While gazing out the car window on a road trip, creative inspiration struck Kelly Kaye.
Ms. Kaye is the managing director of Circuit Arts, a nonprofit arts organization that runs year-round film, theatre and music programs on the Island.
On this particular drive, she was thinking about what the organization could do for Halloween.
“I started to go down this rabbit hole in my head of how play for adults is such an essential piece of life,” she said. “I was just in this dream state thinking about how awesome it is that adults are still engaging in all of this wonder…I think the root of it was wanting to create that play space for adults.”
That vision takes shape in the second iteration of Spirits & Spirits, which will transform Grange Hall into the Orchid Ballroom of the fictional Hotel Le Grangé. This year’s production, Spirits & Spirits: Vivienne Vale’s Vaudeville Revue, blends variety show performances with immersive theatre.
For five nights, from Oct. 27 to 31, Island actors, musicians, dancers and performers will bring the experience to life.
Last year’s inaugural production of Spirits & Spirits introduced audiences to the fictional Hotel Le Grangé. This year, organizers are expanding upon the fictional theatrics by introducing new characters, stories and performance styles.
“We’re building on what we did last year, which was a two-part experience,” Ms. Kaye said. “We got a lot of wonderful feedback from last year, and decided to build on what we had created and lean into the parts that we found to be really successful.”
The event was originally split between music and mingling downstairs and the subsequent performance upstairs. This time, the entire experience will unfold on the first floor, allowing audiences to remain immersed in the atmosphere throughout the evening.
“The show is there and it exists in the space that you get to stay in and make yourself at home in, and that kind of freed us to cook up a really wild show that happens in this amazing space,” said Mac Young, frequent collaborator with Circuit Arts. “That’s the highlight for me this year.”
Mr. Young wrote this year’s script and is directing the production, as well as overseeing its set design, sound and lighting.
The new format also allows for a larger audience, an advantage as interest builds. Next Friday night’s performance is already sold out.
From Oct. 27 to 30, the performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. On Halloween night, Oct. 31, there will be a double header, with performances at 6 and 8:30 p.m. and doors opening an hour before each show.
The organizers suggest arriving as doors open in order to mingle before the show. Guests are also encouraged to dress for the occasion, whether in costumes, cocktail attire or otherwise imaginative interpretations.
“It’s really unique,” Ms. Kaye said. “It’s a place to be transported…it’s a night out, it’s something that you don’t get to see regularly. It’s unreplicable.”