The autumn season is officially upon us. With that comes of course, our best scary holiday and all of its classic accompaniments, one of which is the long touring production of “Thriller”, a Halloween spectacular by Odyssey Dance Theatre.
“Thriller” is a dance production displaying a variety of Halloween dances, stories and characters. “A lot of people think that because this is a dance production that they have to like dance,” said artistic director Derryl Yeager. “But this show is for everyone. […] This is not a standard dance production, but an entertainment show that everyone can enjoy.”
“Thriller” began 20 years ago as a small production selling only 50 tickets its first opening weekend. A mere two years later, word of mouth and satisfied audiences led to a number of sold out performances. Today “Thriller” has experienced serious growth with over 56 productions within the state of Utah and three dancing companies performing the show.
Many people may be wondering how the “Thriller” production differs from the famous Michael Jackson song and accompanying dance. Now you can finally learn the answer. “Thriller is the opening number with Michael Jackson’s zombie dance. That is our lead and the rest of the show is series of vignettes of your favorite Halloween characters,” said Yeager.
The production brings Halloween stories to life through comedy intertwined dances such as The Curse of the Mummy, Dem Bones, Frankenstein, Jason Jam, Salem’s Mass, The Lost Boys and the River of Blood Dance.
“I think the humor aspect of the show surprises people. We take their favorite characters and we tell their story and people love it. They laugh and keep coming back for more,” said Yeager. “The nature of the variety of the show is very appealing.”
For some students, this will be their first Halloween experiencing “Thriller”. “I am looking forward to seeing it. This will be my first year,” said U graduate Jessica Allen.
“It sounds scary and spooky,” said junior Oliver Taggart.
“This is a great way for students to experience and celebrate Halloween without feeling the need to dress up and walk around with a candy bucket,” said Yeager.
Kingsbury Hall is hosting the production on Oct. 7-29. Students have a fantastic opportunity to benefit from “rush tickets,” meaning you can arrive the day of the performance and buy two tickets for the price of one. U Faculty will also receive a ten percent discount on all shows. Tickets are usually $50, $45, $40, $35 and $30.
The production will be shown throughout various locations in Utah. Check their website for an inclusive list: http://odysseydance.com/shows/thriller/