It’s Halloween Weekend and traditionally it’s one of the most entertainment-packed weekends of the year here in Southern Utah.
If I hadn’t already seen the dress rehearsal for St. George Dance Company’s three pieces they are performing tonight with the Southwest Symphony for the annual “Halloween Spooktacular,” that would be my Friday night event. Every year the symphony combines spooky classical music with a few popular film scores (this year includes “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”) and the dance company choreographs pieces to accompany three of the tunes. I’ve photographed the company’s rehearsals for a number of years now and they always put on a captivating show. This year the symphony will also be performing a few songs from “Phantom of the Opera” with a couple of singers.
(Check out the list below for information about this and other weekend events.)
Since I’ve already seen the rehearsal for the symphony’s “Halloween Spooktacular,” I’ll be checking out “She Loves Me” at Brigham’s Playhouse in Washington City. This musical, which tells a story similar to the Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan film “You’ve Got Mail,” is about halfway through its run.
However, if I were in Cedar City this weekend I’d be checking out the Neil Simon Festival’s new production, “Frankenstein: On The Air.” Fans of the Utah Shakespeare Festival’s “Christmas Carol on the Air” will recognize the basic premise of this Halloween-themed play, which features a number of Southern Utah University faces.
Another intriguing option this weekend is a performance by the Kingston Trio at Dixie State University’s Celebrity Concert Series. This folk group was part of the big folk revival in the 1950s and ‘60s. Although the original members are no longer part of the trio (only Bob Shane is still alive), the current lineup has helped keep the music alive through the decades.
But if you want something significantly spookier, maybe Horror-Fest 2017 is more to your liking. The Film and Media Alliance of Southern Utah puts on this mini-film festival each year to celebrate local filmmaking and the horror genre. It begins Saturday afternoon with a horror film marathon at the Electric Theater in St. George, starting with “Psycho” at noon then “Poltergeist” at 2 p.m. and finally “Arachnophobia” at 4 p.m. Then the Guerilla Shorts Showcase starts at 6 p.m. with 20 locally made short films. Finally, a showing of John Carpenter’s “The Thing” begins at 9 p.m. Make sure to wear your costume for the contest.
That’s just a taste of what is being offered. Here’s a list of events with the basics:
FRIDAY, OCT. 27
- Brigham’s Playhouse presents “She Loves Me” at 7 p.m. at 25 N. 300 West #C1, Washington City. Tickets are $17-23. Visit BrighamsPlayhouse.com or call 435-251-8000.
- Ghost Nights in Silver Reef from 7-9 p.m. at the Silver Reef Museum, 1903 Wells Fargo Road, Leeds. Tickets are $7 in advance or $9 on site. Visit SilverReef.org or call 435-879-2254.
- Hurricane Valley Theatrical Company presents “Ghost the Musical” at 7 p.m. at the Hurricane Fine Arts Center, 92 S. 100 West, Hurricane. Tickets are $10. Visit HurricaneValleyTheatrical.com or call 435-668-9753.
- The Kayenta Arts Foundation presents “[title of show]” at 7:30 p.m. at the Center for the Arts at Kayenta (located at the northern end of Kayenta’s Coyote Gulch Art Village, near the intersection of Kayenta Parkway and Coyote Gulch Circle in Ivins). Tickets are $20-$30. Visit KayentaArtsFoundation.org or call 435-674-2787.
- The Neil Simon Festival presents “Frankenstein: On The Air” at 7:30 p.m. at the Heritage Center Theater, 105 N. 100 East, Cedar City. $10-$15. Visit SimonFest.org or call 435-267-0194.
- Odyssey Dance Theatre presents “Thriller” at 6 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. at Tuacahn Center for the Arts, 1100 Tuacahn Drive, Ivins. Tickets are $19-$37. Visit Tuacahn.org or call 800-746-9882.
- Parowan Community Theatre presents “Something’s Afoot” at 7 p.m. at the Aladdin Theater, Parowan. Tickets are $5. Call 435-477-8190.
- St. George Musical Theater presents “Noises Off” at 7:30 p.m. at the St. George Opera House, 212 N. Main St., St. George. Tickets are $17-21. Visit sgmt.org or call 866-967-8167.
