Art Hounds: Ghost Light, Dracula, and a festival of horrors

Evan Kelly and Tim Sislo in Renegade Theater's "Ghost Light." (Credit: Andy Miller; Photo courtesy of Renegade Theater)

This installment is not for the timid or faint hearted. The hounds have their sights on a play about a haunted vaudeville theater, the most powerful vampire who ever lay in a coffin, and a series of performances that will terrify as much as humor you.

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Twin Cities actor Jen Scott is of the theory that comedy and horror emanate from the same creative wellspring in a performer. Another reason she's excited about the Twin Cities Horror Festival is that it features some of her favorite artists, including Erin Sheppard, Tim Uren and Mike Fotis. The Twin Cities Horror Festival runs Oct. 25 through Nov. 3 at the Southern Theater.

When Duluth actor and director Lawrence Lee went to see Renegade Theater's "Ghost Light" at Teatro Zuccone in Duluth, the woman next to him kept grabbing his arm. And Lawrence says the play, about a group of college kids holed up in a haunted vaudeville theater is indeed that scary, and funny, and well-performed. It runs hrough Oct. 27 at Teatro Zuccone.

Minneapolis actor Ryan Coble has severe vampire fatigue, so Lyric Arts Main Street Stage in Anoka had a high bar to achieve with its production of "Dracula," based on Bram Stoker's late-19th century novel. But Ryan says the show exceeded his expectations for an entertaining fright because the actor who played Dracula sent chills down his spine. On stage through Oct. 28. For more Art Hounds' recommendations, check us out on Facebook and Twitter. Art Hounds is also available as a podcast on iTunes. Art Hounds is powered by the Public Insight Network.

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