Alchemist Theatre returns to interactive theater this October with Closing Night: A Wicked, Paranormal, Who-Dun-It Experience. Not actually traditional murder mystery dinner theater, the show unfolds in and around the Alchemist Theatre space as actors play actors and production personnel on the final night of a show. The audience is present for a murder. Everyone is invited to work out what happened, exploring backstage and all the various corners and corridors of the Alchemist’s basement.
The exploration of the space turns the set and the props for the show into something that could be seen as a character all its own, but the production is far from a traditional haunted house experience. No one will be leaping out at the audience members as they poke around trying to figure out who the murderer is.
This is less of a horror show and more of a dramatic interactive puzzle involving the paranormal. And while there will be a point at which the characters invite interaction from the audience, they are largely playing audience to them as they interact with each other in what should be a thoroughly psychologically immersive show.
Alchemist Theatre’s Closing Night runs Oct. 3-Nov. 2 on 2569 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. For tickets, visit alchemisttheatre.com.
Theater Happenings
Marquette University opens its production of the Jeffrey Lane/David Yazbek musical adaptation of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels this weekend. In Tandem’s Jane Flieller directs the show with musical direction by David Bonofiglio, Sept. 26-Oct. 6, at the Helfaer Theatre, 525 N. 13th St. For tickets, call 414-288-7504 or visit showclix.com/events/marquettetheatre.
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UW-Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts presents a musical theater capstone with Samantha Goodrich and Kelly Cline in What You Don’t Know About Women at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28, at Kenilworth Studio 508, 1925 East Kenilworth Place. Admission is free.
Windfall Theatre opens its season with a production of Michael Hollinger’s An Empty Plate in the Cafe du Grand Boeuf. David Flores stars in a comic tragedy in seven courses Sept. 27-Oct. 12. For tickets, call 414-332-3963 or visit brownpapertickets.com/event/465252.
