Stone Animals: The Weird and Wonderful with Stories on Stage
A preview by Nicolette Vajtay
Can you feel the spirits hovering closer to the veil as we near October 31st? Those goose bumps on your arm may be from a cold breeze… or… from a passing apparition?
Stories on Stage invites you to a weird and wonderful adventure perfect for October, in Kelly Link’s Stone Animals, on October 15th (Boulder at Nomad Playhouse) and on October 16th (Denver at Su Teatro). Don’t let the mundane title fool you, as the author writes in a haunting manner, letting your imagination do the heavy lifting. While no ghosts are present in her ghost story, the ordinary slips into the weird, and the hairs standing on the back of your head will tell you there are spirits around! And where are all the rabbits coming from?
“I’ve loved horror stories since I was a boy,” said Artistic Director Anthony Powell. “Every Halloween, my father would turn off the lights and we’d listen to Orson Wells’ Dracula on the radio. It scared me silly! The images of horror were in my mind, the worst place they could be.” To this day, Halloween is still Powell’s favorite holiday. Along with bowls of candy, he sets up fog machines, and expertly hides hanging skeletons in trees that scare the bejesus out of kids and parents alike. If you can make it up the walk you have earned your treat.
As a young girl myself, I only read Stephen King and Dean Koontz, much to the chagrin of my parents. Their stories forced me to feel powerful emotions and introduced me to the good and evil ideologies of my young world. Powell loves how the monsters of classic horror, like Frankenstein, Dracula, and the Wolf-Man, were complex, conflicted, and misunderstood, something he believes every young person can relate to as they explore their autonomy.
You don’t need to be a horror fan to enjoy Stone Animals, as the haunting of this house is a metaphor for the everyday challenges relationships go through. The very typical parents in a not so typical suburb may be listening, but they aren’t hearing each other, and one day it may just be too late.
Chip Persons and Jessica Robblee will perform Stone Animals, two long-time talents in the Denver theatre community, who are taking the stage together for the first time. They’ll have to use both their dramatic and comedic talents as Link weaves crazy comedy with frightening fantasy with gothic thrills and chills in a way that will surprise you. You may never look at your toothbrush the same way ever again. (Insert scary music here). Come join us if you dare!
Watch the virtual Premier event on Thursday, October 20th @ 7pm. (If you are not able to watch virtually at 7:00pm, you can watch the show later!)
The rest of the season is just as fascinating. Coming November, Stories on Stage will collaborate with Buntport Theatre in “Modern Times,” an irreverent take on the madness of modern life.
“Making Merry” is back in December, with audience favorite Jamie Horton; and then “A Hall Pass to the Galaxy” takes the stage in January, with mind-blowing tales from some of Science Fiction’s very best writers.
The Word Painter” will be presented in February, a celebration of best-selling Colorado author Peter Heller with a post-show discussion with Peter. In March, there will be a reading of Sean Daniels’ wise and witty play “The White Chip,” all about recovery.
In April, local writers take a walking tour of Denver’s dark side in Denver Noir, hard boiled crime stories that may have occurred in your own backyard, featuring Anne Penner and Rodney Lizcano.
And finally, “Confessions of a Wedding Singer,” rounds out the season in May, with hit songs of the 80s and 90s from the hardest working folks in show biz. Mark your calendar now so you don’t miss any of the drama, weirdness, and fun Stories on Stage has prepared for you!
Click here for information on the entire Stories on Stage season.
