The Ghoul Time Dispatch Vol. III: The final chapter
[caption id align="alignnone" width="1252"]
The dead approach, and they don’t look well-fed. Photo courtesy of Nathan Wright and Unsplash [/caption]
Arts news by Nigel “the Night Rake” O’Shea
The season of orange is starting to curl like the candle blackened fangs of a jack o’ lantern. Winter’s cold fingers are creeping into our clothes, as the leaves sweep across the road in a raspy shoosh, like a broom pushing out the rest of the Autumn. Halloween Night is finally upon us! Friday’s child is loving and giving as the candy gorge-fest starts on the weekend this year. Gad about my lovelies for parties will be ample. Drink your fill, but keep your wits, for ‘tis a night to fall for tricks!
Our little demonhunters and pirates will collect their booty. Pillowcases and rubber masks, paper sacks and itchy make-up: these are the tools of precious night prowlers bringing home a horde of sugar. Midnight features and popcorn balls, candlelight and pumpkin carving, costume contests and bands playing parodies of other bands, there is a ritual for every level of Halloween enthusiast.
We are crossing the threshold between harvest and Yule. The villagers try to hold fast against the long night and what might wait for them out there, but if your life takes ease in the dark, the whole world is waiting for you. Outside the circumference of candle’s flame, there is a vast, pitch black opportunity. Place a tender step into the empty road, bravehearted traveler, and see what happens next!
Misery loves company . . .
The pitfalls of success aren’t often actual pitfalls, but in the stage adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, author Paul Sheldon literally writes for his life! In one of King’s best works for adapting to stage, watch a real life married couple play out their contentions as a famous author indentured by his “number one fan”. I hate to hammer on this, but if you can’t walk, you should crawl to the last showings of this cringey classic as it ends November 2nd.
What: Misery, a stage adaptation of the Stephen King novel.
Where: Key City Public Theater, 419 Washington St, Port Townsend, WA 98368
When: Limited dates left! Thursday, October 30th, and Saturday, November 1st, at 7:30 pm, and a matinee on Sunday, November 2nd, at 2:00 pm. It appears as if the Halloween soiree is sold out!
Cost: Tiered pricing: $43.00, $53.00 or $63.00.
Married actors?: Yes, the actors who play Annie Wilkes and Paul Sheldon are married in real life, for now.
Our lives are one masked ball . . .
In the dark county, just past the highway, there is a glowing barn waiting to draw you in. Inside, paper puppets will play out a Night at the Grand Opera. Over the top and rollickingly rococo, settle in for a spectacle of giant paper maché creations and opera house drama as the plot literally unfolds. Wear your finest 1890’s garb, whether you bought it vintage or new.
What: Olympia production group, String and Shadow presents: "Night at the Grand Opera!" A Giant Puppet Show
Where: The Quilcene Lantern, 7360 Center Rd. Quilcene, WA 98376
When: October 31st and November 1st at 6:30 pm, with a matinee on November 2nd at 2:00 pm
How much: $30 for adults and $15 for bairns 12 and under, free if they can sit in a lap. There will be a limited supply of pay-as-you-can tickets.
Rococo? Do I dress for the 1890’s or the 1790’s?: Blast your purse lipped pretension! I suppose slobs can merely change one letter to fit. The best this old fossil can guess is that you should dress Victorian and leave the powdered wigs to the puppets.
Dance around in your bones . . .
Musical masquerades abound bringing melodious malfeasance from North county to South.
Si una Noche de Muertos fiesta es lo tuyo, vamos a la granja escalofriante. White Lotus Farm is celebrating day of the dead early with a spooky & psychedelic Latin electronic barn party with Gio Chamba, Terror/Cactus, and DJ David Bonobo
What: Going Left Presents Noche De Muertos
Las bandas: Gio Chamba, Terror/Cactus, y DJ David Bonobo
¿Que tipo de música?: Psychedelic Cumbia
Where: White Lotus Farm, 3723 Beaver Valley Rd, Port Ludlow, WA 98365
When: Halloween Night from 6:00 pm to midnight
¿Cuanto cuesta?: $20
¿Bebidas y antojitos?: Sí, there will be bar car refreshments, as well as tamales, tostadas and special treats provided by Gozobakes.
