hour Spooktacular. We guarantee to spook the laughs out of you. ONE NIGHT ONLY!







THE MADNESS OF EDGAR ALLAN POE
First Folio Theatre at Mayslake Peabody Estate
1717 31st St., Oak Brook
Through November 4, 2012
A riveting exploration of the life and death, love and heartbreak of one of the most prolific writers of all time. Poe’s macabre and melancholic tales and poems come to life as Poe and his wife, Virginia, guide the audience through historic Mayslake Hall, taking them from the garrets to the dungeons and deep into the madness of Edgar Allan Poe.









NIGHTMARES ON LINCOLN AVE IV: WELCOME TO THE UNDEAD CITY
Corn Productions at the Cornservatory
4210 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago
Through October 31, 2012
This Halloween, Corn Productions will quench your insatiable thirst for grotesque horror, warped comedy, and unnerving suspense. What happens when a zombie virus infects the Windy City? Follow a dysfunctional rural Illinois family as they try to escape from a 7-11 in the West Loop and make it safely out of the city.







NEIGHBORHOOD 3: REQUISITION OF DOOM
Strawdog Theatre
3829 N. Broadway, Chicago
Through November 10, 2012
Parents have been noticing their children have become addicted to the latest video game, Neighborhood 3. The game is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) where the goal is to kill zombies and escape a setting that looks like their own neighborhood. But as the line blurs between virtual and reality, both parents and players realize that fear has a life of its own. Four actors play a variety of characters on a faceless suburban street in a nameless town in this gripping, yet comic, horror story.







PONTYPOOL
Strawdog Theatre
3829 N. Broadway, Chicago
Through November 4, 2012
A deadly virus infects a small town. 28 Days meets Talk Radio and Orson Welles War of the Worlds. The hit horror film and novel sees its first time on stage in Chicago, in Strawdog's Hugen Hall.








SCARRIE: THE MUSICAL
Hell in a Handbag Productions at Mary's Attic
5400 N. Clark St., Chicago
Through November 10, 2012
SCARRIE is an homage to the electrifying Stephen King story and classic Brian DePalma film. Before there was 'Heathers' and 'Mean Girls, there was 'Carrie'- the tale of a girl pushed to the edge, forcing her into a fury of telekinetic justice. Get ready for an evening of laughter, tears, music and lots and lots of pig's blood... People seated in the front rows will be provided with splash guards.







SPLATTER THEATER
The Annoyance Theatre
4830 N. Broadway, Chicago
through October 31, 2012
A parody of Friday the 13th-type movies, the characters in “Splatter Theatre” include such archetypes as the nun, the school jock, the virgin, the class dick, and of course the bumbling old man. Laugh and watch them all die in hilariously appalling ways! With freshly painted white walls on the stage before each performance, the audience will be horrified and delighted by the end, when the walls are covered in blood!







TROLL THE SEQUEL, TROLL AGAIN!
Chemically Imbalanced Theater
1422 W. Irving Park Rd., Chicago
Through October 31, 2012
A loving tribute to the 1989 film Troll 2. This sequel has no connection to Troll one. Also it has no Trolls in it. The original Troll 2 has been dubbed “The Worst Movie Ever Made.” A family vacationing in the small town of Snilbog discovers the entire town is inhabited by goblins in disguise as humans, who plan to eat them.









THE WEREWOLF'S CURSE, OR HAIR TODAY GONE TOMORROW
Theatre-Hikes at the Morton Arboretum
4100 Illinois Route 53, Lisle
Through October 28, 2012
This punny play is appropriate for all ages and perfect for an afternoon as we lead up to Halloween. A vegan couple find themselves in a pickle when Harry is bitten by a werewolf cub. Now he craves rare roast beef and gets very harry at every full moon. Luckily for them, Dr. Frank Einstein and/or Madam Clara Voyant may have a cure! A vampire who drinks juice (as the child of a fruit bat), a puny strongman and others are involved as part of the traveling carnival also visiting Dr. Einstein. And, of course, there is a visit from the angry villagers in this spoof of 1930's horror movies.






THE WOMAN IN BLACK
Fox Valley Repertory at Pheasant Run Resort and Spa
4051 E. Main St., St. Charles
Through October 28, 2012
Back by popular demand! A London lawyer hires an actor to help recount a story to family and friends that has long troubled him since he attended the funeral of an elderly recluse. You’ll be gripping your seats with a chill down your spine as you experience the horror and terror of this haunting tale. We just hope you’ll live to retell one of the longest-running suspense thrillers in history.








ZOMBIE GENIUS
The Annoyance Theatre
4830 N. Broadway, Chicago
Through October 31, 2012
Since humans won the "zombie apocalypse," zombies are treated as second-class citizens. Albert is the only of his kind who is able to speak, but only with the intellect of an average human. Joined by his zombie-brother Bwains and his human friend Tim, Albert embarks ona quest to win civil rights for all zombies and ends up falling in love with a human girl. Check out this silly Halloween fun.