Halloween continues with Scooty and Jo Jo in Chicago! by Brian Kirst
The Carpenters Halloween – that fabulous musical that encapsulates the entire plot of the classic slasher, Halloween, along with frightfully fun renditions of Carpenters’ tunes in a little over 60 minutes- continues its run in Chicago until November 7th. (And for those who feel that everyday is Halloween, what a wonderful -albeit brief- reaffirmation of their beliefs!)
For those who have seen this mini-musical-slasher/piece previously, it is also a wonderful time to admire the show’s subtleties – the wonderful puppetry, the amazing placement of the song “Hurting Each Other”, the stunning resemblance that actor Ryan Guhde (in drag) has to Kyle Richards – and most importantly, the amazing performance of Scott Bradley as Laurie. Bradley simultaneously embraces and mocks the frigid virginity status lobbed onto Laurie Strode – a true feat. But in the final moments, Bradley truly also seems to register Laurie’s terror and confusion, as well, ultimately drawing us into the piece and letting us realize that despite the abundant humor on display – the Carpenters’ Halloween can also be a truly scary place to visit. – Catch it while you can!
(Carpenters Halloween runs through November 7th at 5400 N. Clark in Chicago – $15 – $20.)
