Actor Shelagh Hackett joined the performance director Brian Ditchfield for a celebratory beverage after the show. —Dena Porter 
Performers Danielle Mulcahy and Shelagh Hackett joined the festivities at the Afterlight Bar. —Dena Porter 
Libations were poured at the Hotel Le Grangé. —Dena Porter 
Hotel guests dressed to impress on Halloween! —Dena Porter 
The crowd cheered for the performance at Hotel Le Grangé. —Dena Porter 
Performers Max Young, Danielle Mulcahy, Shelagh Hackett and Charlie Esposito took their final bows at the performance. —Dena Porter 
During the multimedia performance, ghosts appeared at Hotel Le Grangé. —Dena Porter 
Musician Charlie Esposito played spooky music on the theremin, an electronic musical instrument that is controlled without physical contact. —Dena Porter 
Actor Max Young opened the performance by reminding the guests that ghosts were amongst us at the Hotel Le Grangé. —Dena Porter 
Charlie Esposito played some spooky, yet cool music on the theremin. 
Musician Charlie Esposito played spooky music on the theremin, an electronic musical instrument that is controlled without physical contact. —Dena Porter 
Throughout Hotel Le Grangé, evidence of ghostly relics could be found. —Dena Porter 
Guests enjoyed a menu of libations and provisions at the Afterlight Bar. —Dena Porter 
Ghosts and witches lurked about at Hotel Le Grangé. —Dena Porter 
Bella Morais checked in guests to Hotel Le Grangé in high fashion. —Dena Porter 
This swanky lounge atmosphere was created with furniture and other items from Chicken Alley and Second Treasures MV. —Dena Porter 
Guests of Hotel Le Grangé returned to the lounge for cocktails after the show. —Dena Porter 
Alison Hammond came dressed as the bride of Swamp Thing! —Dena Porter
You don’t have to worry about being frightened by things that go bump in the night at Circuit Arts’ multifaceted Halloween delight. Inspired by the vaudeville halls, supper clubs, and grand hotels of the early 20th century, this year’s Spirits & Spirits transforms Grange Hall into the Hotel Le Grangé, and we are invited guests to come play all evening.
Co-producer and Circuit Arts Managing Director Kelly Kaye speaks of the event’s impetus: “We wanted to create a Halloween experience that was missing on the Island. For people with little kids, you have the trick-or-treating, and the only real alternative was the bar scene. I was trying to get something more dynamic and in-between, catering to the things I find fun about the holiday.”
Circuit Arts began hosting Halloween events at the Grange in 2024. That first year, they tickled audiences with dramatic monologues on the upstairs stage. Kaye says, “People loved it, so I had a bigger idea for 2025, which became the first Spirits & Spirits.”
Last year, audiences experienced the fictional Hotel Le Grangé through an eerie theatrical experience that unfolded throughout Grange Hall. The team transformed the first floor into a faded, early 20th century grand hotel with vintage velvet furniture, low lighting, and a bar, with the performance taking place upstairs. “There’s something about the Grange Hall around Halloween where the veil feels a little thinner,” says Kaye. “This year, we’re opening another door into that world, and taking audiences into the hotel’s Orchid Ballroom.”
This year expands the hotel’s mythology, introducing a completely new story, characters, and performance style that unfolds entirely on the ground floor. “Last year, we sent out a survey, and the biggest feedback we got was that they liked the downstairs space and enjoyed playing with us, feeling like they went back in time. So, we decided to lean into that,” shares Kaye.
We will meet Vivienne Vale, a celebrated star of stage and screen, portrayed by Circuit Arts house manager Shelagh Hackett. She has handpicked an intriguing lineup of Island actors, musicians, dancers, improvisers, and specialty performers to bring her revue to life. Part variety show, part experiential theater, the evening unfolds around the audience. Kaye says, “I want people to walk away with an appreciation of the sheer variety of talent we have on this Island, which is plainly on display.”
Kaye, co-producer Mac Young, and co-producer and Circuit Arts creative director and filmmaker Danielle Mulcahy orchestrated the evening. “We are playing in shaping a whole world. We’re writing an original script, and designing the floor plan and seating,” Kaye notes.
Start your evening of strange delights an hour before the show, grab a seat, and enjoy a drink and a light snack. Miss Vale believes an evening in the Orchid Ballroom calls for a little flair. Vintage finery, cocktail attire, costumes, and other imaginative interpretations are warmly encouraged. Miss Vale appreciates a guest who knows how to make an entrance, as long as it doesn’t outshine her own.
“Vivienne Vale’s Vaudeville Revue” runs from Oct. 27 through 31. Tuesday–Friday, doors to the house and bar open at 6:30 pm before the ticketed 7:30 pm showtime; Saturday, doors open at 5 pm for the early show, with a 6 pm showtime. Doors open at 7:45 pm for the 8:30 pm performance. Come early for a drink in the Afterlight Lounge and settle in. Seating is general admission and is first-come, first-served. Late admission will not be permitted once the revue begins. Tickets are $25, and are available at circuitarts.org/spirits-and-spirits.
