If you’re looking for spooky things to do, this week holds some treats: There’s “Night of the Living Dead” at the Byrd Theatre and a haunted walk in Hanover. If you’re not in the mood for scary trickery, there’s opera at the Modlin Center, Alton Brown at the Carpenter Theatre and classical music at the Hofheimer. Boo!
Night of the Picture Show
I’m a big zombie fan, and George Romero’s 1968 classic, “Night of the Living Dead,” is one of my all-time favorite films. That’s why I’m thrilled — or rather, chilled — The Byrd Theatre is screening the flick on Halloween, Oct. 31, at 6 p.m. Make it a double feature and catch the Yes And Theatrical Co. performance and screening of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” at 10 p.m. This special event features the theater company’s cast accompanied by the Trunk Show Band performing the cult-classic film’s soundtrack live and in sync with the movie. And no “Rocky Horror Picture Show” screening is complete without costumes, so don your best Frank-N-Furter or Riff Raff get-up and enter the contest.
—Nicole Cohen, Special Projects Editor
Cooking and Comedy
Need an excuse to hit the town and jump-start the weekend? Are you a fan of food and cooking shows? Do you think belly laughs are good for the soul? If you answered yes to any of those questions, beloved food nerd Alton Brown is calling. After last visiting the River City in 2014, the Bill Nye of the culinary world and longtime host of shows including “Iron Chef America” and “Good Eats” will return on Thursday, Oct. 28, during his fall tour, “Beyond the Eats.” The show at Dominion Energy Center’s Carpenter Theatre promises a smorgasbord of cooking, comedy and audience interaction.
—Eileen Mellon, Food Editor
String Thing
Right this minute, somebody is writing music for instruments you might associate with symphonies and dead dudes wearing wigs. Sure, they yet speak from their tuneage, but how about music from a contemporary composer, such as Caroline Shaw, who won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for music? Shaw’s lively compositions will be performed in a 45-minute concert by Richmond’s dynamic Rosette String Quartet as part of its “… So Hot Right Now” series. Like this one, on Monday, Oct. 25, from 7 to 10 p.m., at The Hofheimer Building’s Dark Room. The Rosettes are Ellen Cockerham Riccio (violin), Treesa Gold (violin), Kimberly Ryan (viola) and Steph Barrett (cello).
—Harry Kollatz, Jr., Senior Writer
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Walking Haunts
Are you daring enough to tour a haunted house? Join Transcend Paranormal for a Ghosts Walk at Night tour through Hanover Tavern, the Historic Courthouse and Old Stone Jail. Meet the cast of ghostly characters inhabiting the dark corners of the historic buildings and hear ghastly tales of actual events and recorded paranormal activity Oct. 24-26, from 7 to 10 p.m. each night.
—Susan Morgan, R•Home Managing Editor
Opera Man
The Metropolitan Opera’s production of “Fire Shut up in My Bones” marked a historic first as the only opera performed by African American composer Terence Blanchard on that stage earlier this year. The star of that show, baritone Will Liverman, comes to the University of Richmond’s Modlin Center on Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m. His recital will include songs by composers Shawn E. Okpebholo, H. Leslie Adams and Damien Sneed, as well as works by Schubert, Loewe, Rachmaninoff, Britten and Bolcolm. Tickets are $10 to $25.
—Craig Belcher, Arts & Entertainment Editor
Other Suggestions
- See “Think Small” at Artspace Gallery through Dec. 12.
- “Anastasia” is onstage at the Altria Theater Oct. 26-31.
- Hear author Catherine Baab-Muguira talk about “Poe for Your Problems” at the Virginia Museum of History & Culture Oct. 28.
River City Roundup is Richmond magazine's weekly compilation of the best things to see, do and experience in the region, compiled by our editors. Get each week's installment directly in your inbox every Monday by subscribing to our e-newsletter.
