The Witching Hour and a half

What an enjoyable way to spend Halloween. I was entertained from start to finish with the music, singing, dancing, and humor. The group is really talented, and they did an awesome job giving big performances on a tiny stage.
Confession: With the exception of Avenue Q, I *hate* musicals.
Well, I can now add The Witching Hour and a half to my exception list. I’m thinking anything else Miscreants Cabaret performs will get added as well.
If you missed out on this, I don’t know what to tell you…
Oh yeah, sucks to be you! Don’t sleep on the next one.

The Witching Hour (and a half), plays out in two hot & steamy acts. It tells the story of what happens when Ann the Virgin meets a few always sexy, often drunk, otherworldly characters at a Halloween party.
Every character is well developed, as we are privy to their pasts & how their «magic powers» came to existence through song & dance. Most of it is campy as hell, but being a fan of musical theater, I’m used to the over-​the-​topness.
My favorite story within the story is the impossible love between Luke the Gay Cannibal & JH, which can never be because Luke would rather eat JH’s leg rather than his… other yummy man parts. It’s cute how they’re so smitten with one another. Loved it.
Climate Theater is a charming venue, allowing for tons of actor-​audience interaction. The bf & I walked in a few minutes before showtime & were sold the last two tickets of the night. I thought the Miscreants were all really talented & entertaining & I look forward to seeing another show from them. They de-​virginized me with a very «bewitching» performance.

I went to this performance as an undying show of support for my dear little lap dog named Luke, however I left with an even greater appreciation for his oral skills than had been previously established on our drunken night at the Cinch.
The intimacy and size of the venue essentially put you in the middle of a dinner party that was seemingly coordinated by Rocky Horror and the Sisters of Perpetual Inebriation, complete with filling portions of innuendo and camp.
Every performer was spot on and the pace, action, choreography and plot were equally as colorful and surreal. However, the songs and their content were the highlight of the show for me. Luke is a clearly a genius in the composition department and as sad as I would be to see him leave all of us little folks behind, he and this production are bound for a bigger stage.
The Castro lost a fantastic festival and legendary party when they pulled Halloween from the streets a few years back. A die hard tradition was lost and has yet to be replaced. I think with the right fan base and larger venue this show has the potential to resurrect the Halloween institution in The Community and become a yearly staple this time of the year. Like a flame rising up from the ashes of the Phoenix I see a new Devil’s night ritual shaping up and that little flame’s name is Luke.

There were two things i just recently gotten over in the last six months or so…
1) an extreme fixation on everything chocolate coated… and yes this includes coated insects…
2) an aversion to all things musical theater…
Intimately located in the Climate Theater, «The Witching Hour (and a Half)» brings on the guffaws and outright side-​pain inducing laughter associated with The Miscreants Cabaret.
Just a few of my favorite performances (I lost my playbill so I don’t remember all of the names):
1) I’m Late! — Hilarity ensues as the characters take the stage, you get a good taste for each of the differing personalities. And if your lucky, a little bit of glitter left on your clothing!
2) Cocktail Time — By far my favorite number. Sounds beautiful and hilarious, you will find yourself announcing your need for drinks… AH!
3) Talulah’s song — Sexy, sultry Alissa Deeter blew me away with this song.
4) Too Much String — Luke Anthony’s tenor, on-​stage awkwardness and tender lyrics make this a song to remember. I can relate to this song the most… Although I have never been a persons off-​night, or have I… :(
My only caveat? I wish it were longer so The Miscreants Cabaret can slather themselves over the stage like saliva on the face of a prepubescent couple discovering the nuances of open-​mouth kissing for the first time…
LOVED IT, GO SEE IT!!!

In reality, i should have gotten «first to review» since i was the first one to see the show, but alas, Umesh beat me to it. (flips the bird)
The Witching Hour blew me away. I knew the show was going to be good, but i wasnt expecting it to be amazing. The singing, the acting, the dark sense of humor all kept me laughing and entertained the whole way through. I could have used a little more blood and gore, but thats just the sadist in me. Everyone did an excellent job with their characters but i was completely smitten with Alissa Deeter (Talula). I was attracted to her take charge, dominating character. Love. Her.
Im not big on musicals. I honestly have always had a hard time sitting through them. Beach Blanket Babylon… good but a snore. (I literally fell asleep) The Witching Hour definitely made me a fan. Well, i should say that it made me a fan of, not musicals in general, but of The Miscreants of Cabaret. The way they interact with the crowd makes you feel like you’re part of it and getting a private viewing. Im looking forward to their next show.
Trust me when i say i didnt give this show 5 stars just because Luke is one of my favorite people. I said to Luke «if your show blows, dont cry when i give you a 1 star review.» I dont sugar coat shit for anyone. Luckily the show was fantastic and the Climate Theater, although small, gave it a nice intimate feel.
Get ready Broadway, Luke is coming for ya and he’s going to blow you (no pun intended) away! (side not: Luke, now that i know you have an amazing voice, be prepared to serenade me when you jump out of my bday cake)

