It must be Monster Month because the Twin Cities Horror Festival starts up next week, and I for one cannot wait!!! For the uninitiated, the TCHF is a Festival which uses the Fringe Festival model but on a smaller scale. For example, instead of multiple venues every performance takes place at The Crane Theatre in NE Minneapolis. As an added bonus, it’s actually possible to see every production unlike Fringe, so you don’t have to pick and choose. This year for their 11th season there are 11 different productions each scheduled for multiple performances over the 11 days of the Festival. I don’t know about you, but I’m noticing a pattern there. On each given evening or day of the Festival there is a new performance every 90 minutes. Each of these little staged horror themed plays runs a little under an hour, then they have about 30 minutes for the show that just performed to clear the stage and the next production to set up. This will be my third year covering the festival and believe me, some of the shows are fairly sparse when it comes to sets and design, but others are surprisingly elaborate given the restrictions.
People ask me are the plays really scary? Well, there is usually one or two of the shows that will give you that fear rush or make you scream. The others vary from creepy to humorous but all have some sort of connection to horror. In general, I’ve had very few if any, that I didn’t think were worth my time. It’s almost always enjoyable in some way. If you are looking for scary or the not as scary ones you can go on the festival website, click on the lineup, and then the learn more button under each production. From there besides a description of the show and the dates and times of its performances, you’ll see a rating system. This will help you determine which shows are right for you, your children, and grandmothers. But the 11 various productions are not all the Festival has to offer there are also things to do in the lobby between performances. There is Tarot Readings by Nissa Nordland Morgan as well as some yet to be announced activities by Amber Bjork and Lauren Anderson (YES!!!). Visit the website for times, options, and details and to reserve your Tarot reading time. There is also some wonderful merchandise on sale, previous years have had everything from T-shirts and hoodies to bars of soap.
I have had a great time covering this festival in the past and look forward to it every year. If you enjoy spookables and bumpities as much as I do, I hope you’ll join me for a few or 11 of these unique and creative productions. I think it’s safe to take a chance on any of these shows so I’m posting my schedule here so you can join me, if you do please be sure to say hi. If you like to play it safe though I’ll be posting brief reviews of each production within a day of seeing it so watch this site for day to day reviews.
The Stages of MN TCHF Schedule:
Thursday 10/20
6:00 PM: Edgar Perry
7:30 PM: Stabby Stab stab
9:00 PM: The Shrieking Harpies
10:30 PM: Gillman Genesis
Friday 10/21
6:00 PM: Spooky & Gay Cabaret
7:30 PM: Writer’s Room
Sunday 10/23
1:30 PM: Victor Invictus
3:00 PM: Bad Egg
4:30 PM: All Your White Darlings
Thursday 10/27
9:00 PM Ted’s Talk
Saturday 10/29
1:30 PM Dead Mountain
Now to make your own schedule and to purchase tickets, each performance is $15 but you can also purchase a 5 punch pass for $70 (it looks like on the website that the $120 all access Skeleton Key passes are sold out) go to https://www.tchorrorfestival.com/
And remember, it’s only a play…right?
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