'Dracula,' 'Spamalot,' 'Clue' and 16 more shows to see on LI
Long Island theaters are the perfect places to chill this fall, especially when it comes to the season's two biggest holidays.
Several venues will be sending chills up and down everyone's spine as the Island gears up for Halloween. There's good vs. evil in the sinister Frank Wildhorn musical "Jekyll & Hyde." Zombies take the stage in two productions of "Night of the Living Dead." And everyone's favorite vampire discovers love at first bite in "The Passion of Dracula."
If you prefer chills of the winter wonderland variety, there are plenty of shows tailor-made for Yuletide cheer, including "Irving Berlin's White Christmas" and "A Christmas Story."
And Elvis fans are sure to get chills hearing dozens of his hits in the jukebox musical "Heartbreak Hotel."
So chill out, and check out this list of Long Island fall theater highlights.
CLUE (John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport, Sept. 12-Oct. 27) Round up the usual suspects — Professor Plum, Mrs. Peacock, Miss Scarlet, etc. — and let the fun and games begin. 631-261-2900, engemantheater.com
MATILDA THE MUSICAL (Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson, Sept. 14-Oct. 20) Roald Dahl's tale of an intelligent, book-loving schoolgirl who just happens to also have telekinetic powers is ready to work its magic. 631-928-9100, theatrethree.com)
OF MICE AND MEN (Modern Classics Theatre Company of Long Island, BACCA Arts Center, 149 N. Wellwood Ave., Lindenhurst, Sept. 28-Oct. 13) Here's a rare chance to see John Steinbeck's classic Depression-era drama about migrant workers George and Lennie. Tell us about those rabbits, George. 516-236-5838, modernclassicstheatrecompanyoflongisland.net
JEKYLL & HYDE (CM Performing Arts Center, 931 Montauk Hwy., Oakdale, Oct. 5-19) The doctor is in, but you never know what sort of a mood he'll be in after drinking a strange potion that transforms him into his dangerous alter ego. 631-218-2810, cmpac.com
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (Smithtown Performing Arts Center, 2 E. Main St., Oct. 5-27) George Romero's 1968 cult film comes to life in this stage production about a group of ghouls that wreak terror on a farm community in Pennsylvania. 631-724-3700, smithtownpac.org
(The show is also being presented at South Shore Theatre Experience, 115 S. Wellwood Ave., Lindenhurst, Oct. 25-Nov. 2; 631-669-0506, southshoretheatre.com.)
THE PASSION OF DRACULA (Manes Studio Theatre, 141 S. Wellwood Ave., Lindenhurst, Oct. 11-27) Count Dracula moves to a village on the English countryside and there goes the neighborhood, especially the young women who keep disappearing. 631-226-8400, studiotheatrelongisland.com
NOW AND THEN (Hampton Theatre Company, Quogue Community Hall, 125 Jessup Ave., Quogue, Oct. 17-Nov. 3) A man walks into a bar and offers $2,000 to a musician and his girlfriend if they have a drink with him. And no, it isn't a joke. 631-653-8955, hamptontheatre.org
MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT (North Fork Community Theatre, 12700 Old Sound Ave., Mattituck, Oct. 31-Nov. 17) Fresh off its recent Broadway run comes this musical sendup of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table as only Monty Python's Eric Idle could write it. 631-298-6328, nfct.com
COCKTAIL BLUES: A TALE OF THE JAZZ AGE (Jeanne Rimsky Theater, Landmark on Main Street, 232 Main St., Port Washington, Nov. 3) Port Washington's Pat Lyons penned this original radio play set on Long Island during the "Gatsby" era. Adding to the rip-roaring '20s fun are some old-timey radio commercials and jazzy songs from the period. 516-767-6444, landmarkonmainstreet.org
A CHRISTMAS CAROL (The Argyle Theatre, 34 W. Main St., Babylon, Nov. 7-Jan. 5) Get into the holiday spirit with this perennial about Ebenezer Scrooge, a Dickens of a Grinch who's visited by three ghosts one Christmas Eve. 844-631-5483, argyletheatre.com
(For another take on Scrooge, Jeffrey Sanzel returns as Mr. Bah Humbug in Theatre Three's production which has become as much of a holiday tradition as plum pudding. 412 Main St., Port Jefferson, Nov. 9-Dec. 28; 631-928-9100, theatrethree.com)
TAKE A NUMBER, DARLING (Clare Rose Playhouse at St. Joseph's University, 155 W. Roe Blvd., Patchogue, Nov. 8-23) A soap opera star and her concert pianist husband fear the worst when a reporter from a scandal sheet comes to interview them. Jack Sharkey's farce could have also been called "Daze of Our Lives." 631-654-0199, sjny.edu
9 TO 5 (Star Playhouse at Stage 74, Suffolk Y JCC, 74 Hauppauge Rd., Commack, Nov. 9-17) Three secretaries work overtime to come up with a clever way to get even with their horrible boss in this musical romp based on the 1980 movie hit starring Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton. 631-462-9800, ext. 136, starplayhouse.com
CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY (John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport, Nov. 14-Dec. 29) Who can take a sunrise and sprinkle it with dew? The candy man known as Willy Wonka can in this musical confection for the whole family. 631-261-2900, engemantheater.com
IRVING BERLIN'S WHITE CHRISTMAS (The Gateway, 215 S. Country Rd., Bellport, Nov. 29-Dec 29) The wobbly plot about two song-and-dance men, a sister act and a Vermont inn run by the guys' former sergeant is just an excuse for the cast to perform a sleighload of Berlin favorites including "Count Your Blessings," "Sisters" and, of course, the title tune. 631-286-1133, thegateway.org
A CHRISTMAS STORY (CM Performing Arts Center, 931 Montauk Hwy., Oakdale, Dec. 7-22) The leg lamp shines brightly in this riotous musical based on the 1983 movie adapted from the stories of Jean Shepherd. It's all about Ralphie, an Indiana youngster who wants Santa to leave him a BB gun for Christmas. 631-218-2810, cmpac.com
HEARTBREAK HOTEL (John W. Engeman Theater, 250 Main St., Northport, Jan. 16-March 2) The King still lives in this jukebox musical about Elvis Presley that features 28 of his hits. That's a hunk, a hunk of Elvis. 631-261-2900, engemantheater.com
THE ADDAMS FAMILY (The Gateway, 215 S. Country Rd., Bellport, Jan. 24-Feb. 16) They're creep and they're kooky, but they're also funny. Gomez, Morticia and the rest of the Addams clan — and Thing, too — are ready to share some spooky shenanigans as well as a song and dance or two. 631-286-1133, thegateway.org