photo credit: Courtesy of Jake Ward

While Halloween is certainly fun for kids, it is also a time for adults to let their freak flags fly. One of the many shows and events happening this week around the North Bay is Halloweird – a burlesque and variety show at Petaluma's Mystic Theater on Halloween night.

October 31 is the time for things that go bump in the night, or in this case, things that go bump and grind.

[vaudeville-type music here]

Promoter Jake Ward has been crafting variety shows for the past ten years and he says this one at the Mystic has something for everyone.

“You might see a comedic act and maybe it’s really wild and there’s something really raunchy, but then we move to a slam poet and it’s really emotionally stirring and it’s serious,” said Ward. “And so, you go on a whole journey.”

One of the acts Thursday night is Roxy Mirage.

“She is a SHOCK-lesque quote unquote performer, who does burlesque acts, but it’s infused with being a creepy clown,”Ward said. “She has got confetti cannons, and she does this bit where she wears a costume with metallic pieces, and then uses an angle grinder against her body to like shoot sparks everywhere (whoa!) It’s not as dangerous as it looks, but it looks crazy.” Ward said.

Ward said he was inspired by a show he saw in Oakland a decade ago, and after approaching that show’s producer, was encouraged to start creating his version, called North Bay Cabaret, at the Whiskey Tip in Santa Rosa.

“No idea how it would go, or what the reception was gonna be,” Ward said. “But we had like, at least 150 people come to our first ever show, which was just this good indication that like wow, there is an appetite for a show like this in Sonoma County.”

Ward said he produced shows every month for about 5 years, and then the October 2017 wildfires happened. That slowed down the pace of shows; then the COVID pandemic put a stop to all productions. Now Ward said he puts together fewer shows, but they are on a bigger scale at places like the Mystic.

It's an appropriate venue since it was originally built in 1911 as a vaudeville theater by John August McNear.

Ward said the Halloweird show will also feature a costume contest, live music, and audience participation.

Find more info at northbayevents.com.

Trick or Treat!