I cannot remember the last time a sat through a performance with a huge smile on my face, wiping away tears of laughter, on the edge of my seat for the next song!
The theater is small and intimate. This is not a performance for children.
My Favorite Characters:
Luke!!! The Cannibal Gay! Dude, so much talent, such an incredible voice! I just want to hug you to bits!
Alissa Deeter AKA Talula — I identify with this character, love her!
Ann the Virgin AKA Alison Sheehan– I was in the hot seat, she kept insinuating I was a hotty. Thanks, I needed that. What a voice.
Edward: Damn!
Madame Laveaux AKA Nicole Helfer– Hot, talented, vixen.
Jekyll & Hyde AKA Sam Palmer — He keeps the synergy.
Way to go Luke! I’m so proud of you!
Bonus — I got to meet Pilar!

Eagerly looking forward to an entertaining evening by the masterly band of chic freaks and geeks I scurried up the wooden stairs of the quaint and charming theatre that is the «Climate Theatre» a good 30 minutes before the published show time. The show was an intimate affair between performers and audience as they practically rubbed shoulders over the course of the show in the charming & cozy ambiance of the auditorium.
Without giving away the story or any of the not-​too-​infrequent risqué humor, I will attempt to describe the evening of melodious tunes, mesmerizing voices, heart stopping performances, and smouldering beauties. As we all know, the story is predicated on a young naïve girl who stumbles upon a family of other-​worldy beings on her way to a party.
Talula (Alissa), the matron of the freaks, endearingly labeled as one that shares an acronym with a Mommy In Love (with) Falafels, took the stage with a seasoned vocal that manifested itself from the get go that screamed «I am the first lady here». The songstress’s vibrato was impeccable and seemed to suggest years and years of operatic singing (not that I am an expert in such matters).
The buxom Madame Laveaux, played by the bodacious beauty Nicole, is a captivating presence that cannot easily be ignored (nay, make that «never»). And Lordy, when she accentuates those God-​given bountiful curves wrapped by a diaphanous viel that do nothing to hide those lovely limbs, clean thoughts are the last thing on my mind (Lord, forgive me my trespasses!). As with most singers, the high vocal note is expected and delivered but Nicole’s low in the second half that plumbed the depths of the frequency range was eye-​brow raising impressive.
And of course, we now have the bumbling and innocent Ann, the *ahem* Virgin, whose merry naïve ways happen to be the catalyst that is the reason for this story’s existence. Played by the versatile Alison, it was indeed an eyeopener as she went from a naïve waif to a red-​hot vivacious vixen that makes one wonder if she was indeed the same giggling girl at the start of the story.
Our very own Luke the gay cannibal playing himself, save for the cannibalism, wowed the crowed with an inspiring, funny performance backed ably by his powerful vocal chords that filled the room from wall to wall. His odd humanitarianism and zig-​zag attributes that disallow him from eating kitty-​cats can only be understood from watching the show.
(Now pardon me for this is the part where I get a little sketchy as I was busy… ummm… critiquing the luscious ladies of the stage that my memory doesn’t serve me quite as well)
The schizophrenic psychopathic Jekyll&Hyde, played by Sam, was a study in contradiction, switching between amiable party host to not-​so-​amiable personalities. In one of his many avatars was an oblique humorous reference to Mikado that, I am afraid, escaped a majority of the audience.
The imposing Edward («Cullens»?) literally stood above the rest of the cast with his imposing stature helped in no small part by the ridiculously pale visage as befits any self-​respecting, luxury-​coffin-​dwelling vampire.
After the highly entertaining performance, I had a little chit-​chat with Sean, the Musical-​Director, who revealed that the script was somewhat close to it’s final form only about 3 weeks before the première! I guess the old habits of cramming for the exams in the last minute never really dies — they merely resurface in various forms that can leave even Jekyll & Hyde scratching their bi-​polar heads in absolute bewilderment.
In conclusion, I admit my 5-​star rating may have been slightly biased by the fact that I know the Composer. For the complete stranger, you might want to expect a 4-​star performance as nothing is worse than arriving with an unrealistic sky-​high expectation that leaves you wanting for more.
Now Hurry along and catch it before it’s limited run closes on October 31^st.