Thrillpeddlers to Host SHOCKTOBERFEST 14: JACK THE RIPPER, 9/26-11/23

Thrillpeddlers announces their annual Halloween Extravaganza Shocktoberfest 14: Jack the Ripper - An Evening of Horror, Madness, Spanking and Song Commemorating the 125th Anniversary of the Jack The Ripper Murders in London. Thrillpeddlers presents its 4th and final preview performance of Shocktoberfest 14 on Sept. 30, the very date that police received the letter that coined the name "Jack the Ripper" and the case's double-murder occurred.

This 14th Annual Extravaganza of Terror & Titillation includes:
A Classic Grand Guignol Thriller:
- Jack the Ripper by André de Lorde and Pierre Chaine, Premiere English adaptation by Carl Grose; -
- The Wrong Ripper - a World-Premiere One-Act play by Rob Keefe;
- A Visit to Mrs. Birch and the Young Ladies of the Academy - (The opening scene from the Victorian Spanking drama) - (a Thrillpeddlers' favorite also celebrating its 125 year);
- Salome - by Scrumbly Koldewyn - a new musical spin on Oscar Wilde's classic;
and a Lights-Out Spook-Show Finale.

This annual festival of Grand Guignol horror theatre and black comedies, plays as a Limited Engagement - only 30 performances Thurs., Fri., & Sat. at 8:00 pm from Sept. 26 thru Nov. 23, 2013, with 2 special Halloween performances on Tues., Oct. 29 and Wed. Oct. 30 at 8:00 pm. Previews -Thurs. 9/26, Fri. 9/27, Sat. 9/28, Mon. 9/30, Opening Night (press night) - Thurs., Oct. 3, 2013 - 8:00 pm.

2013 dates for Shocktoberfest 14: Jack the Ripper:

Previews - Sept. 26, 27, 28 (Thurs. - Sat.), 30 (Mon.)

Oct. 3, (Thurs.) opening night), 8:00 pm
Oct. 4, 5, 10,11, 12 / 17, 18, 19 / 24, 25, 26, Thurs. Fri. & Sat. - 8:00 pm)
Oct. 29 & 30 (Tues., Wed. - 8:00 pm) 2 Special Halloween Perfs
Oct. 31, Nov. 1, 2, (Thurs. Fri. & Sat. - 8:00 pm)
Nov. 7, 8, 9 / 14, 15, 16 / 21, 22, 23 (Thurs. Fri. & Sat. - 8:00 pm)

Thrillpeddlers' Hypnodrome is located at 575 10th St. SF 94103. (Bryant & Division Sts.). Tickets for Shocktoberfest 14: Jack the Ripper - $30 all performances - Gen. Admission. $35 premium admission for front row seats and "Shock Boxes" and "Turkish Lounges". ("Shock Boxes" and "Turkish Lounges" tickets sold in pairs only), and are available at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/445136 or for info. call 415/ 377- 4202.

Play Synopses:

Jack the Ripper by André de Lorde & Pierre Chaine, Premiere English adaptation by Carl Grose; Originally performed in 1934 for Le Theatre du Grand Guignol in Paris, the one-act play Jack the Ripper imagines what would happen if the Ripper led police to the scene of a sixth grisly murder in the Whitechapel district of East London. A bloody note pinned to his fifth victim tells police where and when he'll strike next and Scotland Yard makes a bargain with an incarcerated prostitute to help them catch the killer. Jack the Ripper's playwright, André de Lorde, was the most prolific of the Grand Guignol's writers, penning over 150 one-act terror plays and comedies for the infamous "Theatre of Blood." Playwright Carl Grose (who wrote The Wild Bride with director Emma Rice presented in the Bay Area at Berkeley Rep '12 & '13) is writing this first-ever English adaption of the play, feeding his fascination with de Lorde, a character featured in his playGrand Guignol. In Fall 2013 Carl Grose and Emma Rice wlll have the West Coast premiere of their play Tristan & Yseult at Berkeley Rep 11/22/13 - 1/6/14. Carl is also currently writing plays for Kneehigh Theatre Company, Royal Shakespeare Company, and The National Theatre in London.

Cast: Norman MacLeod (Inspector Smithson), Kai Brothers (Sgt. Hopkins), Jack Crow (Richards and Huxley, the prison director), John Flaw (Dr. Morhalt), TJ Buswell (The Warden), Geo Epsilanty (Dr. Thompson), Eric O'Kelly (Dr. Short), Dashiell Hillman (Lord Sheffield), Bruna Palmeiro(Jenny Wickers), Zelda Koznofski (Edith), Julia McArthur (Mary), Tina Sogliuzzo (Michelle, a nurse). Directed by Russell Blackwood.

