Ventana Ballet presents…

UNDEAD
Haunted House of Dances

Ventana Ballet presents an immersive, adults-only Halloween show.

Directed & Produced by
AJ Garcia-Rameau

Distinguished Guests,

Welcome to the UNDEAD Woods. Your favorite Hallow-Queen here, and I’m no basic witch. We are splendidly excited to host you for an evening of unearthly elegance where mischief unhinges the mortal realm. Do not fright! I will be at your side the entire way.

And remember, I RULE THESE WOODS.

-The Witch

UNDEAD is an immersive, adults-only Halloween show.
Encounter the shadows of the night, where only the undead gather.

UNDEAD features local professional theater and dance artists across multiple disciplines, engrossing the audience in an evening of classic Halloween creatures, suspense, comedy, and of course, ballet.

THE STORY

“UNDEAD – Haunted House of Dances is a delightfully frightful modern retelling of Dracula, with some much appreciated and well executed additions. Read on at your own peril, if you wish to avoid spoilers for this thrilling ballet.

Our endearing heroine, The Huntress, takes center stage of this tale as she is enclosed in rolling fog and chased by the many fearsome creatures that call the Undead Woods their home. Her innocent charm is not left unnoticed, as she encounters Dracula in the darkness of the forest. Gifted a blood-red ruby necklace, she must then purse the vampire through a multitude of fiendish horrors that block her path. Clockwork porcelain dolls encircle and pursue The Huntress, and her escape leads her into the realm of the witch, who undeniably steals the show along with sidekick Carol the spider with their captivating musical number. The witch provides wickedly biting comic relief, absolutely reveling in being a force of darkness. After bestowing a protection charm upon our heroine, the sheer purity of this good deed cannot be tolerated, and the witch orders Carol to stir up some devilish mischief.

Enter the zombies, as the mischief unhinges the mortal realm and sends it spiraling into the apocalypse. Society crumbles in the wake of these monsters’ elegantly gruesome dance. The Huntress continues her pursuit through the Undead Woods despite this grim catastrophe, searching endlessly for the wretched but alluring Dracula. She finds the woods is also home to a menacing werewolf, who performs an unexpectedly violent modern breakdance that launches into the audience. However, once she feels the danger has passed and she resumes her search, she finds she was woefully mistaken, as a swarm of Dracula’s bats encircle and pursue her. Her escape from the bats is short-lived, as the brides of Dracula also track her down swiftly with beautifully haunted grace. The Huntress once again comes to face with the vampire for a breathtaking climax.

UNDEAD – Haunted House of Dances met and exceeded our expectations for an evening of unearthly elegance from this contemporary ballet. Director AJ Garcia-Rameau went above and beyond to craft this eerie immersive show, and we look forward to getting to experience more of her imaginative dances in the future. We hope to see this show become a staple in the Halloween scene in Austin. Check out their upcoming holiday show, The Watchmaker’s Song, returning this December. This burgeoning company is proving its worth as an unshakeable representation of performance art and a staple of Austin culture.”

- Sarah Somerville, Nerd News Social

CONTENT ADVISORY:

This is an adults-only show. Recommended guest age is 18 or older to enter.

Guests must be 21 or older to purchase drinks.

Haze and strobe lighting are used during this performance.

~ ~ ~

Ventana Ballet UNDEAD Presenting Artists

Jessica Siclari as The Huntress
Navaji David Nava as Dracula
Colleen DeForrest as The Witch
Taylor Woolums as The Spider
Kelsey Oliver as The Werewolf and Zombie
AJ Garcia-Rameau as Zombie and Bride
Rachael Hanlon as a Doll, Zombie, and Bride
Veronica Boccardo as Doll, Zombie, and Bride
Mia Moi as Zombie soloist and Bat
Lauren Hawkins* as a Doll, Zombie, and Bat
Galadriel Logan as Zombie and Bat
Sully Stuart* as Zombie and Bat
Josh Martinez* as Zombie and Bat
Sydney Galier* as Zombie and Bat
Gavin Strawnato* as LIGHTING DESIGNER

* debut performance with Ventana Ballet

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What does the Witch say? (FAQs)

Distinguished Guests,
Welcome to the UNDEAD Woods. Your favorite Hallow-Queen here, and I’m no basic witch. We are splendidly excited to host you for an evening of unearthly elegance where mischief unhinges the mortal realm. Do not fright! I will be at your side the entire way. Please watch your ticket confirmation email closely for further information about safety precautions, parking, logistics, etc. for the event. You should receive this mysterious note a couple days before the show, lest that dreaded Dracula gets in my way again. He can be such a pain in the neck. Did you say you have some questions?

• Q: Where is the venue? •
Witch says: The UNDEAD Woods are located this year at the Factory on 5th (3409 E 5th St, Austin, TX 78702). Please! Don’t get deja-boo and show up to last year’s venue! Witches, there is rain in the forecast, so please bring an umbrella; the entrance to the warehouse is in the back and will require a short walk down the uncovered side alley to the right of the building!

