Lexington Halloween events guide: Classic ghost story, ‘Frankenstein’ concert and more
Upstairs at Midnight, it’s hard to see what’s around the corner, what’s behind the door, Lexington actor Laurie Genet Preston says.
To her and actor Ryan Case, the mystery and unexpected nature of what you might find “upstairs at midnight” was a perfect description of the kind of theater they wanted to create. It also happens to be a great name for a theatre company presenting a classic ghost story on Halloween weekend, one of many spooky happenings going on this weekend (more local events listed below).
Upstairs at Midnight Theatre Project’s production of Jeffrey Hatcher’s adaptation of Henry James’ “The Turn of the Screw” will appropriately show up at an unexpected place this weekend: Base249, a downtown coworking and virtual office space.
Preston was familiar with Hatcher’s two-person adaptation of “Turn of the Screw” from a production she was in with Actors Guild of Lexington 18 years ago.
“It was in February or something like that, so it didn’t really fit the time of year,” she said. “There’s nothing better than a ghost story on the weekend of Halloween to get everybody in the mood.”
Preston plays a governess who is caring for two children at a remote estate she becomes convinced is haunted. Case plays all of the other characters. To direct them, “we decided to reach out to the GOAT of Lexington directors, Joe Ferrell,” who says he was thrilled to tackle the psychological drama.
“With lots of Halloween things, you want to have all the scary creatures and figures and knives,” says Ferrell, who has been directing theater in Lexington for decades. “This is fundamentally psychological. Everything that happens and is suggested and implied is intent. And the intention is to work on the audience’s imagination and get them to kind of see what’s going on, get them to make some decisions for themselves about basic motivation.
“This is a spooky world, and it’s so much fun to go and be a part of that and not have everything appear before you in a way that’s going to frighten you because, ‘Oh my God! There he is wearing a ski mask.’”
This will be Upstairs at Midnight’s second production. It opened in the fall of 2019 with Lexington playwright Kevin Lane Dearinger’s “Naked on Request.” It was set to follow up with Carson Kreitzer’s “Lasso of Truth,” but like everything else in the late winter and early spring of 2020, the production was canceled.
Preston and Case say they hope to return to the “Wonder Woman”-inspired play sometime and are planning a next production for the Spring. The duo says they are aiming to present intimate and edgy fare they believe has been missing from Lexington stages since the dissolution of companies like Actors Guild and Balagula Theatre, which Case co-directed and was based in another non-traditional venue: the former Natasha’s Bistro and Bar.
Preston says Tim Guthrie, co-founder of BaseHere, which runs Base249 and other co-working spaces, was a big supporter of Balagula and the company has embraced Upstairs at Midnight.
“There’s something familiar in working in multi-use venues that aren’t typical theater spaces and still providing unusual, unique, solid theater with actors doing good work,” Case says. “So, there is something very familiar about working in this space, in this way.”
‘The Turn of the Screw’
What: Upstairs at Midnight Theatre Project’s production of Jeffrey Hatcher’s adaptation of Henry James’ story
When: 8 p.m. Oct. 28-30
Where: Base249, 249 E. Main St.
Tickets: $15 general admission, $10 students
Online: facebook.com/upstairsatmidnight
COVID notes: Proof of vaccination or a negative test result within 48 hours and ID required at the door. Masks required when not drinking.
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Other local Halloween weekend events
Here is a Lexington list and guide of the best Halloween weekend events around Lexington and Central Kentucky on Friday, Saturday and Sunday if you are bored and need to scare things up to do. There’s from live music concerts, carved pumpkins viewings, costume contest, Fall festivals and of course, trick-or-treating.
UK Symphony concert: ‘Suite from Frankenstein’
The University of Kentucky Symphony Orchestra is also getting into the Halloween spirit and highlighting a longtime music faculty member with its concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Singletary Center for the Arts, 405 Rose St.
The concert will include “Suite from Frankenstein” by UK Music Professor Emeritus Joseph Baber, who retires this year after more than 50 years at the university. “Frankenstein” was one of three operas he collaborated on with novelist John Gardner.