The Wrong Ripper - a World-Premiere One-Act play by Rob Keefe; This World-Premiere is inspired by the double murder of Blanche Lamont and Minnie Williams, which took place in 1895 at San Francisco's Emanuel Baptist Church that once stood at 131 Bartlett St. (near Valencia & 23rd St.). Like the Jack the Ripper case, it too produced a media circus and at the time when deYoung's Chronicle and Hearst's Examiner were both vying to be the number one paper in San Francisco. Theodore Durrant was convicted and hung for the murders, but there is grave doubt of his guilt. Emanuel Baptist Church's "Pastor Jack" is perhaps a more likely candidate for committing the crime...and was he also Jack the Ripper? Thrillpeddlers recently performed playwright Rob Keefe's The Twisted Pair in Rio Janeiro. His play The Cortez Method opens the New Play Series for Orlando Shakespeare Theater's 25th Season in August 2013.

Cast: TJ Buswell (Barnes, a young policeman), Michelle Louise (Rose, his wife), John Flaw (Euell, a cat burgler), Julia McArthur (Fern, his accomplish), Noah Haydon (Chorine #1), Tina Sogliuzzo (Chorine # 2), Bruna Palmeiro (Chorine #3), Zelda Koznofski (Moira Von Stepp), Russell Blackwood (Beauvais, a newspaper editor), Eric O'Kelly (Costigan, a reporter), Dashiell Hillman (Theodore Durrant). Directed by Alex Kinney.

A Visit to Mrs. Birch and the Young Ladies of the Academy (Anonymous, 1888) -The opening scene from the Victorian Spanking drama. (A Thrillpeddlers' favorite also celebrating its 125th year.) Thrillpeddlers presents the opening scene of this classic Victorian spanking drama. Originally published in 1888, "Mrs. Birch" celebrates the time-honored tradition of corporal punishment in the British boarding schools. Our all-female cast will demonstrate the effects of the 'Birchen Discipline' nightly. Knickers will be dropped.

Cast: Julia McArthur (Sally), Michelle Louise (Young Lady #1), Zelda Koznofski (Young Lady #2), Bruna Palmeiro (Young Lady #3). Directed by Kim Larsen

Salome - by Scrumbly Koldewyn - A new musical spin on Oscar Wilde's classic; Four British "toff's " visit Mr. Tayors, a bawdy house full of boys that Taylor has 'rescued' off the streets. They are entertained with an introductory song, and then with a special piece prepared for frequent customers Oscar Wilde and his lover, Lord AlFred Douglas, based on Wilde's infamous play, Salome.

Cast: Noah Haydon (Salome), John Flaw (Herod), TJ Buswell (Guard #1), Dashiell Hillman (Guard #2), Kai Brothers (John the Baptist).

With live accompaniment by Steve Bolinger. Directed by Noah Haydon. Musical Direction by Scrumbly Koldewyn

Artist Statement by Director Russell Blackwood: Thrillpeddlers presented the first Shocktoberfest in 1999 at The Exit Theatre with the intention of presenting an annual festival of Grand Guignol horror theatre and sex farces during the Halloween season. After several years of performances at The Exit, The Odeon, and the SF Performing Arts Library and Museum, Thrillpeddlers found a permanent home at the Hypnodrome in SF's SOMA district. Outfitted with a guillotine, thunder sheet, strobe lights, and even secret doors, The Hyonodrome is a purpose-built horror theatre Now in its 14th year Shocktoberfest is responsible for having revived more plays from the infamous Le Theatre du Grand Guignol than any other producing entity. Most of these scripts were presented here for the first time ever in English adaptations.

Dubbed "Thrillpeddlers Pageant of Terror and Titillation," Shocktoberfest has always looked to meld classic Grand Guignol one-act plays with revivals of other bloodcurdling and erotic entertainments as well as premiers of new works devised by Thrillpeddlers resident playwrights. As with the traditional Grand Guignol bill of dramas and comedies, one-acts and short sketches, the combination of fare on the Shocktoberfest bill gives the audience a "Scottish Shower" dousing them with a variety of "cold" terror plays and "hot" comedies.

The company's approach to the material is not to slavishly recreate the Grand Guignol experience, but rather to interpret and enlarge this French theatrical genre and its allied American cousin the spookshow, burlesque, and horror cinema-style theatrics for contemporary audiences. This material is a chance for actors to reclaim elements of antique acting styles and stagecraft that make these plays irresistible to Thrillpeddlers and their loyal audiences.