All Ages? Claro, yes. ¡Venga, bailemos con los muertos y celebremos la vida!
Otter be scared . . .
If the Crazy Otter be on your list for Halloween night, nothing I can share will shudder ye. Play on ye worldly rogues; riff raff and ruffians, play on.
What: Brother Townsend and Blues Funeral
Where: The Crazy Otter, 141 Chimacum Rd, Port Hadlock-Irondale, WA 98339
When: Halloween Night. Doors at 4:00 pm, bands at 7:00 pm
Cost: No Cover
All ages?: Sorry young striplings, even with your best grease pencil mustache, this is a drinking establishment, and a serious one, given their costume contest.
Why do you say that?: Because first prize is $100 and second prize is 25% off your bar tab, which, if friends might drink, could indeed surpass the former.
Whispers of musical mayhem…
The Gray Coast Guild Hall in Quilcene is joining in that venerated Halloween tradition of making bands find out how hard their favorite cover songs are!
What: It is a non-specifically listed “Halloween Cover Band Show” (Bands playing more famous bands)
When: Halloween Night at 7:00 pm
So do you know any of the bands? I've Only heard rumors of a Go-Gos cover band.
You really suck at this: It’s been a long week, pushing towards an early grave
Follow the light, little ghoul…
Moving back towards the city limits you can hear the buzz of trick-or-treaters like little bees around caramel laced flowers and the beckoning Friday night crowd getting buzzed at all hours. The Port Townsend lot is known to dress down most of the year, but ironically also loves an opportunity to dress up!
What: Annual Downtown Trick or Treat & Costume Parade!
Where and when?: Meeting at Adams and Water at 3:45 pm on Halloween. The parade will commence at 4:00 and trick or treating for kids at downtown businesses will immediately follow.
Can I drop my kids off downtown in their costumes?: Miraculous they’ve survived thus far, I suppose. No. Pre-schoolers through sixth graders can parade and trick-or-treat but must be accompanied by an adult.
Does anyone come to this?: The whole bloody town (well about a fifth of them). Truthfully, perhaps one of the best ways for newcomers to ingratiate themselves to our motley crew of oddballs. You will make good use of your costume box around here (or putting on your favorite disguise and never taking it off is another strategy).
Dead ahead, my friends…
At the last, we will follow a faint ghostly beacon from the inside of Jack London’s jail cell. Let us adjourn our wicked October ritual at the source of so many city ghosts: Our downtown city hall and museum.
What: Strange Shadows: Uncanny Tales of Port Townsend
What is it: A walking tour with eerie essays to elaborate tales of odd events in eras gone by, “this mysterious meander through downtown Port Townsend delves into some of our most unsettling stories and culminates in a special interpretive tour of the historic jail spaces inside the 1892 City Hall building”.
Where: Jefferson County Historical Society Museum of Art & History, 540 Water Street Port Townsend, Washington 98368
When: Offered 10/29 through 11/2 at various times *Pre-registration highly encouraged; likely to sell out!*
The cost: $18 for members, $24 for non-members. Learn about being a member here.
The walk: Flat and ADA accessible
The group: Tours are limited to 12 people.
Ah, my learned students of the night, it is time for your professor to find his deserved rest, for you have passed your final test. I can feel the cold world waking. I can hear the comforting rhythm of the shovels of dirt as they rain down on my lid, um, door. Cozy internment, amidst the roots of our deciduous guardians, our dormant sentinels, dead and waiting to leaf out with green life come Spring. I hope my map of fright facilitated some phantasmagorical fun! Au revoir mes bons zonbis, until we all rise again!
Sinisterly yours,
Nigel the Night Rake O’Shea