The concert will also include works by John Adams (“Short Ride in a Fast Machine”), Dmitri Shostakovich (Symphony No. 5), and the Kentucky premiere of Ahmed Adnan Saygun’s “Ayin Raksi.” The concert will be led by UK Symphony Director John Nardolillo and Assistant Conductors Sean Radermacher and Merih Erdem Ozden, both doctoral candidates.
Tickets are $10 general public and $4 students. Visit scfatickets.com for tickets. All patrons are required to wear a mask covering their mouth and nose while in the center and concert hall.
Jack-o-lantern Trail at McConnell Springs Park
View hundreds of hand-carved pumpkins during a Jack-o-Lantern trail at McConnell Springs Park on Oct. 27-30 from 6:30-10 p.m. Other activities include campfires, s’mores, live owls from Critters in the Classroom, and more. Admission is $5 per person and free for children 12 and under. 416 Rebmann Ln. LexingtonKy.gov/Jack-O-Lantern-Trail.
Boograss Music Festival
The second annual Boograss Bluegrass Music Festival will take place at the Clarion North Hotel’s Conference Center from Oct. 29-30 with music from Wolfpen Branch, The Kody Norris Show, The Po’ Ramblin Boys and Sideline, among others. Weekend passes are $105. 1950 Newtown Pike. facebook.com/events/594661228336282.
Antique-or-Treat at Lexington Peddlers Mall
Antique-Or-Treat returns to the Lexington Peddlers Mall on Oct. 29 from 4-7 p.m. with a costume contest, booth decorating contest, candy, haunted house, door prizes, booth sales and more. The event is free to attend. 1205 E New Circle Rd. facebook.com/events/596939644814467.
Howl at the Moon at the Gateway Regional Arts Center
Enjoy an evening of music from David and Teresa Prince (of Luna & The Mountain Jets and Laid Back Country Picker), food and crafts during “Howl At The Moon” at the Gateway Regional Arts Center in Mount Sterling on Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. The event is free to attend, but premium seats are available. 101 E Main St, Mount Sterling. GracKentucky.org.
Halloween movie trivia and costume contest at Chenault Vineyards
Chenault Vineyards in Richmond is hosting a Halloween movie trivia night and costume contest on Oct. 29 from 6-8 p.m. The event is free to attend. 2284 Barnes Mill Rd, Richmond. facebook.com/events/2998125387116598.
Bluegrass Youth Ballet presents ‘Dia De Los Muertos’
The Bluegrass Youth Ballet will present two showings of “Dia De Los Muertos” at the Lexington Opera House on Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. and Oct. 30 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $18 for the story about Mexican celebration of life and death. 401 W Short St. BluegrassYouthBallet.org.
Fall Festival, trick-or-treating at Julietta Market
The Julietta Market at Grey Line Station will hold its first annual Fall Festival with trick-or-treating, a costume contest, music, a cake and cookie walk, and more on Oct. 30 from 12-7 p.m. The event is free to attend. 101 W Loudon Ave. facebook.com/events/588866622156106.
The Wooks ‘Wook-O-Ween’ concert at The Burl
The Wooks will return to The Burl for their annual “Wook-O-Ween” concert on Oct. 30 at 9 p.m. with support from Laid Back Country Picker. Tickets are $15. 375 Thompson Rd. TheBurlKy.com.
City of Lexington trick-or-treat time for 2021
Even though Halloween falls on a Sunday this year, Lexington will hold trick-or-treat on Halloween, Sunday, Oct. 31 from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Here are trick-or-treat dates and times for other Central Kentucky counties:
- Scott Co.: 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Oct. 31
- Clark Co.: 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Oct. 31
Jessamine Co.: 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Oct. 31 (Wilmore 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Oct. 30)
Woodford Co.: 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Oct. 31
Madison Co.: 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Oct. 31
Franklin Co.: 6 p.m.-8 p.m. Oct. 31
This story was originally published October 28, 2021 at 6:00 AM.