This week, whether you want to be entrenched in the Halloween spirit or just want to watch some good old fashioned people telling jokes, you can slide on over to one of these shows to get your fill.
WEDNESDAY
Esoterica Teaser Performance
At Visana NYC, 321 1st Avenue, East Village. 11:30 doors, midnight performance; free. More info here.
There isn’t much info available on this late-night performance preview at a speakeasy—it appears to be purposefully cryptic—but Esoterica’s website indicates it’s a richly-visual performance experience based to some degree on Dante’s Divine Comedy, where heaven and hell intermingle. “A portal to The Inferno will be opened,” the Facebook event declares. Well, you’ll just have to see for yourself.
THURSDAY
KWEENDOM
The Unicorn, 105 Henry Street, Chinatown. 8pm; $5. More info here.
Come gather at relatively new art and music space The Unicorn, founded by LES staple and comedian/musician Jessica Delfino, for a night of LGBTQ comedy and storytelling. Featuring laughs and tell-alls by Kelli Dunham, UCB’s Mike Kelton, Calvin S. Cato, and Dan Rohdaire. Yes, there’s a cover charge, but all net proceeds go straight to Streetwise and Safe, a nonprofit that advocates for queer youth of color.
FRIDAY
(photo: Jonno Rattman)
The Incredible Fox Sisters
Continues through November 8 at The New Ohio Theater, 154 Christopher Street, West Village. 8pm, some shows at 2pm; tickets are $20 ($15 students/seniors). More info here.
Telling the story of three sisters (no, not that Three Sisters) who reveal to their town that they can communicate with the dead, this spooky little play by Jaclyn Backhaus opens just in time for Halloween. Backhaus garnered critical praise for her gender-blurring play Men On Boats earlier this summer, so it would be safe to assume that this exploration of sisterly séances will be equally-interesting.
SATURDAY
The Alcoholic Movie Musical!
Continues through November 6 at The Bushwick Starr, 207 Starr Street, Bushwick. 8pm; tickets are $18 and can be purchased here.
Musical performance artist and 2010 Guggenheim Fellow Cynthia Hopkins (working with video artist Jeff Sugg) has created a blurry autobiographical evening described as “a musical comedy routine about alcoholism.” Hopkins has received international acclaim for her unique works that engage music across disciplines, and this work, commissioned by the Starr, is no exception. Stay after the show for a little Halloween party featuring ghoulish punch and cupcakes by Brooklyn Whiskers—although after a show like this you may want to stick with soda.
SUNDAY
Toodock Found Jesus: The New Breastament of the One Species Buffet Temple
Under St Marks Theater, 94 Saint Marks Pl., East Village. 7pm; $10. More info here.
Say that title five times fast. Well, you may not be able to while you’re still nursing that Halloween hangover. (Need something to do that night? We’ve got you covered.) Took Edalow and John Murdock, the performance art partners-in-weird who are also known as Toodock and are often seen slinging balloons and face paint in Washington Square Park, take on religion. And they’ve assembled a biblical cast of misfits to do so, including street performer Qween Amor as the “anti-virgin.” Say your prayers.