The haunted houses are up-and-running. People are putting together their costumes. The countdown to Halloween continues, and the events are piling up. Here are our recommendations for the week that have more than a touch of theatricality.
Creepy Crawly Cocktails at The Burke Museum, October 22
This event is open to the public, but members of The Burke Museum stand the best chance of getting in at a reasonable time. So many people have RSVPed that they are likely to hit capacity, so expect a crowd—but also a fabulous time! The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture is Washington’s oldest public museum and is administered by the University of Washington College of Arts and Sciences. It’s full of animal remains and specimens that make the perfect setting for a morbid cocktail party.
Doors open at 5 PM for members, who also get in free. General admission is $10 and includes two drink tickets. Student and faculty rate: $5. Note: Admission is paid with cash only to keep the line moving. Doors for non-members open at 5:30 PM at The Burke Museum (17 Ave Northeast and Northeast 45th Street).
BenDeLaCreme’s COSMOS at Oddfellows West Hall, October 23 and 24
One of Seattle’s best drag superstars BenDeLaCreme premiered COSMOS: Space. Time. Splash of Cran. in New York earlier this year, and it finally comes home to us this weekend. Tickets for 8 PM shows on October 22, 23 and 24 sold out almost immediately, but 10 PM shows on Friday, October 23 and Saturday, October 24 have been added. The synopsis:
For centuries our greatest minds have tried to unlock the mysteries of our universe and the life within it—but who holds the key to their secrets? BenDeLaCreme sure doesn’t—and neither will you after spending an evening under the influence of “BenDeLaCreme’s Cosmos”—a dizzying deliberation on space, time, and the cocktails that accompany them best. Whether showing off her knowledge of black holes or inviting you to explore her inner space, BenDeLaCreme blends song, strip-tease, razor wit and high-camp hijinks to create a pseudo-scientific spectacular certain to delight and misinform!
Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door. A VIP table seating up to 4 can be reserved for $165. (Only 4 VIP tables per performance, which are in the front row and include a keepsake from BenDeLaCreme.) Reserve online. Located on the second floor in the West Hall of the Oddfellows Building (915 E Pine Street)
The Cabiri Present Dead Gods at Youngstown, October 23-25 and 31 and November 1
Performance troupe The Cabiri often take on mythical, mystical subject matter, which are inherently surreal or even macabre. Their latest show, part of their annual Ghost Game series, is no exception. Dead Gods uses aerial and gymanstic choreography to evoke stores from Sumerian, Hittite, Phrygian, Aztec, Norse and Greek mythology. Ten members of the Seattle-based troupe will perform in a candle-lit cabaret environment while guests enjoy desserts and specialty cocktails (for those 21 and up, of course).
From the press release:
Enter a world where daemons dance and deities rise and fall, a world that invites the living and the dead to exist on the same stage. Immerse yourself in sexy, seductive performances featuring aerial acrobatics, contemporary dancers, gymnasts, ballerinas, and more.
Dessert is included in the ticket price, which ranges from $45 – $100. Seating is limited to 85 guests per night with five guests per table. Notes on attire: Festive attire is encouraged at each performance and there will be a costume contest at intermission on Halloween night. Audience favorites will be awarded prizes. November 1 marks the midpoint between autumn and winter celebrated in Europe (All Saints Days, when the barrier between living and dead is thinnest), so guests that evening are encouraged to wear all white. This final performance will also feature a special dessert.
Shows in October begin at 8 PM, with doors opening at 7:30. The November 1 show begins at 7 PM with doors at 6:30. All shows are held at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center (4408 Delridge Way SW). Purchase tickets online. Ages 16 and up only.