Boston's Best Halloween-Themed Shows

With Halloween comes a slew of Halloween-themed events, including shows from classic Halloween movies to improv comedy. Some of the best venues in Boston are offering up gore, costume shenanigans and scary musical mayhem to Bostonians and visitors. For those who are looking for a bit of entertainment that does not involve trick-or-treating or awkwardly bobbing for apples, Boston has Halloween covered.
Halloween Storytellers
David Friend Recital Hall
921 Boylston St.
Boston, MA 02115
(617) 266-1400
www.berklee.edu

Date: Oct. 30, 2014 – 7:30 p.m.

Halloween Storytellers is a Berklee College of Music tradition that does not really involve much storytelling. The name is more in the sense that the concert features singers and songwriters and it has an intimate atmosphere. It is a concert with a Halloween theme that should scare up some thrilling tunes and other mischievous Halloween fun. The night is free for all who want to attend, so gather up some friends and head out for a holiday treat.

(Image: Improv Boston Flickr)

(Image: Improv Boston Flickr)

Improv Boston's GoreFest
40 Prospect St.
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 576-1253
www.improvboston.com

Date: Oct. 31, 2014 – 7:30 p.m.

Improv Boston pulls out its guts in more ways than one for Halloween night. GoreFest is an all-out musical cabaret with everything people love about Halloween. Expect gross outs, Halloween music and, of course, comedy. Anyone who can laugh at the grim side of Halloween can enjoy this night of Macabr-et, as the venue puts it. Visitors are asked to dress for the night, meaning whip out those costumes, and to take extra care if they sit in the front rows. All kinds of fake bodily fluid will be splashing around up there.

Related: Five Halloween Themed Cocktails 

(Image: Full Body Cast)

(Image: Full Body Cast)

"The Rocky Horror Picture Show"
AMC Loews Boston Common
175 Tremont St.
Boston, MA 02111
(617) 423-5801
www.fullbodycast.org

Date: Oct. 31, 2014 – 10 p.m., Nov. 1 & 2 – 11:30 p.m.

If fringe society had a Halloween movie, it would be "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." This cult classic has Tim Curry in drag, Meatloaf for dinner, Susan Sarandon in, well, bed and a whole lot of time-warping alien madness. What happens these days at a showing is a bunch of actors play out the scenes in front of the movie screen. In this case, Full Body Cast heads up all of the fun. Do not be afraid to dress up as a favorite character. For those who have never been, be sure to bring a good sense of humor.

Makj Halloween
Whisky Saigon
116 Boylston St.
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 482-7799
www.whiskysaigon.com

Date: Oct. 30, 2014 – 10 p.m.

Makj, or Mackenzie Johnson, is a professional DJ who began creating music as a teenager in China. He worked closely with DJ AM before his tragic death and got much of his training from the popular DJ. Whisky Saigon in Boston has this talented young man booked for Halloween night. His dance music is expected to liven the place up quite a bit, so this is definitely a show that is meant for revelers with a ton of energy to spare. No one under 21 years of age is permitted.

(Photo Credit: Coolidge Corner Theatre)

(Photo Credit: Coolidge Corner Theatre)

Horror Movie Month
Coolidge Corner Theatre
290 Harvard St.
Brookline, MA 02446
(617) 734-2501
www.coolidge.org

Date: The entire month of October

Coolidge Corner celebrates Halloween by playing everything from horror movie documentaries to recordings of horror plays. Horror movie fans will love the range of genres including slasher, monster and thriller. There are nights that will not include horror movies, but viewers will have no problem finding a good horror movie with the selection and dates that are available for viewing on the venue's website.

Related: The Ten Best Halloween Movies Of All Time

Shelly Barclay is a professional freelance writer and amateur author. She writes on a variety of topics from food to mysteries. She loves to share the culture and rich history of her birthplace and home, Boston, with the rest of the world. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.