Photography Courtesy Memphis Zoo
š» Zoo Boo š»
Memphis Zoo, 2000 Prentiss Place
Through Monday, October 31
According to Google Trendsā Frightgeist, the most popular costume in Memphis this year is going to be Spider-Man (which is predicted to also be the second-most popular costume in the country). Let that lack of originality sink in. Spider-Men are about to take over the city, and we canāt stop them. And itās like, did they ever stop to think about the effect thatāll have on the fabric of society? Apparently not. And Iām sure you want to quip, āNot all Spider-Men.ā But here we are, with too many, and to quote the villain in The Incredibles, āIf everyoneās super, no one will be.āĀ
Oh, and just to add to your list of worries, apparently the Upside Down has taken over the zoo?? And itās like, Iām sorry no oneās spidey senses picked that up to prevent all that jazz??? Fortunately, though, no thanks to the Spider-Men, the zoo is making the most of the situation by celebrating Halloween with a Stranger Things theme. Talk about making the most of a terrible, Upside Down situation.Ā
For select nights through October 31, the zoo has opened its gates to the Upside Down from 6 to 9:30 p.m. for the annual fundraiser with Le Bonheur Childrenās Hospital. Throughout the night, Magic Mr. Nick and fortune tellers will be there to amaze, and kids can enjoy Draculaās Disco, the Treehouse Theater Show, a Jack-o-lantern Jamboree, candy stations, a hay maze, and so much more.Ā
Tickets ($13/members; $18/nonmembers) can be purchased online.
Dracula - Ballet Memphis
š§ Dracula š§
Orpheum Theatre, 203 South Main
Friday-Sunday, October 28-30
So turns out, not only does Memphis have too many Spider-Men, we also have too few vampires. According to a study by Lawn Love (a totally reliable source), Memphis is the 73rd-best city for vampires to live in. Seventy-third, Memphis. Sink your teeth in that. So much for Southern hospitality.Ā
With so much at stake when it comes to our cityās vampiric reputation, Ballet Memphis has really done the city a solid by opening its season with the suspenseful and gripping thriller Dracula, and the company has even vamped up the classic with new costumes, scenic design, and choreography to suck you in.
The ballet, which is recommended for audiences 12 years and older,Ā runs Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets ($28-$78) can be purchased here.Ā
š©ø Evil Dead: The Musical š©ø
photography courtesy new moon theatre
Theatre Works, 2085 Monroe
Opens Friday, October 28, 8 p.m.
Even with too many Spider-Men and too few vampires, Tennessee apparently canāt get enough of those gosh darn Tootsie Pops. According to CandyStore.com (another super reliable source), Tootsie Pops are our number-one choice when it comes to buying Halloween candy, followed by saltwater taffy and Skittles. I guess you could say that owl really got to us ā we just had to figure out how many licks it took to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop, didnāt we? You know what happens when you just have to do something? You end up in a horror movie. Just ask the cast of New Moon Theatreās Evil Dead, where the characters just had to read the Naturom Demonto that unleashes a demonic entity and turns their lives into a living hell. Innocence is bliss, as they say, and Memphis, Iām afraid weāve lost our innocence when it comes to Tootsie Pops.
To distract us from this truth, we can, however, find comfort in New Moonās production. They seem to find the fun in the tragic outcomes of unleashing a demonic entity, spinning the whole plot into a bona fide musical. Thereāll be blood, sure ā itāll even be splashed onto the audience ā but thereāll also be laughs.Ā
If youāre in for that, tickets ($30) can be purchased by calling the box office at 901-484-3476 or by going online. If youāre really gunning to be a bloody mess after the show, consider reserving a seat in the Splash Zone for an extra $5. (Youāll get a free T-shirt if you do!)
Photography courtesy Memphis Brooks Museum of Art/Cazateatro Bilingual Theatre Group
š DĆa de los Muertos Parade & Festival š
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, 1934 Poplar
Saturday, October 29, 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
You know what else Google Trends tells me? Memphis doesnāt have enough Halloween spirit. We scored a 73 out of 100 when it comes to googling āHalloween.ā I donāt really understand what these numbers mean, but I know that a 73 is a C. Are you okay with a C? Iām not. You know what we did score an A on (a 94 to be exact)? Searching the word āSpider-Man.ā Seriously? Where, oh where, is that Halloween spirit?
Oh,Ā and you know what else we got a C on? Googling āDay of the Dead.ā Shame, shame, but there is some hope for us, even the Spider-Men, thanks to the Brooks and Cazateatro Bilingual Theatre Group, who will be treating us to a Day of the Dead like no other.
The celebration of life and death kicks off at 11:30 a.m. with a parade of floats and performers making their way from Tower Courtyard at Overton Square all the way to the Brooksā plaza. The day will feature art-making activities, face painting, music, costumed performers, dance performances, food trucks, and more. Admission is free.Ā
Photography by Fabien TWB | Unsplash
š§ Women and Witches in Beer: Halloween Candy Pairing š§
Wiseacre HQ, 398 South B.B. King
Saturday, October 29, 1 p.m., 3 p.m., and 5 p.m.
Hereās another bewitching finding by our fave Lawn Love, which for some reason seems more interested in the occult than in lawn care: Memphis ranks as the 60th best city for witches. Needless to say, we can do better. You might ask, Why would we want more witches? But the answer is obvious: for the beer of course! (Oh, and their company.)
And if youāre wondering what beer has to do with witches, look no further than Wiseacre Brewing Company for the answers. The brewery is hosting a charming tour of their Downtown HQ facility and will offer a classĀ about beer history, women in beer, and where witches come into play.Ā
Classes are at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., and 5 p.m. Tickets ($25) can be purchased online and will include a special Halloween candy/beer pairing.Ā
šøļøFor a more comprehensive list of spooky happenings around town, check out this article from our sister publication, the Memphis Flyer. šøļø