Russell Blackwood (Director / Producer) produced and directed his first Grand Guignol horror play 20 years ago with his own adaptation of the 1926 shocker The Laboratory of Hallucinations. That production led him to found Thrillpeddlers with his boyhood friend, Daniel Zilber. He's produced and directed for Thrillpeddlers ever since. In 1999, the duo produced the first Shocktoberfest!!. Thrillpeddlers annual Grand Guignol spectacular. Four years later, Thrillpeddlers launched the research web site http://www.grandguignol.com/ In 2004 Russell and his husband, Jim Toczyl, opened The Hypnodrome to be Thrillpeddlers home. Producing and directing Scrumbly Koldewyn's four Cockettes musicals: Pearls Over Shanghai, Hot Greeks, Vice Palace and Tinsel Tarts in a Hot Coma are other delightful milestones for Thrillpeddlers. Russell's productions have played throughout the U.S. from NYC to Alaska, as well as England, Taiwan, and South Africa. Other directing credits include: Otello and Carmen (Berkeley Opera); The Pirates of Penzance (Lamplighters), Ex-Lovers, Strangers in Paradox, and Women Behind Bars (Theatre Rhinoceros); Cabaret and Medea (Shotgun Players); and productions for the S.F., L.A., and Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festivals. He earned his BFA in Acting from Boston University.

Alex Kinney (Director) is a director, writer and performer and is thrilled to be a part of Shocktoberfest. He last directed in the Bay Area 30 years ago, Tonight at 8:30 at the Berkeley Repertory Theater. In the interim, he directed and acted off-Broadway and in regional theater, performed comedy in cabaret, appeared in The Sopranos, and taught at Columbia University, where he was head of the graduate program in directing. He is a member of The Actors Studio, who produced his play Holy Hell. He can be seen online performing his own erotica in David Sterry's Sexworkers Literati.

Scrumbly Koldewyn (Composer/Music Director) was a founding member of The Cockettes and composed many songs for Pearls Over Shanghai, Hot Greeks, Vice Palace and Tinsel Tarts in a Hot Coma. In the 1980s he performed and composed for The Distractions, and then for 25 years with The Jesters Vocal Trio, touring extensively in Europe. He composed for approximately 36 original theatrical productions, including the Jesters' Singing Fools, and has been an accompanist/musical director and performer in theater and cabaret since the mid 1970s. Shows he created include The Untamed Stage (1920s Berlin Cabaret) in 1999 and Wilde Boys at NCTC in 2007 (BATCC awards for musical direction and best production--musical). Awards include the BATCC for original music (1981), two SF Bay Area Cabaret Gold Awards with the Jesters ('91 & '92), and the Dean Goodman Choice Award 2000 for Cabaret performance (Goldfield & Koldewyn). Currently, he is also music director at Stagebridge in Oakland, and New Conservatory Theatre Center in SF. Thrillpeddlers' revival of Mr. Koldewyn and Martin Worman's musical Vice Palace received eight BATCC Award nominations and performed at NYC's HOWL Festival. The 1972 musical Hot Greeks, also by Koldewyn and Worman, recently had its 40th anniversary production at Thrillpeddlers' Hypnodrome.

Carl Grose (Playwright) wrote plays which include Quick Silver, 49 Donkeys Hanged, Superstition Mountain, Grand Guignol, The 13 Midnight Challenges of Angelus Diablo, Gargantua and Horse Piss For Blood. For the past 18 years he has worked extensively with the internationally acclaimed Kneehigh Theatre as both actor and writer. Writing for Kneehigh includes Tristan & Yseult, The Bacchae, Blast!, Cymbeline, Hansel & Gretel and The Wild Bride (which played at Berkeley Rep in '12 and '13). Carl has also written for Told By An Idiot, National Theatre of Wales, Vesturport, Spymonkey, Soho Theatre and BBC TV and Radio. He also co-founded the Cornish Production Company o-region. Carl is currently writing new shows for Kneehigh, the RSC and The National Theatre.

Rob Keefe (Playwright) has written original plays for Thrillpeddlers since Shocktoberfest!! 2000. A Slight Tingling, The Empress of Colma, and A Wedding of the Member all received revivals on other bills as well. Thrillpeddlers recently performed Mr. Keefe's The Twisted Pair in Rio Janeiro. His play The Cortez Method opened the New Play Series for Orlando Shakespeare Theater's 25th Season in August 2013.

