Seven Fabulously Frightening Events to Get You in the Halloween Spirit

These terrifyingly theatrical Portland-area productions kick spooky season into high gear.

HORRORism (Courtesy of IZHONNY)
By Andrew Jankowski

Halloween belongs to the theater kids. Whether they’re staging concerts, plays, movies or something more solemn, spooky season wouldn’t be the same without them. Since there are always so many good events to fill up our October calendars, we picked out some of the most dramatic places that caught our eye to see and be seen this month.

Metalesque Fest

Sign of the Beast Burlesque’s annual festival merges striptease and heavy metal music for two nights celebrating killer sounds and badass babes. Both nights—hosted on Friday, Oct. 4 at the Star Theater by Carla Rossi, and Saturday, Oct. 5 at Dante’s by Vera Mysteria—feature 15 acts, including members of the SOTB producer-performer troupe like Rummy Rose, Meghan Mayhem, Baby Le’Strange, and Kate Cloud, as well as the festival’s Canadian headliner, Ojibwe artist Lou Lou la Duchesse de Rière. KISS only wishes their makeup and moves were as sick as these performers’ acts. SEE IT: Metalesque Festival. Star Theater, 13 NW 6th Ave., 866-777-8932, startheaterportland.com. Friday, Oct. 4. 8 pm. $30–$200, 21+. Dante’s, 350 W Burnside St., 866-777-8932, danteslive.com. Saturday, Oct. 5. 8 pm. $30–$200, 21+.

HORRORism

IZOHNNY producers/performers Isaiah Esquire and Johnny Nuriel get into the holiday spirit each year with a cast of aerialists, pole and belly dancers, cabaret artists and performers who don’t fit neatly into any one category, much like the men of the hour themselves. A cast including showgirl Dria Doré, contortionist Blazer and Chicago demon dandy Willy LaQueue will terrorize, tease and titillate those who dare enter. SEE IT: HORRORism at the Alberta Rose Theatre, 3000 NE Alberta St., 503-719-6055, albertarosetheatre.com. Saturday, Oct. 12. $35–$55, 18+.

The Convent

This gory 2000 horror movie was originally 19 seconds away from getting an NC-17 rating. A group of college students, played by Y2K-era indie actors like Joanna Canton (That ‘70s Show), Kelly Mantle (RuPaul’s Drag Race, The Boys & Girls Guide to Getting Down, Nip/Tuck) and Liam Kyle Sullivan—most famous as the early YouTube character Kelly and her viral song “Shoes”—break into a haunted nunnery and try to survive against an onslaught of cultists and demons. Sullivan and co-star Meghan Perry, who appears in Kelly’s music video “Text Message Breakup” as Heather the Vampire, will attend the screening as part of Carla Rossi’s Queer Horror series. SEE IT: Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy Blvd., 503-493-1128, hollywoodtheatre.org. Saturday, Oct. 12. 8 pm. $12.

Witches Ball of the West

HUNTER : PRESENTS, , Atrium Mystique and Church of Hive bring together an opulent gothic ball complete with a courtyard Eldritch night market art bazaar. Expect lavish Old World-inspired costumes with circus, belly dancing and experimental performances from Tiare Valouria and the Valôurian Theatre, aerialists Lyr-a-Deux and Seattle-based avant garde performer Other, to say nothing of the fellow guests. Entry includes cover for the industrial dance party Hive. SEE IT: Star Theater, 13 NW 6th Ave., 866-777-8932, startheaterportland.com. Sunday, Oct. 13. 7 pm. $40–$60, 21+.

Fright Night: A Halloween Circus

Night Flight Aerial & Circus Art’s 12th annual Halloween show sees the troupe of aerial dancers in an anachronistic video rental shop filled with classic horror movie characters like Nosferatu and John Carpenter’s The Thing, as well as (somehow) the Midsommar cult members. IZOHNNY and members of Sir Cupcake’s Queer Circus gives Night Flight an extra boost of Halloween razzle dazzle. SEE IT: Fright Night at Portland State University’s Lincoln Hall, 1620 SW Park Ave., 503-725-3011, nightflightaerial.com. Oct. 24–26 7 pm, Sunday, Oct. 27 6 pm. $45–$65.

Philip Glass’ Dracula

Michael Riesman, musical director of the Philip Glass Ensemble, leads the Third Angle New Music ensemble in playing Glass’ 1998 soundtrack written for the re-release of the definitive 1931 Dracula film. Watching Bela Lugosi creep as The Count with a live score of strings and grand pianos will likely feel extra eerie at Beaverton’s cultural arts center. When else can you wear capes and fangs to the symphony without drawing stares? SEE IT: Philip Glass’ Dracula at the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts, 12625 SW Crescent St, Beaverton, the reser.org. Wednesday, Oct. 30. 7 pm & 9 pm. $35–$45.

Joshua Josué's Day of the Dead Celebration

Musician Joshua Josué booked an evening of Chicano and Americana rock to commemorate Day of the Dead. Josué's set will be accompanied by blues guitarist Ben Rice, and joined further down the bill by busking brothers Johnny & Dom Franco and Los Vencejos with Freddy Trujillo. Along with sampling songs from his forthcoming album, Josué will also pay tribute to his grandfather and uncle, members of the ‘40s band Jesse León and his Tropicana Orchestra. SEE IT: Joshua Josué’s Day of the Dead Celebration at the Showdown Saloon, 1195 SE Powell Blvd., showdownpdx.com. Friday, Nov. 1. 8 pm. $20, 21+

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