Best bets

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Oct 28, 2004 by Genelle Pugmire Deseret Morning News

PROVO -- So you didn't go out of town for UEA weekend, and now you need to keep the kids entertained for a few days. Here are our best bets to keep the little ghosts and goblins' Halloween spirits up while they wait for school to start again. There may be a bit of fun for the parents, too.

Thursday

-- "Hunchback of Notre Dame," the time-honored Victor Hugo classic starring Charles Laughton, will be shown at 7 p.m. in the Harold B. Lee Library auditorium at BYU as part of the ongoing special collections Motion Picture Archives Film Series. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The public is welcome. Free.

Friday

-- "Hotel Frankenstein" Oct. 11-Nov. 1, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays at the Valley Center Playhouse, Lindon, 780 N. 200 East. Tickets are $6 general admission, $5 student, children and seniors. Call 785-1186 for ticket reservation and information. Closes Monday.

-- "Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," Oct. 30, at 8 and 11 p.m. at the Castle Amphitheater, 1300 E. Center, Provo. Tickets are $10 adults, $8 students and seniors, and $6 children 12 and under. This Broadway musical is a dark, humorous look at a barber seeking revenge and loving murder and his girlfriend who makes these wonderful new meat pies. The pies become the rage of London. Call 830- 5359. Play is performed outdoors. Dress for cold weather. Ends Saturday.

Saturday, Oct. 30

-- Ghost and Goblin Ball. The Orem Friendship Center sponsors community dances every Saturday from 8 to 11 p.m. for singles and couples college age and over. Cost is $5 per person, $4 with student ID. Tonight's music provided by a surprise guest band.

-- Edgar Allen Poe's chilling tale, "The Black Cat." KBYU-FM is offering the public a special Halloween broadcast read by BYU emeritus poet-in-residence Leslie Norris. (This story may be too intense for younger listeners.) Hear this dramatic reading Saturday, Oct. 30, at 9 p.m. on KBYU-FM at 89.1 FM and 89.5 FM (in southern Utah County) and online at www.kbyufm.org/streaming.

-- Divine Comedy Oct. 30, at 8 and 10 p.m. at the SCERA Showhouse II. Enjoy an evening of clean humor from the popular sketch group with features such as "Lord of the Engagement Ring." Tickets are $6 adults, $4 children (3-11), students with ID and seniors (65 and older). Call 225-2569 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. for more information or to reserve tickets.

If these choices don't suit your fancy and you just want to stay in by the fire and be a lounge-about over the weekend. Here are some current DVD's to rent: "Raising Helen," rated PG-13; "Garfield: The Movie," rated PG; "Day After Tomorrow," rated PG-13.

If you're in an election or presidential mode, have fun with some oldies like: "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," "The American President," "Dave" or "Air Force One."