Thrillpeddlers (www.thrillpeddlers.com) have been performing their unique brand of horror and fetish theatre in San Francisco since 1991. Under the direction of Russell Blackwood, Thrillpeddlers are continuously engaged in translating, adapting, and producing classic plays from the infamous repertoire of Le Théâtre du Grand Guignol and producing other works inspired by the Grand Guignol tradition.

In 2008, Thrillpeddlers embraced another niche theatrical genre with the company's annual Theatre of the Ridiculous Revival. That year they performed for NYC's HOWL Festival with their productions of Charles Busch's THEODORA, SHE-BITCH OF BYZANTIUM; Charles Ludlam's JACK IN THE BEANSTALK; and Link Martin and Scrumbly Koldewyn's PEARLS OVER SHANGHAI. Following this, a full production of PEARLS was mounted in San Francisco in 2009 and ran for 22 months. In the summer of 2011 they revived another of Koldewyn's works, VICE PALACE. The hit show garnered 6 SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Awards and the group's second trip to NYC to perform at the HOWL Festival which included a special performance at NYC's Lincoln Center to celebrate the life and works of long time Koldewyn collaborator, Martin Worman. Thrillpeddlers have since produced two more Cockettes musicals: Hot Greeks and Tinsel Tarts in a Hot Coma.

The company's SOMA performance venue, The Hypnodrome, is tailor-made for the specific needs of horror theatre, musical extravaganzas, and "lights-out" spook show spectacle. Inaugurating The Hypnodrome with WELCOME TO THE HYPNODROME in 2004, Thrillpeddlers continued to produce wildly popular Grand Guignol bills including: BLOOD BUCKET BALLYHOO, FLAMING SIN, AUDACIOUS ARTEFACTS, KISS OF BLOOD and the recent hit, FEAR OVER FRISCO.

SHOCKTOBERFEST!!, Thrillpeddlers' annual pageant of terror & titillation, now in its 14th year has become a SF Halloween favorite. Prior to that, the company's production history includes the American premiere of Clive Barker's FRANKENSTEIN IN LOVE, MONDO ANDRONICUS (selected Best of the 1997 S.F. Fringe Festival), and a double-bill of THE MEDIUM and A CRIME IN THE MADHOUSE (in Pretoria, South Africa). Thrillpeddlers have won the SF Bay Guardian's "Best of the Bay" and back-to-back "Best of San Francisco" awards from SF Weekly. Thrillpeddlers Theatre Company received a coveted 2009 GOLDIE AWARD (Guardian Outstanding Local Discovery award) from the SF Bay Guardian In 2010, 7 X 7 Magazine named Thrillpeddlers "BEST UNDERGROUND THEATRE COMPANY IN SF." They are also the purveyors of www.GrandGuignol.com, the most complete source of Grand Guignol information on the Net. In 2012 Thrillpeddlers completed a critically -acclaimed run of MARAT/SADE presented by Marc Huestis at BRAVA Theatre.

Pairs of patrons will surely enjoy Hypnodrome's famed Shock Box seats for two, which garnered S.F. Weekly's "Best of SF 2008" for "Best Bonus Theater Experience." These individually themed seats include sumptuous "Turkish Lounges", and "private boxes" including "Heaven and Hell, "The Pharaoh's Tomb," and "The Padded Cell," which offer the same opportunity for illicit trysting that was once a feature of the Parisian Théâtre du Grand-Guignol - with added special effects as a nod to the 50s horror movie gimmicks of William Castle.

For 65 years an old Jansenist monastery down a back alley in Montmartre was home to one of Paris' great stage attractions, Le Théâtre du Grand-Guignol. Born in 1897 out of the Naturalist theatre movement, the theatre company soon developed its own distinct repertoire of short horror plays, dramas, comedies and sex farces. As many as 6 of these one-acts played on a single bill, a "laughter and tears" line-up that alternated effortlessly between gasps and guffaws. This "hot and cold shower" format seemed to intensify an audience's delight and unease as they collectively realized that anything could happen on the Grand Guignol stage - no topic was taboo, and no symbol was sacred. Particularly during the decades that book-ended the world wars, live entertainment flourished in Montmartre. The artists there played a vital role in the development of new performance genres for the 20th century. What is thought of today as "modern drama" and popular entertainment owes much to Montmartre's melodramas, cabarets, music halls, repertory theatres, and on-stage experiments that ranged from the avant-garde to the overtly sexual.

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