• Q: What time should I be there? •
Witch says: You and your ghouls should plan to arrive at the time on your ticket (6:30pm or 8:30pm), no sooner! #squadghouls

• Q: Can I wear my Halloween costume? •
Witch says: I say…. if you’ve got it, haunt it. We’ll be on the lookout for the ghostess with the mostest. Please note, however, that this warehouse does not have A/C. Please dress according to the weather outside!

• Q: Where do I park? •
Witch says: Witch, please. Note that the bar is wide open featuring eerie-sistable spooky cocktails, so we strongly encourage taking a Ride Share. If you do decide to drive, however, you can park your broomsticks on the surrounding streets of the Factory on 5th (3409 E 5th St, Austin, TX 78702). Beware of the street signage!

• Q: What time does the show start, and how long does it last? •
Witch says: The fang club will begin the one-hour performance in the Undead Woods approximately 30minutes after the time on your ticket. Don’t be late to the spooktacle!

• Q: What’s up with the Zombie Raffle? •
Witch says: Those Zombie friends of mine are hosting a Zombie Raffle again. Bring cash and venmo to buy your $5 tickets and an opportunity to win the same Kendra Scott necklace that Dracula gifts the Huntress in the ballet. Hey thanks, Kendra, you’re jewelry is bat to the bone. (BTW! All proceeds go towards artist paychecks!)

• Q: What is the recommended age for this show? •
Witch says: Listen ghouls, these Woods are full of scary creatures and adult humor. I keep trying to get the undead creatures to tone it down, but alas, they love to creep it real. That said.. leave your kiddos at home. Your babes are just too cute to spook, so get a sitter and trick or treat yo' self to a night of fright.

• Q: What is the scary content of the show? •
Witch says: We are here to get this party startled. Here in the Undead Woods, you’ll meet Dracula (he’s a real Vein Gogh), the Huntress, some creepy dolls, a herd of zombies, a horrifying werewolf, a colony of Dracula’s bats, a clique of his exiled ex-brides, my silly little spider sidekick, Carol, and… well…. WITCHES!

• Q: How close will the characters get to me? •
Witch says: My friends here in the Undead Woods are tricksters, and they like to get up close and personal, but they will not touch you. Please, witches, don’t touch them either!

• Q: Will there be a bar? •
Witch says: Trick or tequila? There will be drinks available for purchase, thanks to the generous pop-up bar hosted by Spider House Ballroom. I checked the spellbook, and the cauldron punch is witchin.’ As my good foe Dracula says, “Eat, drink, and be scary!”

• Q: What special effects will be used? •
Witch says: My favorite hobby is witchcraft. Please note that haze, strobe lighting, and music are used during this performance.

• Q: Is the venue wheelchair accessible? •
Witch says: Both the venue access and the seating are located on the ground level. Give us a heads up (info@ventanaballet.com) if you need us to designate some specific wheelchair spots for your party. We know that not all witches ride brooms, so allow us to reserve a spot for you to get the most fa-boo-lous views of the scares!

• Q: Can we buy tickets at the door? •
Witch says: We will sell some limited tickets at the door, but it’s cheaper to buy online in advance! I definitely recommend buying in advance, though, since this show tends to SELL OUT! Buy your tickets online NOW, or else we may have to say, “Boo, Felicia!”

Some parting words from the Witch…
Prepare yourself for some treats, and maybe a few tricks.
And remember: I rule these Woods.

- THE WITCH

THANK YOU, VENTANA BALLET SPONSORS

VENTANA BALLET SEASON SPONSOR
Tito’s Handmade Vodka

VENTANA BALLET FISCAL SPONSOR
The Austin Creative Alliance

IN-KIND SPONSORS
Kendra Scott (Necklace Donation and Kendra Gives Back Partnership)
First Street Studio (Rehearsal Venue)
Austin School of Classical Ballet (Performance Marley Dance Floor)

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SPECIAL SHOUT OUTS

THANKS TO OUR CREW & BARTENDERS!
Thank you Ish, Jake, Mason, Mara, Molly, Curtis, and Justin! You create the space for us to focus on the art. Thanks for your hospitality to our guests!

THANKS TO OUR LIGHTING DESIGNER!
Thank you, Gavin Strawnato! Your expertise and creativity knows no bounds.

THANKS TO Factory on 5th and RiotBread!
Thank you, RJ, Kara, and team for your generous hospitality!

THANKS TO OUR FOG CREATOR!
Thank you, Rachael Hanlon and Heath McMurtry, for creating epic fog!

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About Ventana Ballet

Ventana Ballet is a professional dance company based in Austin, TX, specializing in contemporary ballet dance performance. The word ventana, meaning window, embodies the company’s organizational mission and vision, seeking to provide artistically relevant, technically proficient, and publicly accessible dance performance and education opportunities to the community. Ventana Ballet’s mission is to inspire, entertain and educate audiences through disciplined and innovative approaches to presenting next-generation choreographic works. More information about Ventana Ballet can be found on the company website at VentanaBallet.com

WHAT’S NEXT?

The Watchmaker’s Song

An Austin holiday favorite!

Tickets go on sale November 3rd at 10am.

Tap the image below for more details!