- The Southwest Symphony presents “Halloween Spooktacular” with St. George Dance Company at 7:30 p.m. at Dixie State University’s Cox Performing Arts Center, 325 S. University Avenue (700 East), St. George. Tickets are $5 for students and $12, $18 or $24 for adults. Visit dsutix.com or call 435-652-7800.
SATURDAY, OCT. 28
- Brigham’s Playhouse presents “She Loves Me” at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at 25 N. 300 West #C1, Washington City. Tickets are $17-23. Visit BrighamsPlayhouse.com or call 435-251-8000.
- Dixie State University Celebrity Concert Series presents the Kingston Trio at 7:30 p.m. in the Cox Performing Arts Center, 325 S. University Avenue (700 East), St. George. $30. Visit CelebrityConcertSeries.com or call 435-652-7800.
- Ghost Nights in Silver Reef from 7-9 p.m. at the Silver Reef Museum, 1903 Wells Fargo Road, Leeds. Tickets are $7 in advance or $9 on site. Visit SilverReef.org or call 435-879-2254.
- Hurricane Valley Theatrical Company presents “Ghost the Musical” at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Hurricane Fine Arts Center, 92 S. 100 West, Hurricane. Tickets are $10. Visit HurricaneValleyTheatrical.com or call 435-668-9753.
- The Kayenta Arts Foundation presents “[title of show]” at 7:30 p.m. at the Center for the Arts at Kayenta (located at the northern end of Kayenta’s Coyote Gulch Art Village, near the intersection of Kayenta Parkway and Coyote Gulch Circle in Ivins). Tickets are $20-$30. Visit KayentaArtsFoundation.org or call 435-674-2787.
- The Neil Simon Festival presents “Frankenstein: On The Air” at 7:30 p.m. at the Heritage Center Theater, 105 N. 100 East, Cedar City. $10-$15. Visit SimonFest.org or call 435-267-0194.
- Odyssey Dance Theatre presents “Thriller” at 6 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. at Tuacahn Center for the Arts, 1100 Tuacahn Drive, Ivins. Tickets are $19-$37. Visit Tuacahn.org or call 800-746-9882.
- Parowan Community Theatre presents “Something’s Afoot” at 7 p.m. at the Aladdin Theater, Parowan. Tickets are $5. Call 435-477-8190.
- St. George Musical Theater presents “Noises Off” at 7:30 p.m. at the St. George Opera House, 212 N. Main St., St. George. Tickets are $17-21. Visit sgmt.org or call 866-967-8167.
SUNDAY, OCT. 29
MONDAY, OCT. 30
- The Neil Simon Festival presents “Frankenstein: On The Air” at 7:30 p.m. at the Heritage Center Theater, 105 N. 100 East, Cedar City. $10-$15. Visit SimonFest.org or call 435-267-0194.
- Odyssey Dance Theatre presents “Thriller” at 7:30 p.m. at Tuacahn Center for the Arts, 1100 Tuacahn Drive, Ivins. Tickets are $19-$37. Visit Tuacahn.org or call 800-746-9882.
- Parowan Community Theatre presents “Something’s Afoot” at 7 p.m. at the Aladdin Theater, Parowan. Tickets are $5. Call 435-477-8190.
- St. George Musical Theater presents “Noises Off” at 7:30 p.m. at the St. George Opera House, 212 N. Main St., St. George. Tickets are $17-21. Visit sgmt.org or call 866-967-8167.
- St. George Opera presents two shows of “Magic, Mystery, and Macabre in Opera and Musical Theater” at 5 and 8 p.m. Oct. 30 at the Center for the Arts at Kayenta (see directions above). Tickets are $5-$15. Visit KayentaArtsFoundation.org or call 435-674-2787.
TUESDAY, OCT. 31
- Odyssey Dance Theatre presents “Thriller” at 7:30 p.m. at Tuacahn Center for the Arts, 1100 Tuacahn Drive, Ivins. Tickets are $19-$37. Visit Tuacahn.org or call 800-746-9882.
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 1
- Exhibit by artist Djibril N’Doye opens at the DiFiore Center, 307 N. Main St., St. George (official opening reception is 3:30-5:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4). Hours for this free exhibit are 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Mondays and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Visit DiFioreCenter.org or call 435-673-4206.