Horror Movie Month: The Rocky Horror Picture Show

The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a 1975 movie directed by Jim Sharman (who co-wrote the screenplay with Richard O'Brien) and stars Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, Richard O'Brien, Patricia Quinn, and Nell Campbell. An engaged couple (Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick) breaks down in a storm and goes to a nearby castle to use the phone. They happen to show up during the Annual Transylvanian Convention, so they meet an interesting array of characters, led by Frank N. Furter (Tim Curry), a mad scientist/transvestite who is keeping a man he created in his labratory.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show (which was a stage show before it was a movie) is a fun movie, and though all of the actors were great, Tim Curry was the clear standout as Frank N. Furter, one of the most memorable movie characters of the past forty years. The songs are catchy, and whenever I watch the movie, "The Time Warp" ends up getting stuck in my head for a few days...it's a good song though, so I don't mind. : )

My rating: 8/10

Followed by:
Shock Treatment

Review: Evil Dead the Musical at the Knight Theater

My husband and I like to go out of town to celebrate our anniversary every year, so this year we went to Charlotte to see Evil Dead the Musical at the Knight Theater. Evil Dead the Musical covers the events of the Evil Dead series, but it's even better than the movies because there's singing (everything is better with songs). All of the songs were great, but "Cabin in the Woods," "Housewares Employee," and "All the Men in My Life Keep Getting Killed By Candarian Demons" are the ones I'll be listening to over and over again when I get the cast recording (which should be pretty soon since I ordered the CD as soon as I got back to the hotel after the show).

I loved Evil Dead the Musical, and all of the actors gave incredible performances. Trent Mills was perfect as Ash, our charming, badass hero, and Merritt Crews was wonderful as Shelly and Annie, two characters who couldn't be more different from each other. Crews, Michelle Nash, and Saphire Demitro all have beautiful voices, and I got chills when Nash harmonized with Mills during "Housewares Employee." I'm glad I got to see the musical with this cast...each actor was phenomenal in his or her role (both as a regular person and as a Candarian demon), they all had great comic timing, and I loved listening to them sing. Evil Dead the Musical is a hilarious musical with catchy songs and impressive special effects, and I hope I'll be lucky enough to see it again someday. I know I'm biased because I'm a playwright, but I think there's nothing greater than live theatre...there's nothing I'd rather see than a good musical that makes me laugh. If Evil Dead the Musical is coming to your town, you should really go see it...there's a good chance it'll be the most fun you've ever had at the theatre. : )

My rating: 10/10

http://www.evildeadthemusical.com/EvilDead-worldwide/productions/index.html

Horror Movie Month: Sweeney Todd

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is a 2007 movie (based on the 1979 musical by Stephen Sondheim) directed by Tim Burton and starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Jayne Wisener. In nineteenth century London, barber Sweeney Todd (Johnny Depp) murders his customers, then sends them through a trapdoor into a meat pie shop, where Nellie Lovett (Helena Bonham Carter) bakes them into pies.

I love musicals, and Sweeney Todd is dark and twisted, so it was right up my alley. I liked the songs, and all of the actors gave wonderful performances...and even though Sweeney Todd is a murderer, I thought he was a likeable and sympathetic character. Pee-wee's Big Adventure is still my favorite Tim Burton movie, but Sweeney Todd is a close second.

My rating: 8/10

Horror Movie Month: Stage Fright

Stage Fright is a 2014 movie directed by Jerome Sable and starring Allie MacDonald, Minnie Driver, Meat Loaf, Douglas Smith, Brandon Uranowitz, and Melanie Leishman. Ten years after her actress mother (Minnie Driver) was murdered backstage after a production of The Haunting of the Opera, Camilla Swanson (Allie MacDonald) wins the lead role in a kabuki version of the same musical at theatre camp. However, someone is trying to put a stop to the production...by killing everyone.

I love horror movies and musical theatre, so of course I had to watch Stage Fright...and after seeing it, I just have to say, "Stage Fright, where have you been all my life?" I loved Stage Fright, and I really wish there were more musical horror movies. I laughed out loud quite a few times during the movie and thought the deaths were pretty creative (and I loved that the killer made a pun or two whenever he murdered someone). The music and performances were great, and that theatre camp looks super-fun when there are no murders happening. ; )

My rating: 8.5/10

Evil Dead the Musical

My husband and I like to take a road trip for our anniversary every year; last year we went to Wilmington to see Carrie the Musical, and this year we're going to Charlotte to see Evil Dead the Musical (in case you haven't noticed, I really love musicals). Evil Dead the Musical is based on the Evil Dead movies, of course, and it sounds like it'll be a lot of fun. You can find more information about the Charlotte performance (which is on October 25th) here:

http://www.blumenthalarts.org/events/detail/evil-dead-the-musical-1

Or you can find out where else you can see the musical here:

http://www.evildeadthemusical.com/EvilDead-worldwide/productions/index.html

I'll post a review after I see it. : )

Carrie the Musical

My husband and I are taking a trip to Wilmington, NC for our anniversary in a few weeks, and we're going to see Carrie the musical while we're there!  Carrie the musical is based on the Stephen King novel about a telekinetic teenager, and it's being performed by City Stage Co. October 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 24th, 25th, 26th, and 31st and November 1st and 2nd.  If you live in or near Wilmington, and this sounds like something you'd like to see, email your name, phone number, date you'd like to attend, number of tickets, and which seats you'd like (you can find the seating chart here: http://www.citystageco.com/come-see-show/) to CityStageCoReservations@gmail.com or call 910-342-0272 to make your reservation.  Tickets cost $20-$25 or $18 for students, teachers, and military, and the theatre is located at 21 N. Front St. #501. I love musicals, and I also love Stephen King, so I'm really excited to see Carrie the musical. : )

http://www.citystageco.com/city-stage-co-shows/carrie-2014/