Halloween is just around the corner, and we’ve compiled a list of spooky theatre and arts events for you to attend! Sure, you could attempt a throwback year of Trick or Treating, shuffling door to door begging for tiny chocolate bars while home owners give you the “Aren’t you a bit old for this?” eye, or you could buy yourself a huge bag of big-people candy and see what Toronto’s arts scene has to offer!

Toronto After Dark Film Festival

Love a good scary movie night but bored with your go-to’s? The 8th annual After Dark Festival features 19 brand new horror, sci-fi, action and cult movies. Held at Scotiabank Theatre, this year’s screenings include multiple award-winners We Are What We Are and Big Bad Wolves. Of course, if you’re too afraid to watch the horror movies, you can always watch Big Ass Spider… “A giant spider threatens to destroy the city of Los Angeles, its up to a low-level bug exterminator (HEROES’ Greg Grunberg) to try and save the day.” Yep. Classic.

20 screenings held October 17 to 25
Scotiabank Theatre
259 Richmond Street West
Tickets: $10-$143 (various packages available)
Buy tickets online.

Kill Joy’s Kastle: A Lesbian Feminist Haunted House

Listen to this: “Each Hallowe’en radical evangelical groups all over the USA and Canada build hell houses. Beginning in the 70’s, these performer-animated installations showcase a gruesome retribution for the sins of fornication, abortion, suicide, occultism, and— of course—same-sex relationships. This Hallowe’en Toronto artist Allyson Mitchell reclaims this hellish scenario with her crowd-sourced, lesbian-feminist, queer-fear-fighting and reinforcing Kill Joy’s Kastle: A Lesbian Feminist Haunted House.” UM YES. There are going to be over 25 live performances in this art installation including musical acts and projections. This is certainly not your grandma’s haunted house… Or, hey maybe it is!

October 17 to 30
Open from 4 – 8 pm (or by appointment) and groups are welcome
303 Lansdowne Avenue
To book viewing appointments or class tours contact: Emelie Chhangur Assistant Director/Curator, AGYU, +1.416.736.5169 or Emelie@yorku.ca

You Can Sleep When You’re Dead – Theatre Lab & Campbell House

Old houses can be unsettling: so much history, so many dark corners & ornate wood panelling. Theatre Lab and the Campbell House have teamed up to give the city an interactive theatrical experience inside the historic building. Audiences will move from room to room witnessing acts of horror along the way. Each room features a different story written by Toronto playwrights like Kat Sandler and Graham Isador. You Can Sleep You’re Dead combines history and horror for the ultimate Campbell House tour.

October 24 to 31, two shows a night: 7pm & 9pm
Historic Campbell House
160 Queen Street West, Toronto
Tickets: October 24, 25, 26, 31 – $35
October 27, 28, 29, 30 – $25
Buy tickets online.

360 Screenings

“Guests don’t just watch a movie, they’re immersed in it”. These one of a kind shows fuse live theatre and a movie screening with an interactive experience which sounds pretty wild to us. Past events have been inspired by Fight Club, Ghost, 28 Days Later and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. The location and costume instructions are revealed 24 hours prior to the show and the movie remains a surprise until you get there! Want a hint? Artistic Producer & Co-Founder Ned Loach says, “What better way is there to celebrate Halloween than to dive into one of the most frightening horror movies of all time?” Hmmmm… that’s all we’ll know for now!

Friday, October 25 at 7:00 pm OR 11:00 pm
Saturday, October 26 at 2:00 pm pm OR 7:00 pm
$60 – Regular, $40 – Arts Workers/under 30. Cash bar.
Tickets available online.

The Dudebox is F#@%ing Dead IV: The Carwash of Dooom

This one is less of a ‘show’ and more of a GIGANTIC WILD PARTY. However 80% of the proceeds go to Manifesto, a non-profit organization that engages young people through arts & culture. Here’s a little snippet from the otherwise OUT OF CONTROL Facebook event, “…stand tall and proud in a sexy Walter White costume and get to the only Halloween party in the city that’s happening in a retro carwash for one night only. This party’s gonna be boss. Like, “lobster and shrimp for lunch” boss.” Drink specials, DJ James Redi and a whole lot of candy. Nothing says Halloween like a costume party.

Friday, October 25 at 10PM
689 KING ST W (King & Bathurst).
$10. DDBX.
80% of proceeds donated to MANIFESTO
20% of proceeds to DDBX.

Tony Ho’s Peak Falls – The Bad Dog Theatre Company

Tony Ho is one of the best sketch troupes in the city and they aren’t afraid to get dark and strange. Peak Falls is a “horrifying three-part improvised mini-series event”  directed by Roger Bainbridge. It features Aurora Browne, Adam Niebergall, Miguel Rivas in addition to other Toronto comedy staples. The show’s premise? “A menacing threat has tormented residents for generations: the coming of a demon so terrifying it can only mean the end of days. This is a comedy. A very dark one.”

Wednesday, October 30, November 6 & 13 at 9:30pm
Comedy Bar, 945 Bloor St. West
$12 adults, $10 students
Buy tickets online.

Séance with Nicholas Wallace

There was a time when holding a freaky-ass séance in your living room with your pals was just a regular Friday night. That time has past in favour of whatever people do on Friday nights now but Séance is bringing it back! In this performance/interactive piece Nicholas Wallace will use the power of illusion and manipulation to transport his audience to the Victorian era. Everything is prim and proper until the lights dim… “Whether you’re a die hard skeptic, or an enthusiastic believer – this experience promises to be mind-boggling, mysterious, and genuinely creepy.  If you have a nervous disposition, please think twice before attending.” Ah!

October 30, 31, Nov 1, 2 at 8:00 pm
October 31 at 10:30 pm
Theatre Aquarius
190 King William Street
Hamilton, Ontario L8R 1A8
Ticket information.